“The world will end. The big picture cannot be changed. But in the meantime, as Loki once said, we can choose to alter the details. That’s how we take control of our destiny.”
Stars (Out of 10): 8/10 Stars
Favorite Character: Hearthstone
Spoiler Free: I have to say, this finale was leagues better than the end of the Heroes of Olympus series, which goes to show that even as a veteran author, Riordan is still growing throughout his novels.
I have to preface this by saying that I went into this novel with a goal beyond enjoyment, as I actually had to write a paper on the gender roles shown within this novel/series for a class assignment. So I definitely went in with a much more critical mindset, especially in terms of the characters. However, I still ended up thoroughly enjoying this book, even if it felt like “homework” sometimes!
To begin with, I loved the abundance of minor mythological characters within the storyline. It wasn’t just Thor and Loki and other big Norse names, but plenty of lesser known ones as well. While this does mean there are a lot of introductions and new names to remember, it also removes biases/expectations we might have had of these characters from other forms of media (specifically films). For example, the representation of Thor within this novel is a far cry from the popular Marvel films, which often causes readers (or me at least) to expect different actions/emotions from the character.
Overall, it was a wonderful ending to a wonderful series. This installment was action-packed, with every chapter containing either an important plot point or a moment of character growth. Additionally, while I have some issues with the ending, it overall was a realistic yet proper send-off to the series, while still hinting at more (as Riordan always does!)
Careful! Spoilers beyond this point!
Spoilers: I have to say, my only real issue with this book was the lack of gravity the ending had. In the end, nothing had really changed. No characters died or were changed in any major way, and even the evil characters were locked away for another day (which does come with the myth Riordan chose to tell.) However, this lack made their win seem almost too easy, even with the struggles the characters all faced along the way.
On the other hand, the fact that this is the only issue I had with the novel definitely goes to show how far Riordan has come from Blood of Olympus, which had felt rushed and unrealistic at best.
What I loved about the ending was how it catered to each of the character’s skills, and the combination of which ended up saving the day. For example, Magnus wasn’t suddenly the best warrior in the world, nor the most eloquent with words, but rather used his love of his friends and his feelings to smite Loki to the size of a bean. This definitely added to how feasible the ending seemed, and made it overall seem more realistic while still happily ending the series.
To round off, I also have to say that I’m glad Riordan continued the “show don’t tell” in terms of Alex. He both made sure the gender fluid part of her was not ignored, yet also didn’t make this novel a “queer” novel. Additionally, this makes the book skilled in introducing the concept of gender roles/gender freedom to kids, as it explains Alex in a positive way while giving readers the space to digest it (as the characters within the story must do as well.)