Alrighty, this book review of The Eye of Zeus was incredibly memorable! I’m also going to share a bizarre experience this book led to, which you can find under the next heading. This review will give you a good sense of what The Eye of Zeus, a book by award-winning author Alane Adams, is all about. However, it’s limited because I’m only covering chapters 1 through 6 in detail — so up to page 40 of this hefty 301-page softcover book. Look, it’s practically impossible to read every single book with Greek mythology themes in existence from start to finish. But this should be enough to give everyone an idea of whether The Eye of Zeus is any good.
The front cover of The Eye of Zeus has a Greek myth vibe, featuring a multi-headed Hydra beast in the background, so you can probably guess from that that this book offers its own unique twist on Greek mythology — somewhat similar to the very popular Percy Jackson series. The Eye of Zeus book you see in the feature image is part of the Legends of Olympus series. The second book in the series is The Medusa Quest.
The Eyes of Zeus story follows Phoebe Katz, a twelve-year-old foster kid from New York. According to the book’s summary on the back cover, she and her friends Damian and Angie learn of a new prophecy! So yeah, it’s going to be a wild ride filled with Greek gods and monsters — no doubt about it.
The Eye of Zeus: An Unforgettable Experience
The Eye of Zeus opens with a map of Ancient Greece, highlighting Mount Olympus, Delphi, the Acheron River, Thebes, Nemea, the swamps of Lerna, Sparta, and Seriphos in the Aegean Sea. Lycia is also shown, which was part of the Hellenic Empire in ancient times.
Now, here’s where things get totally weird. Picture this: I’m on the jetty, snapping photos of me holding The Eye of Zeus, feeling as if I’m about to channel my inner hero. I head off to take more shots elsewhere, but I soon walk back onto the jetty again, taking more pictures with the book in my hand. Afterward, when I look at all the photos, I realize I can do a bit better.
So, I make a third trip back to the jetty that evening — that’s when my strange experience happened. It’s lightly raining at that time, so I’m waiting under a building’s shelter, below the clock tower, near the foreshore, just watching the night sky and waiting for the rain to stop.
Suddenly, an older woman walks around the corner. She looks the opposite of a beautiful goddess — clearly a homeless woman. She’s pushing a trolley, looks at me, and says, “I’m homeless.” Then she asks if I’m homeless too, which took me by surprise. I mumble something in response.
She then offers me some food she’s munching on. I step a few feet away, feeling very uncomfortable, trying to create some distance between us. As I walk slowly away, she calls me “darling” and holds up a black scarf, waving it in the air and offering it to me — kind of like a sports fan cheering for their team. She even says I can sleep with her if I want.
I swear, I started wondering if this was some kind of Greek goddess test, an amusement of theirs, or if the universe itself was messing with me. Was it some divine Zeus prank? I felt genuinely sorry for the woman, but let’s just say I got out of there faster than if I’d worn Hermes’ winged shoes.
So yeah, The Eye of Zeus must have some serious mystical power behind it. How does the book itself hold up? I’ve read up to the end of chapter six, so I’ll provide you with all the key details regarding the first part of the story. From this, you’ll get a good appreciation of what chapters 1 through 6 are about, and that should be more than enough to get you excited. Let’s dive in.
The Eye of Zeus: Chapter 1 Review
Alright, so here’s the scoop on The Eye of Zeus — it kicks off with this cool, tough kid sharing her story. She’s been in foster care her whole life, and she starts by telling us about the day she was abandoned at a bus stop on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
Right from the jump, you get a sense that this girl’s got a wild story with some strange things happening around her. Like, she mentions a freak hailstorm that dents her foster dad’s brand-new Mustang, or a lightning strike that ends up scorching her foster sister’s cat.
Her name’s Phoebe Katz, and she’s got this attitude that pulls you in. Then she talks about Carl — a Brooklyn-based social worker who’s really got her back. He’s the one who found her at that bus stop, and Phoebe jokes that if Carl knew just how much trouble she’d cause, he might’ve left her there.
All of this is in just the first two pages. So yeah, I was keen to see where this story was headed. It’s got that cool mix of mystery, a touch of the supernatural, and a kid with a lot on her plate. Definitely an intriguing start. It had that Percy Jackson vibe, but with a girl as the main character in this case.
The Eye of Zeus: Chapter 2 Review
So, in chapter 2 of The Eye of Zeus, Phoebe kicks things off by giving us the lowdown on Dexter Academy and how she spent the entire night working on a model of the Acropolis. She’s not exactly a fan of school, but Carl — the social worker — promised her a new cell phone if she managed to win an award in a big competition. That’s what pushed her to finish the project.
