Helen & Troy’s Epic Road Quest
by A. Lee Martinez
Helen & Troy’s Epic Road Quest is a snarky YA romp through the tropes of mythology, in the form of a road trip across part of western America. I’m a big fan of classic mythologies, so this seemed like it’d be right up my alley. It’s imaginative (as far as world setting), absurdist and mildly entertaining. Unfortunately, it’s not much else. While the concept of the story is creative and unique, the execution leaves something to be desired. The characters are flat and predictable, and the humorous absurdity is undercut by the fact that the story just really isn’t engaging. I didn’t care what happened, partially because it was so predictable there wasn’t a point. It’s clear the author, amidst the adventure storyline, was trying for some deeper message about first love and not judging people by appearances or stereotypes. But it just fell flat. For me, this is one of those YA books that just doesn’t really translate to adult readers. If you’re looking for a juvenile read that is a bit different but doesn’t require any brain power, give this a try. Just don’t expect too much out of it.
I give it 3/5 stars.
