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kathrynleereads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
tense
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
4.0
Having read more than a fair few of Rick Riordan’s books in the past, I began the House of Hades familiar with Riordan’s ability to intertwine humor and tragedy. That being said when the book opened with the downtrodden crew of the Argo II fighting monsters and Percy and Annabeth slowly trudging through Tartarus, it was clear that Riordan was taking his talent to a whole new level.
Without Percy to placate the sea, the crew of the Argo II is forced to travel over land in their attempt to reach the House of Hades, where they hope to rendezvous with Percy and Annabeth to close the Doors of Death. The House of Hades is packed with glimmers of hope, moments of despair, and more than a few instances of desperate demigods completely winging it.
Riordan took the time he needed to sort out the issues and the mythology, not rushing the plot, but not letting it drag either. My only disappointment was the way the two timelines connect. On the Argo II, a month passes while the crew makes their way to the House of Hades, but in Tartarus, Annabeth and Percy only manage to find time to sleep a handful of times. It wasn’t clear whether this was supposed to represent the near-constant-torture of existing in Tartarus, or if it was simply an oversight in the two storylines.
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, and Injury/Injury detail
addssubract's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-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
4.5
i cried (almost)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Outing
grboph's review against another edition
adventurous
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? No
4.0
This one took me a really long time to get through, but it was another good installment in the series. I was definitely rooting for the characters all the way through, and I loved Frank's and Leo's character development. I'd recommend this to any fan of adventure stories or anyone who is into this series already.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and War
Moderate: Gore, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
chronicacademia's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying, Death, Gore, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Abandonment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
716a_m's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
_ren's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Violence, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, and Gaslighting
daniellekat's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
My favourite of the series so far. I think I just enjoy the smaller group storylines better than when the whole gang is together. I loved getting more Nico and thought Frank's trajectory throughout the book was well developed and paced. I also loved Leo's path and thought he added great relief from some of the more tense sections. Overall, my issue with Mark of Athena was that the friendships didn't feel believable but that wasn't the case here at all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Outing
thaliareads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
sad
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? Yes
5.0
This was a re-read, but my first time listening to the audiobook. This book is where things start getting really interesting, everyone starts coming into their own. I appreciate the whole Nico arc and getting to see him come into his own and step up for the team regardless of what that reveals about him. It is also one of the darkest books. Percy and Annabeth really have to lean on each other and grow in their trust as they traverse through the underworld. While one of the most tense books, it is also one of the most rewarding in the series.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Outing
Still absolutely appropriate for a YA reading level, but on the darker side compared to the prior books in the series.sophie42's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Death and Blood
Minor: Body horror
val_theburrowofstories's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Outing, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Blood