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savage_book_review 's review for:
The Lost Hero
by Rick Riordan
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Returning to the series that reignited my interest in Greek mythology, I was looking forward to seeing what the second series of the Percy Jackson 'verse had to offer. I have had some vague descriptions given to me so I'm not going in totally blind, but there have been no major spoilers.
Straight away, I can say that it feels like the author has really hit his stride and found his writing voice with this book. While they are still aimed at a younger audience, the writing felt a lot more cohesive and mature than in the first series. I think the book being longer helped in this case; there was more time to develop the story. At the same time, the core structure of the story remains the same; three heroes off on a quest to save the Gods of Olympus. It's therefore very easy to settle into the storyline, as you can easily trace the major plot points. However, that's not to say it's completely predictable!
Likewise, the characters appear more fleshed out; there's development of backstories for both the new characters, and a couple of the existing ones too. The new characters; Jason, Piper and Leo, slot in nicely, and I'm already drawn more to Jason and Piper and believe in them as a pairing more than I ever have Percy and Annabeth!
That's not to say I didn't miss Percy in this book. Sadly, he doesn't make an appearance, and it does feel a little like the lynchpin of the series is missing. There is definitely a Percy-shaped hole in Camp Half-Blood, and the scenes that take place there feel a bit empty without him. Hopefully this will be resolved later in the series!
I also loved the expansion of the mythology, with Roman deities starting to make an appearance as well. From an academic perspective, having the relationships between the Greeks and Romans set out in this format is a great way of reinforcing the fact that all religions steal and borrow from one another to make the transition to a new belief system easier on the converts! And from a reader's perspective, my little brain is silently giggling that I'm about to discover an interest in Roman mythology, which only means more books to read!
Very much looking forward to the series, and found this a welcome return to Camp Half-Blood!
Straight away, I can say that it feels like the author has really hit his stride and found his writing voice with this book. While they are still aimed at a younger audience, the writing felt a lot more cohesive and mature than in the first series. I think the book being longer helped in this case; there was more time to develop the story. At the same time, the core structure of the story remains the same; three heroes off on a quest to save the Gods of Olympus. It's therefore very easy to settle into the storyline, as you can easily trace the major plot points. However, that's not to say it's completely predictable!
Likewise, the characters appear more fleshed out; there's development of backstories for both the new characters, and a couple of the existing ones too. The new characters; Jason, Piper and Leo, slot in nicely, and I'm already drawn more to Jason and Piper and believe in them as a pairing more than I ever have Percy and Annabeth!
That's not to say I didn't miss Percy in this book. Sadly, he doesn't make an appearance, and it does feel a little like the lynchpin of the series is missing. There is definitely a Percy-shaped hole in Camp Half-Blood, and the scenes that take place there feel a bit empty without him. Hopefully this will be resolved later in the series!
I also loved the expansion of the mythology, with Roman deities starting to make an appearance as well. From an academic perspective, having the relationships between the Greeks and Romans set out in this format is a great way of reinforcing the fact that all religions steal and borrow from one another to make the transition to a new belief system easier on the converts! And from a reader's perspective, my little brain is silently giggling that I'm about to discover an interest in Roman mythology, which only means more books to read!
Very much looking forward to the series, and found this a welcome return to Camp Half-Blood!