Olympus, Texas is one of those stories that has everything you want in a book. It makes you feel so many emotions as you get a peek at the families life which is full of rage, hate, grief, romance. It's one which would make a fantastic tv show.

Unfortunately, this book really wasn't for me.

I didn't find I connected or was interested in any of the characters.

Overall, I was indifferent and uninterested in the storyline.

I wish the author all the best in the future, I think others might enjoy this book but for me it was monotonous.

A sumptuous telling of one American family's history over six days, using tropes of Greek and Roman mythology in interesting and creative ways. March Briscoe returns to his hometown after some marital playing away, where his mother is not happy to see him due to her own marriage issues. Over six days , family allegiances are made and broken, love is pledged and lost - full of drama!

Based on Greek myths, this is a modern retelling of the return of the shunned son. March returns to his home town two years after leaving in disgrace, having had an affair with his brothers wife. His return sparks a multitude of emotions from friends and family. A family tale of hurt, hope, love and betrayal.

Olympus, Texas is a book that intrigued me, captivated me and kept me turning the pages. . At its heart is a compelling tale of a deeply dysfunctional family but the author adds a layer by rooting the story in Greek mythology - it adds an intriguing aspect for those who appreciate the references, though in my view it stands alone at face value as an impressive debut novel.

The Briscoe family are a big part of the small Texan town in which they live. Peter is the patriarch, successful in business and a loving but unfaithful husband to the long-suffering June who has stayed with him despite several affairs and illegitimate children. Their younger son, March, returns to the town two years after he left following an affair with his elder brother’s wife. His return proves to be the catalyst for long-held resentments in the family to boil over, and when a shocking event occurs connected to two of Peter’s illegitimate children, they all have to find ways to deal with the fall-out.

It’s a book that takes place over only six days, but the author cleverly intersperses each day’s events with back stories that enable us to understand why the characters behave in the way they do. The character development is strong and the author’s skill is allowing them all their own voice - all deeply flawed, all pretty unlikeable but somehow truly compelling in their humanity. And I loved the fact that the women, despite everything, prove to be surprisingly strong. Ultimately its a moving story about family and all the flaws that accompany them.

This debut novel by Stacey Swann is a family drama set in modern day Texas but with characters based on the Ancient Greek gods of Mount Olympus, a neat twist on the genre.

You have June and Peter (Hera and Zeus), and their family of five children, two of whom are not June’s children. One of the children, March, is back in town (small town Olympus, Texas) following a period of exile for having slept with his brother Hap’s wife Vera. Another son Arlo is also home from a tour with the band and struggling with his resentment of his twin sister’s new relationship.

The reading experience was not unlike a voyeuristic look into a family in therapy. It’s pretty miserable and they’re all terribly narcissistic.

It took a very long time for the main event in the book to happen (about 40% in - hello The Iliad) and I found myself losing interest, though the event in question did jolt me out of my apathy and lure me back into the story.

A lot of the explanations for the characters’ relationship troubles weren’t all that plausible (Vera - suddenly realising your partner is sarcastic?; Arlo - needing your sister on tour with you so badly that you’d throw her life into chaos on a whim?). I think this comes back to aligning the characters to their Greek god counterparts (cruel Aphrodite, philandering Zeus, lame Hephaestus etc). I think if you’re into Greek mythology, you’ll really enjoy the comparisons to the Greek gods. For me personally, it lended itself to an underdevelopment of characters and a blandness.

Having said that, on the whole the story is entertaining (the funeral scene in particular is fantastic and there is a good sense of place in small town Texas) and the book is well written. A solid debut and Stacey Swann is an author to watch. 3/5⭐️

*Olympus, Texas is out now. I read a digital copy of the book thanks to @netgalley, courtesy of the publishers @orionbooks @wnbooks. As always, this is an honest review*.

I really like that expression a “hot mess” and on this occasion, it aptly describes the extended Brisoce family from the sleepy Texan town of Olympus. This is author Stacey Swann’s debut novel, loosely based on Greek mythology and wow, is this family a Greek tragedy! Pete and June are a middle aged married couple, with 3 grown up children, Thea, Hap and March. Pete, a reformed philanderer and the local titan of industry, also has three children from other relationships, chief among them twins Arlo and Artie.

Spread over seven event filled days, the novel follows what happens when bad boy March returns to Olympus, setting in motion a series of destructive events. March, the prodigal son, has been on an enforced exodus after sleeping with with his brothers wife, Vera. His return is a bad omen. The family dynamic is badly fractured – Hap won’t talk to March, Vera and Hap’s marriage is on the rocks (again), Artie is tired of Arlo taking her for granted and June and Thea have a fraught mother-daughter relationship. Midway through the book, a shocking event occurs which tests the strength of these family alliances.

