3.5 maybe? I have mixed feelings about this series. I do love some ancient myths set in modern times — for tweens/teens even! The writing is good, the treatment of the Egyptian gods and magic is interesting, the dual narrative voice of the sibling protagonists works (even if one of the voices irritates me), and I appreciate the author's continually growing commitment to a diverse cast of characters. On the other hand, I didn't care for the cheap punchlines at the expense of the god of dwarves or the noose that came into play for a black character. Yes, it was wielded by a representative of evil chaos, which makes it seem pretty appropriate, but it wasn't written by a black author, so I'm not sure it was the best choice. Big props to Riordan for his imprint that publishes books by diverse authors featuring mythologies from their own cultures — maybe it would be best to leave the use of symbols and instruments of terror and oppression in the hands of the cultures terrorized by them.