Go the Distance by Jen Calonita
Series: Disney Twisted Tales #11
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, Retellings, Mythology
Pages: 336
Published By: Disney Hyperion on 6th April, 2021
Format: Hardback
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Book Synopsis:
What if Meg had to become a god?
After Hercules proves he’s a true hero and regains his godship, all seems right in the world. That is, until Zeus tells Meg that she can’t be with Hercules because she’s, well, mortal. Luckily, Hera has a solution, offering Meg a chance to prove herself worthy of a spot on Mt. Olympus–as a god. All Meg has to do is complete a mysterious quest.
The mission? Oh, just to rescue her ex’s current wife from the Underworld. The ex-boyfriend she saved by selling her soul to Hades. The ex-boyfriend who immediately moved on to someone else while she was stuck in the Underworld. Can Meg put her past behind her and use her quick-wit to defeat monsters and gods alike, including the nefarious Hades? Will she finally figure out her place and contribution to the world? Or will her fear of commitment have her running away from an eternity of godhood with Herc?
Book Review
I love the Disney Twisted Tales series and have read several of them, including Mirror Mirror, also by Jen Calonita. This one however, I enjoyed less than that one and I will explain why.
The other books in this series were definitely more twisted versions of the original tales, however this one just felt like a sequel to the Disney film Hercules but from Meg’s POV. I enjoy the fact that we have a book from Meg’s perspective although reading this felt more middle grade rather than young adult.
In my opinion, it felt too modern—Hercules calls Meg “babe,” and the term “beef” describes an argument. These phrases wouldn’t fit the book’s time period, which felt a bit off-putting.
The book started slowly, which I sometimes don’t mind if the pacing picks up later. However, I enjoyed the ending but felt it was rushed—adding a few more chapters could have made it feel more polished.
I love the fact that we got to see cameos of the main characters from Hercules but some of them didn’t appear early enough in the story for me. However, Calonita did a great job with Hades when he made an appearance!
Reading about Meg’s backstory tied in with the plot well and at times I did find Meg slightly annoying but overall, I think she was a great FMC and the theme of female empowerment throughout the story was executed well by Calonita.
I think if you know a lot about Greek mythology this might not be the best book to read as you might find some flaws in the story that I have missed (due to myself not knowing much about it). However, if you don’t mind stuff like that and you like Disney then this is a fun time! Great for getting out of reading slumps too because the writing style is easy to read and quick.
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