Review: Blood Of Hercules By Jasmine Mas

Have you ever wanted to experience a book that has a mix of the drama of Disney’s Hercules, but also make it comically absurd and raunchy? Me neither, but we got Blood of Hercules anyway.

I know, I know, that wasn’t the most glowing introduction, but don’t mistake that for me saying this book isn’t a great time. What I am saying is, Blood of Hercules isn’t good – but it’s absolutely 5 stars and I won’t be taking any questions.

**Please note: spoilers ahead**

Quality of Writing

Rating: 5/5

Is the writing quality indicative of a literary masterpiece? Hell no. Is it insanely funny and a wild ride? Hell yes. Blood of Hercules is written in the 1st person perspective of Alexis, a Gen Z spartan who chronically yearns for death, and honestly, it’s hilarious. As a massive fan of darker/macabre humor, Alexis’ perspective of all the crazy shit happening around her managed to feel like a super well done broken fourth wall. It gave me the same energy of the solo cams from The Office, which I’ve never experienced in a book before, and I ate it up. This book does not take itself seriously, and that’s why the writing gets 5 stars from me.

Plot Development

Rating: 5/5

While I had almost no clue where the plot was going to go for 90% of this book, Blood of Hercules had me completely enthralled. Somehow, this book managed to make 200 pages of what was pretty much an extreme military academy exciting, with a healthy dose of major bullying on the side. This book is a lesson on keeping the exposition interesting, as I feel like that’s where a lot of books lose me, especially if it’s the first in a series.

Characters

Rating: 5/5

Everyone is absolutely awful, and it’s the best part. Blood of Hercules has a wide range cast of characters who are all jerks in their own way, yet somehow endearing. Alexis is a self deprecating and clueless mess, Patro and Achilles are hellacious drill sergeants, and Augustus and Kharon (not Karen) are terrifyingly sexy in that choke-you-out kind of way. I can’t even get into the animal familiars without major spoilers, but Poco the Raccoon has my whole heart.

Ease of Reading

Rating: 5/5

Again, Blood of Hercules isn’t full of masterful prose. It’s silly, it’s absurd, and it’s all vibes. Make no mistake, there’s still lore exploration and character development, but it manages to all meld together seamlessly and is incredibly easy to follow. Every second of this book is just fun, so it’s easy to fly through the pages.

Ending

Rating: 5/5

Blood of Hercules managed to have an ending that both pissed me off, and got me hot and bothered. Kharon (not Karen!!) and Augustus made me so mad, but also so…mad. Although having a spicy scene in the last chapter of a book usually makes me a massive hater, this one fit in perfectly in a book that is overall just asinine.

Would I Recommend This Book

Immediately yes. This is my first 5 star read of February, and it wasn’t even a book I had ever considered picking up in the past. Blood of Hercules is messy, chaotic, and hilarious. This book simply made me laugh and feel happy despite all the nonstop drama, and reminded me why reading is so much fun.

Overall Rating

Blood of Hercules is a book full of absurdity. From the chaotic plot, to the jerk fest cast of characters, this book is a silly read that is easy, sexy, and not to be taken seriously, with an ending that makes you feel like you finally crossed the finish line of a sprint for your life. It’s messy, it’s fun, and while it isn’t good, it’s 5 stars.

Book Rating: 5/5 (TW: Torture, Death, Stalking, Verbal Abuse, Animal Death, Child Abuse)

Spice Rating: 2/5 (TW: Dubious Consent, MMF)

Curious about how I rate my reads? Check out my Rating System Blog Post for more!