Review: The Tenth Muse

The Tenth Muse by Belinda McBride
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars



This story possesses it all: love, betrayal and hope. This story moved me both from a character perspective as well as a plot development. My heart hurt as Ms. McBride punches her characters in the gut over and over. For those who enjoy Greek tragedies, this is the one for you. The reader's emotions are dragged through a flogging with steel tips.

On the surface, this tale starts out a bit frivolous with Eros behaving badly on earth. To get him in line, Aphrodite decides to send Rees to bring Eros back into line. Eros comes across as a spoiled brat trying to get attention from his parents. Rees is the dutiful helper. He's the tenth muse. This artistic license was okay for me as I have always learned there were nine muses. I am not going to delve too much into the character development because it is best experienced. When Rees and Eros meet, this is when the story becomes interesting.

Ms. McBride morphs this Greek Mythos with her special twist. This new version is just as agony filled with selfish lovers and hubris demi-gods. It is true what they say, those who forget the past will be doomed to repeat it. This reinterpretation of Eros and Psyche along with another much loved Greek story is masterfully done. Ms. McBride blends the old with new and transforms it into a new love with hope and endless possibilities.

In order to get to this happily ever after, the journey does take some dark turns. It shows how some people will lose their mind trying to find their inspiration or what they consider a "muse". This frightening rendition of stalker is horrifying and helps set up the big reveal as everything needs to be shattered in order to bring about rebirth. I am very impressed with Ms. McBride's writing. This is a lovely tale rich with strong imagery and powerful emotions. Highly recommended for m/m romance readers who enjoy an angst filled odyssey ending with a passionate finish.