by Imogen & Isabel Greenberg

The story of the ones who came before Zeus and his siblings, this origin story graphic novel begins with the goddess Gaia, the creator of Earth, according to the ancient Greeks. It shows the development of conflict between her desire for peace on Earth and her husband, children and grandchildren’s desire for chaos and dominance over the Earth. The book begins with introducing the reader to Gaia and her offspring. While this was helpful, I kept wanting to see a family tree to show some of the more convoluted family connections. Much of the book is about the various conflicts in each generation for leadership, all while Gaia looks on sadly as peace is constantly challenged by her descendants. You see battles with the Titans, Zeus overthrowing his father, Giants trying to wrestle control from Zeus… so much conflict! The artwork is bold, dark, autumny colors & stylized characters. Facial expressions say a lot about how the characters are feeling. The book includes a glossary and a brief bibliography. Fans of Greek mythology will enjoy this prequel to so many of the more familiar myths and legends that came after these earlier struggles.