Book Review: Re-Birth (My Own Mythology)

Reviewed by Jaylynn Korrell

How would you come of age in a brand new body—on a brand new planet?

My Own Mythology transports readers to a world much different from their own. Whisked away from Earth and forced to restart her life under wildly different circumstances, Anessa comes to embrace her new world. 

Throw in a set of new societal norms, a few spouses, and potential danger at every turn, and you’ve got what could be your next favorite YA series. 

When Anessa is born, she quickly stuns her parents with her capabilities, like being able to speak as well as an adult. Anessa, on the other hand, is surprised that people are speaking to her like a baby, because the last she knew she was an adult woman. Now she has to relearn to walk, adapt to a new set of parents, and start life over again on the planet Anfang. 

With her twin brother by her side, Anessa soon discovers she’s been born into a family of extreme wealth and status and that not everyone is too pleased with her arrival. As her father’s evil 2nd wife lurks about, Anessa doesn’t know whether she is truly safe in the home she was born into or how her magic capabilities will impact her future. 

The planet of Anfang is unique in many ways, but its similarities to earth are what will allow readers to settle easily into this new reality. There are men and women on this planet, yes, but they all have a little extra quirk to them. Some have slight feline features like a tail or whiskers, or they have both male and female anatomy. Others can use magic and feel at times more like gods than mortals. 

The differences between the people and the planet are just enough to create a foreign place that feels real. I loved learning about all the ways that Anfang differs from Earth. It helps that the author (Cristoph A.T) makes the ins and out of Anfang so easy to understand. We’re learning at the same time that Anessa is learning about her new surroundings, and because of this, it feels like we are on the same page with Anessa throughout the book.

The relationships in My Own Mythology are some of the brightest spots, as they flip what’s considered normal on its head. Polyamory is not just common on Anfang but encouraged. The beings in Westwood are known to take more than one spouse. Anessa’s parents both have other spouses that they share or pursue separately, and Anessa herself has multiple spouses by the time she is 7 standard years old. Not to worry, there are no inappropriate happenings in this young relationship, so although she is very young, it never feels weird for her to go along with the standards of her new environment. 

In fact, the innocence between the younger people in the book comes off as very sweet. I loved watching the relationship between Anessa and Bola change as they took on more partners and got to know each other better. 

Relationships between the same sex have no kind of taboo and are quite common on Anfang. Anessa’s mother is married to her father but also takes on another wife of her own. Anessa herself is encouraged rather than questioned or criticized when she notices a girl that she’s drawn to, as are other characters when they have similar experiences. 

Cristoph A.T has done a terrific job of creating a societal standard that encourages the open concept of love. Young readers will appreciate the natural flow of love and attraction throughout this book. 

Reading My Own Mythology is a pleasure. With so much possibility in this vast new world, I yearned for more after the book ended. Good news is—this is the first installment of a new series, so I have more to look forward to.

Genre: Young Adult Fiction / Fantasy

Print Length: 290 pages

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