Horn Book (Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2017)

The Olympians series returns to a direct focus on a single deity, here the daughter of Zeus and Leto. The comic-book format and illustrations are well suited to telling these stories, and bold, exaggerated facial expressions and poses exemplify the superhuman nature of the characters. Author's note, "G(r)eek Notes," and character bios provide additional insight. Reading list. Bib.

ALA Booklist (Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2017)

O'Connor's Olympians series is still going strong, and this ninth installment features Artemis, a goddess who perhaps doesn't get her fair share of the limelight. In addition to highlighting her role among the pantheon as goddess of the hunt and protector of young women, O'Connor homes in on her independent spirit, beginning when, shortly after her own birth, she assists her mother in the birth of her twin brother, Apollo, and culminating in the grisly end to her friendship with Orion. Artemis is the unswerving, sometimes vicious star of each episode, with the exception of the story of Atalanta, and even that is certainly pertinent. Though O'Connor takes some artistic license, an author's note helpfully explains some of his choices, which, ultimately, make for better storytelling. Many characters from other volumes in the series appear, and notes in the back matter cross-reference other installments where readers can find those stories. O'Connor's cinematic artwork is an enthusiastic vehicle for these tales, with plenty of action and an expressive, strong deity at its center.

Kirkus Reviews

O'Connor offers a portrait of the Wild Goddess of the Hunt as probably the last of the Olympians you'd want to cross.Born without labor pains (unlike her twin brother, Apollo) and a picture of gap-toothed charm as a child, Artemis grows into a lissome young white hunter with a ferocious glare beneath blonde bangs and a short way with all who offend her. Acteon learns this when he spots her bathing and is transformed into a deer to be torn apart by his own hounds, as does Queen Niobe of Thebes after she sets herself up as a replacement for the twins' mother and sees all 14 of her children slaughtered. To keep temptation at bay and her sworn virginity intact, Artemis ultimately even has an arrow for her soul mate, the peerless hunter Orion—himself born, so the tale goes, from a bearskin on which Zeus, Poseidon, and Hermes "all, uh, micturated" ("Fun with words, kids," O'Connor comments in an endnote). He is portrayed here as a brown-skinned hunk with a herculean physique. Though the Olympians here are, by and large, a pale lot, groups of humans and demigods display some variation in hue. Artemis and Atalanta in particular show rather a lot of skin, but artful hand placement and angles of view keep things PG. Admire her—from a distance—and don't dis her or her mom. (notes, character profiles, discussion questions, reading lists) (Graphic mythology. 8-14)

School Library Journal Starred Review (Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 CST 2017)

Gr 4-8 With the latest in his series of books focused on the Greek deities, O'Connor brings to life the goddess of the hunt. Various individuals share anecdotes, weaving a nuanced portrait of Artemis: formidable, quick-witted, occasionally cruel, yet always deeply devoted to the natural world and intensely protective of women and girls. The images are dynamic, with the use of different perspectives creating drama and suspense. Blonde, blue-eyed Artemis is illustrated with cool tones, befitting her characterization. Complementing the visuals, the writing is exciting yet lyrical, evoking the poetry of the original legends. Some stories contain violence, and there is brief nudity but nothing explicit (in one scene, the hunter Actaeon spies the goddess bathing naked and as punishment is transformed into a stag and devoured by his own dogs). The back matter is particularly noteworthy: in "Greek Notes," O'Connor provides insightful—and witty—commentary, and his bibliography will intrigue readers curious about the source material. Though the author is true to the original tales (never shying away from their less savory elements), he injects a feminist perspective, emphasizing Artemis's strong relationships with other women and, in "Greek Notes," referring to Actaeon as a "creepy peeping Tom." VERDICT An excellent addition to graphic novel and Greek mythology collections.— Mahnaz Dar , School Library Journal