This is very much a character driven novel, where the women are very impressive. June, Vera and Artie call out the men for their bad behaviour and are the catalysts for change. June is a particularly likeable character – how she put up with Pete for so long is beyond me. None of the male characters are likeable, all of them are self-obsessed narcissists. For me, to really enjoy a novel, and especially a family saga, I need to like or have an investment in the characters and there were just so few likeable people in this book. I also found the narrative used at times too prosaic and could not imagine the characters actually speaking those words. Nonetheless, this is a very strong debut novel and if you are into Greek mythology, then you may enjoy this novel more than I.
Watch out also for a stand-out funeral scene.

Thanks to @netgalley and @orionbooks for this ARC in return for my honest review.

Olympus Texas by Stacey Swann.

A modern day family drama with strong elements of Greek mythology woven throughout; I really enjoyed this debut novel.

The Briscoe family are well known in their small town of Olympus, they are a source of both gossip and power. The book opens with the return of the prodigal son March, he left two years ago after being caught in flagrante with his brothers wife. Jealousy, rivalry ,secrets and rage simmer away and the cracks in this family threaten to shatter.

It’s a bit of a slow starter but I liked this book from the off. The characters are all based on the Greek gods. While the story built , this element was enough to keep me interested. When the main plot of the book takes place ( a modern take on a famous Greek myth) the book shifts in pace and the melodrama ramps up.

I think if you’ve no knowledge nor interest in Greek mythology this book is still a solid read but if you do, it will definitely elevate your reading experience. My own knowledge is sketchy but I’d enough in the I got the characters , as their traits and flaws mirror those of the gods. Without that knowledge ,the main players in this story might feel underdeveloped. I really enjoyed this element of the book, loved it even. I prefer reading about flawed characters than any other kind. The more I think about this book, the more I like it.

The writing is strong and direct, it’s an impressive debut. There’s a couple of truly brilliant scenes and another two that surprised me in how moving they were. A slow starter but very much worth it.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️



I would recommend a quick refresher via google of the Greek gods before reading if your knowledge of them matches mine, it’ll bring another layer to the story .

Set in the small town of Olympus, Texas, this is a story of betrayal, loyalty, and family ties.

Numerous affairs have strained the relationship between Peter and June. Their own three children have grown up alongside their half-siblings in the same rural community - one in which everyone knows everyone else’s business, and rumours spread like wildfire. It’s hard to talk about too much of the plot without giving the whole story away, but the fallout of an affair and a complicated death are the main drivers of this enjoyable and well paced novel.

There are plenty of great characters, not least June who seemed the most well-adjusted of this dysfunctional family group. The small town setting gives a real sense of the claustrophobia that comes from living in a place where you can’t hide from your actions. Overall, this is a great family drama.

March Briscoe returns home for the first time in a number of years, following his sharp exit after being caught having an affair with his brothers wife. He is hoping to make amends and start restoring his family relationships, but this may not be easily achievable, in a family with years of tension simmering under the surface. With plenty of nods to mythology, including the names of March’s dogs and the name of his hometown, I have to admit that I’m sure that there will be plenty of references that I have missed, which may well have impacted on my enjoyment of the story.

Although it had a decent plot, I’m afraid there was just something missing in this book for me. I usually love a family saga, but I just couldn’t connect with this one. I didn’t really like any of the characters - which in all fairness, isn’t a pre-requisite for me to enjoy a book, but this just left me a bit puzzled to be honest. I don’t think many of the motivations of the characters really rang true so it just didn’t really make sense. I don’t want to spoil the book, but an example would be Vera’s decision in regards to Hap - the thing that spurs her on to make her move was implausible at best, and ridiculous at worst. Considering that she is a character that is described as insightful and emotionally intelligent, it just seemed like a flimsy reason for that move at that point in time. I also though that there wasn’t really a great reason for June to have stayed for all that time.

I can appreciate what the author was trying to achieve, but it just didn’t hit the mark for me personally. I purposely waited to write my review after I finished the book so that I could mull it over a bit, but it wasn’t for me.

If anyone was considering whether to try it, I would advise that you will get the measure of it relatively quickly, so it’s worth trying, but if you don’t like it after the first couple of chapters, I would think that you will feel the same about the book as a whole.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Stacey Swann's "Olympus, Texas" was the perfect novel to fill the "Mare of Easttown" shaped hole in my life. It's a deliciously dark slice of small town America, where everyone knows your business and there's never ending family drama - but all is not quite as it seems. The book works well on two levels, the second being that it's an homage to Greek mythology and tragedy. If you're not into that, then taking the story at face value doesn't detract anything as it's very cleverly done. Swann weaves her spell with skill and dexterity. A very engaging read.

For the first few pages...I thought I was going to struggle with this book...but then suddenly I loved it.
I loved the Ovid quotes and the Briscoe family were described extremely well and the story flowed beautifully.

I adored the parallels with the Greek Gods. March being Mars...Artie and Arlo being Artemis and Apollo. It was so clever to bring these myths into a modern setting and I certainly applaud that.

I thought the intricacies of the family dynamics was very interesting and my opinions of each family member shifted with the narrative, which I enjoyed hugely.

For example... At first June was a dour matriarch but when I saw how well she treated Artie and even to some extent Arlo...I appreciated her character more. Accepting your unfaithful husbands offspring into your family is definitely an impressive character trait....and I loved Artie and Arlo's relationship with March.