She then introduces her friend Damian Rodina, who’s pretty much a genius — definitely the brains of the group.
There is also someone who isn’t her friend and that happens to be Julia Pillsbury, the ultimate queen of snobs. Of course, Julia manages to trip Phoebe when the opportunity arises, causing her to fall down and, worst of all, smash her Acropolis model to bits.
Right after that, a thunderclap rumbles through the scene, followed by lightning flashing through the window and lighting up the room. It looks like Phoebe has special powers. Then again, maybe it’s Zeus — after all, he is the king of lightning.
Phoebe’s about to lose her cool and pop Julia, but Damian shows up just in time, telling her to hold back, or she’d risk getting expelled. Angie Spaciacolli also enters the scene, and we find out she’s the third member of their crew. So, at this point, I’m pretty sure all three figures on the front cover of The Eye of Zeus have been introduced. Things are definitely heating up.
The Eye of Zeus: Chapter 3 Review
Alright, so “The Eye of Zeus” really takes a darker turn starting in chapter 3. Phoebe finds herself alone when she spots this dog she calls Weezer, who often hangs around school. But then things get weird. The dog, which usually looks pretty normal, suddenly grows another head after wagging side to side, as if it’s all wet.
Things escalate quickly when this mutant mutt turns into a full-on chase scene in a school room, with Phoebe running for her life. The chaos hits its peak when numerous model projects get smashed to bits.
It ends up looking as if Phoebe has carried out a revenge attack, and next thing you know, Phoebe’s sitting in Principal Arnold’s office, staring down the consequences. Luckily, Carl comes through and bails her out.
We find out she’s got a bit of a rough past — some petty shoplifting (like a pack of Twinkies, nothing crazy) and skipping class here and there. But honestly, she’s got her reasons. Carl’s not thrilled with what’s happened. He sees her potential, but he’s worried it might all go to waste if she keeps pushing her luck.
The Eye of Zeus: Chapter 4 Review
In chapter 4 of The Eye of Zeus, things start to get pretty interesting. We find out that Phoebe and her two friends usually chill at this cozy pizzeria owned by Angie’s dad — pretty much their go-to hangout spot. And Phoebe’s got this routine: she meets up with Carl most Sundays, for pancakes. Lucky girl, right?
Here’s a revelation: it turns out Carl found Phoebe at a bus stop on Second Avenue, with a mysterious note stating to look after her until it’s time. No one knows what that means. Phoebe would love to know, but considering this all happened twelve years ago, it seems an impossibility at this point in her life.
Soon, things begin to shift into mysterious myth mode. Phoebe hears a voice telling her, “Be careful, Phoebe of Argos. Winds of trouble are blowing your way.” It happens near Rockefeller Center, where at its base stands the massive bronze statue of Atlas, holding up the world. But wait — did the statue just move? Yep, the Titan himself steps down from his pedestal and approaches Phoebe. He calls her “Princess of Argos,” and warns her she’s in danger. Apparently, the doorway between our worlds has been opened.
Phoebe thinks she’s dreaming, similar to when she once thought she saw a two-headed dog. When Atlas becomes aware that she’s seen a two-headed dog, he explains that the magic of Olympus has leaked into the world and that the prophecy must have begun. He tells her to talk to Athena. Then, just like that, he turns back into the bronze statue — as if nothing had happened. Things are getting more mysterious by the moment, and Phoebe’s about to discover that her life is more myth than she ever imagined.
The Eye of Zeus: Chapter 5 Review
So, Phoebe’s telling her friends about all these wild experiences she’s been having. She drops the bomb about this two-headed dog attack. Damian, of course, brings up the fact that in Greek mythology, Hades had this three-headed guard dog named Cerberus that guarded the underworld. But Damian’s not really buying any of it. He sees the Greek myths as just stories — made up to explain the crazy world we live in.
Then Phoebe drops another one: she says she saw the Atlas statue at Rockefeller Center come to life. They also hear that Atlas supposedly mentioned something about destroying Olympus.
She tells her friends that Atlas said she needs to talk to Athena. That’s when Angie chimes in, sharing some local knowledge. She mentions Athens Square Park in Queens, a place packed with Greek statues. They decide to check it out. They see statues of Socrates and Sophocles, the famous Greek philosopher and playwright. There is also a statue of Athena at the far end of the plaza. Phoebe tries to speak to Athena’s statue, but… nothing happens. So her friends tell her to give it another shot — close her eyes, really focus, and try again.
