Synopsis:
Gem Echols, a nonbinary Seminole teenager residing in a small town named Gracie in Georgia, relies on their charisma to hide their underlying anxiety. Gem is famous for being the person who helped their peers realize their queer identities. The only individual who truly knows them is another trans teenager named Enzo, who resides in Brooklyn and is miles away from Gem.
Gem has recurring dreams of magic and violence that feel genuine, but they have never shared them with anyone, not even Enzo. However, a new girl named Willa Mae Hardy arrives in town and behaves as if she and Gem are old acquaintances. She seems to know things about Gem that no one else knows, including their dreams.
After Gem is attacked by a stranger who claims to be the Goddess of Death, Willa Mae rescues them and provides some information. According to Willa Mae, Gem and she are reincarnated gods who have loved and known each other throughout many lifetimes. Unfortunately, Gem has not always been a benevolent deity, and they have created many enemies in the pantheon who will continue to pursue them.
Thankfully, Gem still has Enzo, but as the past catches up with the present and worlds collide, Gem will learn that everyone has secrets to keep.
Thoughts:
DEAR. MOTHER. OF. GOD. THIS. WAS. MINDBLOWINLGY. GOOD! This was the first book I read by H. E. Edgmon and man oh man, this was a wild ride! Their writing is so good, it was almost impossible not to fall in love with the characters and the story. The story reminded me a lot of Kresley Cole’s The Arcana Chronicles which I absolutely adore. The story was well developed, the plot intricate and the characters had depth and soul making you want to root for them, even the darker ones. Whenever I thought I had it figured where the story was heading, Edgmon threw in plot twists which changed the narrative and leaving me pleasantly surprised. Their writing was spunky, snarky and and filled with comic relief which made the story all the more interesting to read till the very end. The intimate scenes among Gem, Enzo and Rory were so artfully showcased too. It is not everyday that we get to read a polyamorous YA book, so that was another plus for me as well.
I wholeheartedly loved Gem. They were a brilliant protagonist. I feel the author did a fantastic job portraying the struggles a non binary teen goes through and I have never wanted to hug an imaginary character so tight and Edgmon made me want to do that. Gem was at times extremely dark and had a lot of inner demons they were fighting but despite that they were also tender, soft and empathetic making them a relatable character.
Enzo/Shade and Willa Mae/Rory too were brilliant characters. I loved Enzo’s flair for drama and Shade’s deeply rooted cunningness and apathy. Willa Mae/Rory was such a badass character and I really loved how the author showed us glimpses of their tenderness making her character essential for Gem’s existence. All the other characters were well written too. None were similar. Some were bizarre, some were chaotic and some were calm. All of them combined made the story very interesting indeed.
Although there were a few plot holes here and there, it didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book at all and Godly Heathens deserves all five stars I am giving it. H. E Edgmon is an extremely talented writer who can weave beautiful stories that keeps the reader engaged and enthralled. I am looking forward to reading the next installment of The Ouroboros series.
Rating:
The Book Cover
