Reviews

When I began this series, I didn't think I would finish it. A completionist at heart, I started this Percy Jackson spin-off series because I had just reread the original series as well as the Heroes of Olympus series and figured I might as well round it out by giving the Apollo books a try. But I didn't have high hopes for it since Apollo's character annoyed me in the original series and, to be frank, the premise seemed hokey to me. In no way did I expect that this series would become my favorite entry into the Riordan universe.

Apollo is hitting one of my all time favorite character archetypes here: the golden boy who is deeply humbled and now must reckon with his privilege, who struggles with the mundane tasks he's never had to do, but grows thanks to the love, commitment, and patience of his friends. His humor in this series also worked for me in a way that it hasn't in any other Riordan book, perhaps because his voice feels like a conduit for Riordan's own. The witty, but dorky one liners make more sense from an out of touch god instead of Riordan's usual main characters that are cynical and traumatized teens. Lastly, I loved his relationship with Meg. It took me until the second book to get a grasp on how I was supposed to be reading her, but once I finally did--as a young girl struggling to break free of an abusive home environment--this series really sang for me. Apollo's blunt analysis of the cycle of abusive feels like it could really make an impact on young readers who are caught in these cycles themselves. Even if they can't quickly break free like Meg, it feels like a life line to them that lets them know that abuse isn't their fault and another way of life is possible.

But the heart of this series is Riordan's own authorial voice shining through--an older, knowingly out-of-touch one that nevertheless is genuinely concerned about the well being of the next generation. Riordan's portrayal of diversity has always felt clumsy to me, but here I found it endearing. It reads like the best adult cheerleader in your life, ie "whoever you are and wherever you come from, I care about you and believe in your survival and long-term happiness." Perhaps this isn't making leaps and bounds when it comes to representation, but its heartwarming to see an older adult man with so much enthusiasm and commitment to the wellbeing of the youths growing up with his books.

acosta109's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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