The book’s purpose was to show how much betrayal, love, hate, guilt, and forgiveness can impact a person. Also, it shows how some things cannot go the way you wanted. Additionally, those words are not always what you think they are, since all of those traits can hurt instead of help. The overall message of the book is to teach you a lesson about love, hate, guilt, and forgiveness. Also, this second book felt more organized than Mythos. Instead of a series of small, independent chapters, each hero has a series of chapters covering all the highlight from each of their journeys. This added a much needed continuity compared to Mythos, and made the reading experience better in my opinion. Aside from that change, you'll find everything you loved about Mythos remain same here.

Who dared break into your chamber? Tell me his name and I shall have him gelded, tortured, and strangled with his own intestines.”Nancy Drew is a young, fearless detective who is always smartly solving crimes and is the hero of her town. Once again Stephen Fry's extensive knowledge and enthusiasm for his subject make for joyful reading. The exploits of our various heroes are full of life and humour here. Clearly presented, easy to follow (or as easy as stories that are so frequently convoluted, with shaky timelines can be) and fun to read, I found 'Heroes' just as good as 'Mythos'. Just like the first volume of this series, Fry’s wonderful voice, obvious erudition and charming wit make this book not only a breeze to read, but a delight as well. He doesn’t try to reinvent anything, he is simply delivering the classic stories of the Golden Fleece, the love of Orpheus and Eurydice and so on, in a traditional but very accessible format – that’s a lot less intimidating than sitting down with a big pile of works by Homer and Herodotus.

There are many other characters in the novel that are important but not as important as Francis, Nicole and Larry: Francis Joseph Cassavant is 18 years old, and has just returned to his hometown of Monument in Massachusetts from the French trenches of World War 2. He has no face - he lost most of it in the war, and covers the bandaged remains with a scarf. Francis returned to Monument to find Larry LaSalle, a man loved by the community and one whom Francis deeply respected and admired, now also a war veteran - and like Francis, a Silver Star hero. However, Francis did not return to Monument to pay his respects - in his duffel bag he carries a loaded gun, and intends to murder his idol when he sees him.The value of wartime heroism is also called into question through Larry's Silver Star medal. Despite being a brave act, it was ultimately motivated by self-preservation. But Cormier doesn't stop there, he also highlights the disturbing contrast between Larry's celebrated violence towards enemies in combat and his reprehensible sexual violence (rape) towards Nicole, and the fact that Nicole is underaged makes this even more despicable. And it has been heavily implied in the book that this wasn’t his first time, either. The GI Bill is mentioned in the text in regards to the later plans of the veterans, which they discuss in the St Jude Club. Joe LaFontaine speaks about how the government would be willing to pay for his college education and intends to become a teacher. However, the positive outlook is shown to be false, as the veterans are later presented as pessimistic people, especially Arthur Rivier, who struggles to cope with not talking about the war. Myth can be a kind of human algebra which makes it easier to manipulate truths about ourselves. Symbols and rituals are not toys and games to be dispensed with on our arrival at adulthood, they are tools we will always need. They complement our scientific impulse; they do not stand in opposition to it.” This book was interesting and I thought that the characters were well introduced as we are given a lot of information for such a short book but overall it just wasn't my cup of tea. The strong-willed main character of Little Women follows her dream of being a writer and defies stereotypes—often being described as an “early feminist”.

The book talks about Francis Joseph Cassavant on a mission to kill his childhood hero, and find his love he had lost due to his childhood hero. On his way to accomplishing those two missions, he goes through memories and meets some of his childhood friends. In particular, the final chapter was wonderful. It was actually magical. I was just blown away by Fry's description of why he loves these myths, and their importance to him, and why they should be key to our lives. It was amazing, and really summarised everything that Fry can bring to his story. Katniss is a strong young woman who is truly a “hero” when she wins The Hunger Games. Her strength and endurance after all she’s been through makes her quite exceptional. Francis is plagued by the fact that he couldn’t stop his then-girlfriend, Nicole Renard from getting raped by Larry LaSalle. Mrs Belander: Francis's landlady. She feels sympathy towards Francis, as he is a veteran and is the person who inadvertently reveals that Larry LaSalle has returned to Frenchtown.I suppose one of the things that is a deciding factor in which books get to be put on the GCSE line-up is how they are written, and in fact, the rich language used is something that all of my GCSE texts have in common, which I love. Remember, cautioned the centaur. Modesty. Observance of the gods. In a fight do not do what you want to do, but what you judge you're enemy least wants you to. You cannot control others if you cannot control yourself. Those who most understand their own limitations have the fewest.” Francis gradually slowly his past and his motivation for murder leaving the reader wondering if Francis is punishing Larry for his misdeeds or himself for his own inaction?

I know Cormier can be dark, but Heroes was fantastic, moving, and thought-provoking, and I would read it again. Let me start off by saying that I really enjoyed Mythos, but the second instalment is bitterly disappointing. I wasn't expecting any of that. The synopsis won't give you a hint of the depth behind the main character's reason for wanting to kill his childhood hero, and it really got me. And isn't that why we love Fry? Oh, and the tellings of these Heroes are quite vivid, uncomplicated, and evocative. This pressure utterly destroyed Francis’ mental health, as he grew depressed and suicidal- wanting to jump off the roof of a church, but ultimately stopped because he considered it cowardice. Remember when I said Francis almost sacrificed his life, fell onto a grenade, and tried to “shield” his comrades from a grenade explosion?As the days pass in Frenchtown, Francis lives out the post-war period, reliving the days of his childhood as he waits for the return of another supposed hero.