I don't know how he does it...After The Lightning Thief series (which if you haven't read it, what are you waiting for!), I thought Riordan wouldn't bI don't know how he does it...After The Lightning Thief series (which if you haven't read it, what are you waiting for!), I thought Riordan wouldn't be able to produce another one just as entertaining...But I WAS WRONG! Thankfully...
The Son of Neptune is the second in his new series: The Heroes of Olympus. The first book, The Lost Hero, follows the adventures of 3 demigods: Jason, Piper, and Leo while The Son of Neptune begins at the "Roman" camp starring Percy, Hazel, and Frank.
Riordan's trademark humor and sarcasm is evident throughout the story, and I found myself laughing right at the start:
"Her Bargain Mart vest, her flowery dress, even her tusks were decorated with 50% OFF stickers. Her name badge read: Hello! My name is DIE, DEMIGOD SCUM!"
The chapters switch POVs seamlessly among the 3 characters. Each has it's own mystery, strength, and weakness. And Frank's Asian grandmother was so ON THE MARK...I loved it!
There were only a few "buggy" things I noticed this time around: 1) The characters all seem to have the same "voice." I'm not sure if that really makes much sense, but while each of the characters have different backgrounds, they seemed to speak the same, have the same humor. It's not enough for a reader to notice unless there are being overly Type A...like me.
2) Definitely try to read the books without waiting MONTHS in between. It made for a frustrating read as I was trying to pull my amnesia back into remission. There are A LOT of tiny references to both Book 1 and The Lightening Thief series--not enough to take away from the story, but it would have been nice if my memory served me better.
Overall: I highly recommend any of Riordan's books. The only bummer about finding an author you enjoy is that you're not the only one; Riordan's last book signing was INSANE and a bit of a disappointment. I literally was given less than 10 seconds to say hello and have him sign my book. Oh, wait, I didn't even get a chance to say hello because he was busy talking to the kid in front of me. I got a "head nod" and then herded out of line. Apparently, I haven't gotten over that. But still, go read the book. It funny fun.
I actually sat next to Pon at a book signing once; one of the things she mentioned about this book was that it This one was a bit hard for me to rate.
I actually sat next to Pon at a book signing once; one of the things she mentioned about this book was that it had a lot of "fantasy." But I think what Pon really meant was that it is a very MYTHICAL type of fantasy. It felt very much like a "Greek-Hero's-Journey" but set in China with a female protagonist.
Pon was really able to capture the "Asian spirit" perfectly. Her descriptions of food, the language/dialogue/scenery really made me feel as if I was watching a scene unfold from "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."
So why the 2 stars? I guess it really just boils down to the content. I wasn't interested in a "greek-type" of story: the protagonist fighting these bizarre mythical creatures one after another with visits to deity...I'm thinking "Jason and the Argonauts" or "Clash of the Titans." Some of the creatures were really bizarre: (view spoiler)[ the 3-breasted woman or life-seeker or the worm eaters (hide spoiler)]. There was no explanation of where Ai Ling's power came from or who this "Silver Phoenix" person is. For my taste, there was just too much myth to it and a little too bizarre.
CAUTION SIGN: there is a rape scene in it that was described a little bit too sensually....more
If you've been to the Underworld, then you already know there's no easy way out. Most likely, it's the end of all happy endings. And if you survive, tIf you've been to the Underworld, then you already know there's no easy way out. Most likely, it's the end of all happy endings. And if you survive, the journey back is a painful one. But somehow Nikki manages it.
Beneath the surface of the Greek Persephone myth, lies a story of pain and redemption. Told in alternating time periods between the past and the present, Ashton delivers a heartbreaking tale of Nikki's path to make things right.
In many ways, because of that, it was painful to read: Nikki's mistakes, her lack of self-worth, her emotions numb. I wanted to scream: "Snap out of it! Get a spine. Go fix it." Because most of the time, she behaved like...well, a zombie, actually.
But maybe that was the whole point: Take away the pain, we become numb. Like a drug addict, it takes time and courage to recover. And sometimes it takes someone else to give us the strength to pull out of it.
My emotions went a bit schizophrenic on this one: from annoyance to empathy, sadness to anger, confusion to understanding. The theme of pain and redemption was well played and the modern Greek mythology intriguing. But I never found out why Nikki was allowed to return to the surface, in the first place. And I don't particularly like (view spoiler)[sad endings (hide spoiler)]. And it didn't compel me to turn the pages like other stories I've read. But I'm curious to see where this story goes and if you like modern-day Greek, I think you'll like this one.
(First off, Goodreads really needs to update their system to automatically save reviews because let's just say that a child's playful fingers can acci(First off, Goodreads really needs to update their system to automatically save reviews because let's just say that a child's playful fingers can accidentally erase an hour's work in mere milliseconds.)
Here's Take 2:
How does a parent explain the love they have for you until you've had one of your own? How do you explain the awe of a sunset until you've seen it yourself? How can I explain the beauty of "Smoke and Bone" until you've read it?
It's indescribable. It's art. It's perfection in the making.
Karou's life in Prague takes a turn when mysterious black hand prints mark the portal doors between earth and her home elsewhere. These prints are the catalyst to discovering who she is and where she comes from.
In the beginning, I was a little unsure of what I was getting into: what is this story really about? Who are these people she calls 'family'? Who are these angels? Who are these beasts?
In a way, there was a part of me that wanted to categorize everything neatly into "good" or "bad." However, Taylor challenges this notion to rethink what society and culture have depicted as good or bad. And this story is less about figuring out who is right or wrong and more about understanding each society's perspective. It's an allegorical tale of culture and society and history.
I don't want to talk too much about what happens in the story because there is a beauty to uncovering the depth of who Karou is and what she's gone through. (I didn't know anything about this story except that it was unbelievably good, and I want you to have the same experience discovering the delicacies in the story.)
My only disappointment in this tale is the anticipation of what's to come next. I wanted everything to be wrapped neatly in a bow without have to endure until the next installment. So many questions, so much anticipation because Karou is left to answer the hardest question of all.
Advisory: (view spoiler)[Artists are painting their subjects nude: it is not descriptive and tastefully explained. The main character Karou had sex with her ex-boyfriend. "Devil" is used to refer to one of the chimera although it is more of a societal label, not a character depiction. War, violence, and death are depicted. (hide spoiler)]...more
How does Riordan do it? He keeps coming out with book after book and I keep thinking THIS ONE won't be as good as the last one. I thought I could neveHow does Riordan do it? He keeps coming out with book after book and I keep thinking THIS ONE won't be as good as the last one. I thought I could never like any other demigod besides Percy or Annabeth and yet here I am totally into his new characters: Jason, Leo, Piper.
Unlike the Percy Jackson series, Riordan switches POV between the 3 characters. Typically, I don't like POV switches BUT Riordan knows just how to do it so that you can fall completely into character and he's able to keep you in suspense of the events as he transitions to the next POV.
I also really enjoy Riordan's humor and sarcasm.
Riordan is definitely my "go-to-author" when I'm wondering what book to read next and need some light, entertaining reading....more
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