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savage_book_review 's review for:
The Son of Neptune
by Rick Riordan
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
As the strapline says, Percy Jackson is back! It has taken me 8 months to pick up this book after reading the last instalment, simply because I was worried that his return would be a letdown. However, I'm very pleased to report my fears were totally unfounded!
The story feels pacy, punchy and much more like a 'proper' novel when compared to Percy's previous adventures. It seems to me to have a much wider range of readership - it's definitely something you can still share with the kids who love the series, but equally it doesn't feel odd reading it as an adult.
It also feels like the author is now truly comfortable with his characters and setting, and is able to manipulate the direction of the story with ease. One of the plot points is that Percy has lost his memories of Camp Half-Blood and has effectively lost 8 months of his life. But rather than taking the time to explain what Percy can remember (as I suspect he would have done if this had been an earlier novel), you are dropped straight into the thick of the action, and it pretty much doesn't stop. The important information does come though, but it's weaved in as part of the storyline and you find yourself so wrapped up in the plot that, actually, the gaps in your understanding just don't matter, until you suddenly realise they aren't gaps anymore!
The introduction of the Roman cohort is very well done, and I love the two new main characters and their relationship. I've been strung along with the idea of Percy/Annabeth for so long, it's nice to actually see a relationship between characters in Hazel and Frank that echoes more along the lines of what I'd been expecting from them from the outset! I'm just really hoping I actually get some payoff in the next book for Percy/Annabeth, otherwise I may just need to write off that 'ship as not being for me. Also loving the slimy Octavius; can't wait to see which way his character turns as the series progresses!
Overall, this is the book I've been waiting for since I started reading PJ, and it's definitely inspiring me to head straight for the next book in the series!
The story feels pacy, punchy and much more like a 'proper' novel when compared to Percy's previous adventures. It seems to me to have a much wider range of readership - it's definitely something you can still share with the kids who love the series, but equally it doesn't feel odd reading it as an adult.
It also feels like the author is now truly comfortable with his characters and setting, and is able to manipulate the direction of the story with ease. One of the plot points is that Percy has lost his memories of Camp Half-Blood and has effectively lost 8 months of his life. But rather than taking the time to explain what Percy can remember (as I suspect he would have done if this had been an earlier novel), you are dropped straight into the thick of the action, and it pretty much doesn't stop. The important information does come though, but it's weaved in as part of the storyline and you find yourself so wrapped up in the plot that, actually, the gaps in your understanding just don't matter, until you suddenly realise they aren't gaps anymore!
The introduction of the Roman cohort is very well done, and I love the two new main characters and their relationship. I've been strung along with the idea of Percy/Annabeth for so long, it's nice to actually see a relationship between characters in Hazel and Frank that echoes more along the lines of what I'd been expecting from them from the outset! I'm just really hoping I actually get some payoff in the next book for Percy/Annabeth, otherwise I may just need to write off that 'ship as not being for me. Also loving the slimy Octavius; can't wait to see which way his character turns as the series progresses!
Overall, this is the book I've been waiting for since I started reading PJ, and it's definitely inspiring me to head straight for the next book in the series!