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aclifshitz's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
smart_girls_love_trashy_books's review against another edition
4.0
-POTENTIAL SPOILERS-
After a few years, far too many, way too many than it should've been, I've finally finished this trilogy. The one Riordanverse addition I was excited for since day one of its announcement because it meant I'd finally have a way of being eased into Nordic myths, a neopagan religion my grandparents are involved in. I wanted to share their beliefs and stories with them and these books allowed me to do just that in a simplified way. But how was the book itself, the finale? I think it's firmly situated between the second and first book for me.
This book had a lot of meandering and constant stops around the world to do literally one thing, explain some myth, and then move on. Yes, a lot was relevant to the plot, but most just felt unnecessary anyway and slowed down the plot. A few times I asked myself 'what does this have to do with the need to stop Loki?' Even a lot of the action was mixed. Sometimes it was just as good as the second book like with Pottery Barn, but other times it was clunky and rushed with too much going on at once.
However, much like the first two, the strengths greatly outweigh the weaknesses. The humor's still as strong as ever and still had me laughing, but was a bit more subdued. Magnus was still snarky and clumsy, but also fully came into his own as both a character and his own position in the group as their healer. This book finally having the entire group together worked for the message of camaraderie and did a good job of developing the remaining ones, especially Mallory.
Honestly, Rick Riordan doesn't get enough credit for how he writes character moments. Not only does he develop them well, but he's a master at crafting those small character bonding moments a lot of authors take for granted. Sometimes there's nothing wrong with just letting characters sit and talk about vulnerable moments. It's one reason Magnus and Alex had such deep chemistry despite not knowing each other for a very long time. The moments written for them where they just sit and talk are fantastic.
And yes!!! They finally got together right at the end! And also, that ending was so wholesome and almost made me tear up. It was the most perfect and suitable ending for them, full stop. And Magnus coming to terms with his sexuality, we stan our pansexual king.
The final battle was really good too, probably the best compared to the other two. Magnus finally seeing his worth and 'insulting' Loki by boosting up his friends, boasting over the fact he has them while Loki has nobody. Again, it tied nicely into the message of friendship and strength in numbers. The scene where Magnus hears the voices of his dead family was genuinely unsettling.
This was a great finale that took me some time to get through but once I settled back in, the pages just kept flying by. It had beautiful messages, good humor, and memorable character development. It also did a lot of diversity in interesting ways. But most importantly, this trilogy as a whole kept me connected to my grandparents in a way nothing else could, telling me the myths and figures they revered and told me about. That's what led me to this series to begin with, and for a trilogy that boasts a strong message of how much more powerful we are when we're united, I can think of no better way to close off my thoughts than with that sentiment.
I love you, Grandma Lorraine and Grandpa. Your Viking wedding, when you made your vows under Thor that you'll be forever united and intertwined, I'll never forget that memory, even if as a kid I didn't understand what was going on. Now I can finally share in this with you too.
After a few years, far too many, way too many than it should've been, I've finally finished this trilogy. The one Riordanverse addition I was excited for since day one of its announcement because it meant I'd finally have a way of being eased into Nordic myths, a neopagan religion my grandparents are involved in. I wanted to share their beliefs and stories with them and these books allowed me to do just that in a simplified way. But how was the book itself, the finale? I think it's firmly situated between the second and first book for me.
This book had a lot of meandering and constant stops around the world to do literally one thing, explain some myth, and then move on. Yes, a lot was relevant to the plot, but most just felt unnecessary anyway and slowed down the plot. A few times I asked myself 'what does this have to do with the need to stop Loki?' Even a lot of the action was mixed. Sometimes it was just as good as the second book like with Pottery Barn, but other times it was clunky and rushed with too much going on at once.
However, much like the first two, the strengths greatly outweigh the weaknesses. The humor's still as strong as ever and still had me laughing, but was a bit more subdued. Magnus was still snarky and clumsy, but also fully came into his own as both a character and his own position in the group as their healer. This book finally having the entire group together worked for the message of camaraderie and did a good job of developing the remaining ones, especially Mallory.
Honestly, Rick Riordan doesn't get enough credit for how he writes character moments. Not only does he develop them well, but he's a master at crafting those small character bonding moments a lot of authors take for granted. Sometimes there's nothing wrong with just letting characters sit and talk about vulnerable moments. It's one reason Magnus and Alex had such deep chemistry despite not knowing each other for a very long time. The moments written for them where they just sit and talk are fantastic.
And yes!!! They finally got together right at the end! And also, that ending was so wholesome and almost made me tear up. It was the most perfect and suitable ending for them, full stop. And Magnus coming to terms with his sexuality, we stan our pansexual king.
The final battle was really good too, probably the best compared to the other two. Magnus finally seeing his worth and 'insulting' Loki by boosting up his friends, boasting over the fact he has them while Loki has nobody. Again, it tied nicely into the message of friendship and strength in numbers. The scene where Magnus hears the voices of his dead family was genuinely unsettling.
This was a great finale that took me some time to get through but once I settled back in, the pages just kept flying by. It had beautiful messages, good humor, and memorable character development. It also did a lot of diversity in interesting ways. But most importantly, this trilogy as a whole kept me connected to my grandparents in a way nothing else could, telling me the myths and figures they revered and told me about. That's what led me to this series to begin with, and for a trilogy that boasts a strong message of how much more powerful we are when we're united, I can think of no better way to close off my thoughts than with that sentiment.
I love you, Grandma Lorraine and Grandpa. Your Viking wedding, when you made your vows under Thor that you'll be forever united and intertwined, I'll never forget that memory, even if as a kid I didn't understand what was going on. Now I can finally share in this with you too.
julia_brandao's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
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? Yes
5.0
remmslupin's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
bookwyrm22's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
gpfot's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
dellasbookshelf's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this one! I'm a little sad the Magnus Chase books are over (except the Novellas which I'm reading soon)!! I cried during the Flyting and honestly just loved everything during the end. I think Alex is probably my favorite character, I love the gender fluid representation, there's so little of it in the media. For the overall story, I do feel like some plot points were left out in the open or otherwise weren't really talked about, which is a bummer since the series is over. What was addressed was really good though!
acosta109's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
xveronica_fx's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Injury/Injury detail