The Monstrous Child - Francesca Simon

'Before you reject me, before you hate me, remember: I never asked to be Hel's queen.'

But being a normal teenager wasn't an option either. Now she's stuck ruling the underworld. For eternity.

She doesn't want your pity. But she does demand that you listen. It's only fair you hear her side of the story . . . It didn't have to be like this. "

I've got to admit, I had no idea that this was a sequel. I first picked it up because I thought the cover was gorgeous, when I read the back and found out it was about mythology (which I love)I just had to give it ago.

It is an interesting book, but too little happens in it. It is also quite anti-climactic; you are waiting for the battle of End of Days and Hel to get her revenge but that never happens. There was no point to the story - The story did not feel like it was going anywhere.    

I personally liked Hel. She is dry, snarky, whiney and juvenile. Okay I know I said I liked her then listed bad traits but it made her believable. She is 14 in the book and has never received affection from anyone, has been banished for eternity with only the company of the dead and permanently smells like a decomposing corpse. I think that would leave us all a little self-pitying.
 
 That said she can get abit much and other than the moaning her character needed a little more filling out. I was hoping for a cool, sassy and powerful Queen of the Dead. I would also have liked to see her drive some aspects of the plot rather than constantly having to react to things, or just put up with them.

Of course, none of the gods really come across in any sort of a positive light here. Loki is his usual trickster self, but with no charm to waste on his monster children. He doesn't care about any of them, apart from when they may be able to help him. Odin doesn't exactly endear himself to Hel, our narrator, when he banishes her to underworld. She may be the Queen of the dead, but she is also its prisoner.

Overall I think this book is a quick, light read. A moderate understanding of Norse Mythology is needed, otherwise you wont understand what the hell is going on. Pun intended. The smells and corpses are described well so I would suggest this for 12+.