I found it very interesting that March's illness was ignored and ridiculed and that they all just learnt how to deal with it but still blamed him for it. As a rich family...why didn't they actually get him so expert help? Why didn't they get the rest of them help? This tainted all of their relationships with him and they blamed him for it...which was both sad and very indictive of their own flaws.

I absolutely loved The Origin sections...they were wonderful and I adored the way that they were titled and placed in exactly the right moment. They were some of the best, to the point and emotional flashbacks I have ever read and I really wish the whole story had been as tight and on point as they were. They were so reminiscent of amazing Ancient Greek and Roman literature.

So I loved it... then why the 3 stars? The story was so rounded and so very intriguing and I was loving this narrative of big fish in a small pond deeply flawed family...exactly until the halfway point.

I cannot say what the event was, that turned this 5 star,I love you book into a 3 star... I hate you because the first half was great and the second half awful book...because that would be too big a spoiler.

However the incident almost at the exact halfway point ruined the book and story entirely. Ruined all the characters I had any interest with and made it turn from a family drama into a melodramatic play. I know that may have been the point given all the nods to ancient literature but it just did not land right.

I know its also based on an actual myth and again I applaud that as it is a clever idea but weaving it into this particular story just didn't work for me at all.

The most annoying part? It wasn't needed AT ALL...the story was fully in motion, the characters fully formed and nuanced and more than enough of them to run the book to its natural and interesting conclusion. Sure there could have been a drama, a small mishap or even an incident of some kind but the incident that happened was so over the top and so unbelievable that it took all connection to the story away unfortunately.

I very nearly stopped reading but I was invested in these characters and wanted to see how the rest played out...so I continued but the characters were kind of ruined by this point and my investment became much less....because there wasn't anyway forward for them all.

Whilst it might work in actual legend when the players are actually Gods...it didn't when the characters are just mere mortals!

It also highlighted other problems with certain characters. Vera of very similar Patch Adams reasoning ...all my life people have thought I was beautiful...fame and her ridiculous belief that her bitterness was in anyway justified, which not unlike that line in Patch Adams...made me laugh out loud and not in a good way. Poor beautiful loved Vera....!

June with her down trodden housewife who made her choices and took them out on her family in a very emotionally abusive way...I always imagined Hera more nurturing than this!

Those were the two characters I disliked the most and that could have worked in the original narrative...I didn't mind disliking those 2 overbearing women and because of the way the story flowed my opinion on June would likely have softened but when something that major happens and the novel as a whole stops working...characters you dislike seem even more unbearable.

Overall if the book had continued in line with the first half...this would, without a shadow of a doubt be not only a 5 star book...but amongst my favourite books...but unfortunately given the second half of the book...I doubt I will ever even want to read it again...and am saddened about the difference between the two halves.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Tender, big-hearted and with a wonderful eye for the nuance of these character's lives, I felt I lived and breathed what was happening and was bereft when it was over.

Reading this book felt like being a catastrophe tourist at most times. Disaster after disaster after disaster and then the mother of all disasters. It is still an excellent read.

The story is quite complex, all family members have their own vices and grudges, and they all need to work out a solution that works for them. It is interesting to see how their grudges intertwine, how they work towards resolution trapped in their own characters and histories. How they try to work out what it is really that needs to be solved and what kind of love can heal their very own miseries.

I loved Stacey Swann's efficient and effective prose, how she lets us understand the background when she thinks it is the right time. I also loved the Ovid quotes at the start of each chapter. How fitting to quote from the exiled poet of the art of love.

What happens when a couple stay together over thee decades for the sake of their children and appearances? June's husband, successful local entrepreneur Peter has fathered one son and a set of twins outside of their otherwise perfect home. The couple have three children: a daughter and two sons - Hap and March. The ramifications of June staying and Peter straying have impacted on their kids lives (not to mention their relationship with them) in ways neither could possibly imagine. Their youngest son March (Peter's favourite) returns home after a two year exile for having an affair with Hap's sharp-tongued, shoots from the hip wife, Vera (one of my favourite characters). His return has a ripple effect on everyone. His half siblings are happy, Hap isn't and his parents are divided. Over the next 48 hour someone is murdered and the fallout really rather exquisitely addresses family issues that should have been discussed years (and years) ago. A fabulous, thought provoking read set in a wonderful location. I adored the descriptions of Texas and look forward to reading more by this author.

I'm not sure why but I expected this book to be more about a murder in a suspense style and it did take quite a while for me to settle into this story being about the family.

I was a little disappointed that there were no plot twists or surprise moments but if you enjoy reading about families and their interactions with each other and how people can frustrate, upset and be selfish with each other then this book is for you. I did actually think this could be a good easy watched tv series with the family scandals going on!

Thank you to #NetGalley for the advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review. #OlympusTexas

Thoroughly enjoyed this book! Telling the story of a large family and their secrets, it covers marriage, divorce, infidelity, love and loss. Both entertaining and heartbreaking, not to mention amusing, I would recommend.