The Eye of Zeus: Chapter 6 Review
In chapter 6 of The Eye of Zeus: winds immediately start swirling around them, and then — bam! The Athena statue comes to life, asking who speaks to Athena. Phoebe’s there, trying to play it cool, and Athena’s like, “I know your brother well,” but Phoebe’s confused, thinking she must have the wrong girl in mind.
Turns out, Perseus, the legendary hero, is actually her twin. Phoebe’s mind is blown. Damian, the genius of the group, jumps in to set things straight, saying there’s only one Perseus, the son of Danae and Zeus, born ages ago. Things get super tangled here and it’s hard to follow, but here’s the main premise: Perseus is still just a boy, even though he’s been around for thousands of years. Incredibly, Perseus is the same age as Phoebe. What?! That’s some wild time-loop stuff right there.
As if that wasn’t enough, they all learn that Olympus is real. Ares, the god of war, has broken the seal between the mortal world and Olympus, and chaos is spilling over. Athena then drops a bombshell — Ares is after Phoebe because the fate of Olympus and everything around it rests with her.
Here’s another revelation: their dad, Zeus, sent Phoebe away to keep her safe from a terrible prophecy. No wonder she’s got these weather-changing powers — like, right now, the wind is swirling around them, and that’s all because of Phoebe.
Athena warns Phoebe she’s gotta go into hiding and wait for a sign because if Ares finds her, it’s game over for Olympus and everything else around it. Then, just like that, Athena turns back into a statue, leaving us hanging.
By the end of chapter 6, on page 40 of The Eye of Zeus, you can already tell this is shaping up to be an epic adventure for Phoebe and her friends. The book has 301 pages, so by just reading up to here, you know it’s going to be one wild, myth-packed ride that kids will love.cxc
The Eye of Zeus: Review & Rating
So, I’d give The Eye of Zeus a 7.5 out of 10. It’s a pretty cool book, and I think kids are definitely gonna enjoy it. One thing I really liked was how it used real-life gods and actual locations — like Athens Square Park in Queens, New York. That gave it a nice touch of authenticity!
On the flip side, I didn’t feel much of a connection to Phoebe Katz through the first six chapters. Maybe it’s because she’s a girl and I’m an older guy — who knows? But honestly, if I’d felt more emotional about her, it would’ve made the story even better. I mean, I was totally invested in Harry Potter from from the beginning, like everyone else. So, Phoebe gets left at a bus stop, her life’s tough, yadda yadda. But I kept wondering — what if the story started with whoever dropped her off? Like, was Carl, the social worker, meant to find her? Was she crying her eyes out while all this was happening? Would’ve been cool to learn more about any divine plan from the beginning.
At school, I wanted a bit more detail — like, how did she meet her friends Angie and her brainiac buddy? Why do they stick together? If that was explained, I must have missed it, or perhaps it just wasn’t very memorable. It would have been nice to get a deeper look into her relationships. For example, Carl, her social worker, seems like a great guy doing his best to help her. But what about her friends? She calls Julia Pillsbury the “queen of snobs” — what’s up with that? When did they first become enemies?
Another issue I had was that I couldn’t quite visualize Phoebe or her friends enough in my own mind. Although they are featured on the front cover, they’re difficult to relate to or picture vividly, with no real descriptions to go on in the story. Perhaps this was intentional, aiming to mirror how anyone might have secret connections with a Greek god or goddess, regardless of their physical appearance. However, I believe the story could have been more compelling if it had drawn inspiration from Harry Potter and his friends, who are all genuinely great kids and memorable characters. Even Percy Jackson, with his distinct personality and struggles, felt much more developed than these characters — after all, he also suffered from dyslexia.
I also found the explanation about how Perseus was actually her twin brother extremely confusing. Honestly, it didn’t make much sense to me.
But even with these negative points, I’m still curious enough to keep reading The Eye of Zeus after the first six chapters. It didn’t fully hook me, but I loved that it delves into Greek mythology and connects it to real life. So, I’ve gotta ask — what other secrets does this story hold if I keep going? I’m pretty busy, so I’ll have to pass for now, but I think this book is worth sticking with all the way through, especially for kids.
Check Pricing and Availability: The Eye of Zeus, Legends of Olympus, Book One
If you’re interested in exploring shorter stories, I highly recommend The Throne of Zeus, a very interesting choose-your-own-adventure book. It’s an exciting read that kids are sure to enjoy, offering both fun and engaging storytelling with choices to make along the way. The main character in this book is also a young girl.
Pin it … Share it
