Reviews with content warning for Gore - The Tower of Nero

The development that has been sown throughout The Trials of Apollo has finally come to its head in the final installment, The Tower of Nero.

The book itself is heart wrenching, the narrative displaying how Apollo has changed from where he started back in The Hidden Oracle and how he's putting all he's learned to use. Combined with the rest of the series, it's an ending that is heart wrenching and makes you want to cry with what all the characters have been through. It's a story of redemption, grief, trying to be better, and ultimately? At the core of it all, there was a story of escaping and beginning to heal from abuse.

Spoiler

The way Rick Riordan wrote Apollo and Meg finally break free from their abusers hold on them was heartbreaking, with it all beginning with Apollo recognizing the abuse Nero was inflicting on Meg back in The Hidden Oracle with what he dealt with under the hands of Zeus, a realization that has festered and expanded until it culminates into two powerful paragraphs/sentences in the last book.

Spoiler

"The Beast is dead." Meg tapped the side of her head. "I killed it..."

Spoiler

"As soon as I thought this, I realized how foolish it was. Zeus didn't work that way. He would not save me any more than Nero had saved Meg. I had to let go of that fantasy. I had to save myself."

Spoiler

The moments when they fight back against and/or came to the realization about their abuser is heartbreaking but it is also gratifying. They're free, they can heal, or in Apollo's case, with the newfound realizations about himself and how toxic and abusive the environment is among the Olympians, he's chosen to distance himself and to spend time with those who actually care about and love him.

Spoiler

He's spent more time and bonded with his children than he ever did before his trials and he's not going to let all that time go. He's moved on from his past, taking off his laurel wreath and contemplating the creation of the hyacinths, stating that he'd been responsible for Daphne transforming just to escape him and wondering if he created the hyacinths to commemorate Hyacinthus or to wallow in his grief and guilt. Hell, Apollo even misses the scars he gained over his journey because to they've become symbols of his humanity, they started to represent the hope that maybe he won't forget what it's like to be human. Apollo regained his own immortality and godhood for the purpose of keeping his promises, to come back, to remember being human, and to be better.

Spoiler

The Trials of Apollo has been a hell of a ride, but it was a ride worth taking.

Content Warnings

softgalaxy's review

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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

I have mixed feelings about this series, but it was an interesting overall story arc of understanding what it means to be human.

I enjoyed seeing different characters in each book. I know this isn’t the last CHB book as we have The Sun and The Star coming in 2023 as well as a new Percy, Annabeth, and Grover book.

Was this series entirely necessary? I’m not so sure. It had very high stakes, but it all seemed to be solved much more quickly than the other series’ plots.

Regardless, I love this wee CHB world and all the characters. Uncle Rick, thank you once more.

Content Warnings

nicolewhopickedthisbook's review

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad 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? It's complicated

4.75

Such a great way to end the series!! After reading all of Rick Riordan’s book, this series really stands out as the strongest. Bre and I had an amazing discussion and celebration on her channel! Check it out

https://youtu.be/CER1kAR8vFY

Content Warnings

foreverinastory's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous 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

4.5

The ending was so good. I love that we got to check in with so many of the heroes from the past books. I really want to reread the whole PJO universe now.

Rep: Olympian god turned mortal bisexual male MC, female side character with glasses, Black female side character, biracial (Black & Asian) male side character, Italian gay male side character, white gay male side character, Indigenous sapphic female side character, Latine female side character, side male character who uses a wheelchair. All demigod characters have ADHD and/or dyslexia.

CWs: Blood, child abuse, emotional abuse, death, injury/injury detail, kidnapping, violence. Moderate: gore. Brief: animal death.

Content Warnings

rosequarterdrifting's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny hopeful fast-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

2.0

favorite quotes:

Spoiler

"Cool," said Meg. "So if we find the trogs, we give them the lizard and they'll help us?"

"I doubt it will be that simple," I said. "Meg, has anyone ever agreed to help you simply because you gave them a dead lizard?"

She pondered the question so long it made me wonder about her past gift-giving practices. "I guess not?"

i felt like the ending was rushed and was just sorta bored

Content Warnings

trintrin's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious relaxing sad tense 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

5.0

A line from the book that I absolutely love (very minor, out-of-context spoiler):

Spoiler

"Call on me. I'll be there for you."

I'M NOT OKAY! Beautiful, beautiful book with a beautiful end to a beautiful franchise. Cannot believe my childhood is over :")

Spoiler

I never thought I would see the day I cried for the "death" of inanimate, non-living objects but here we are. I cannot stress how much I loved the arrow of dodona and it's snarky shakespearean comments. Got me sobbing. Too soon. I couldn't get myself to finish this book as soon as I would have. I kept going back and rereading the same pages. Really couldn't come to terms that this will the last Riordanverse instalment ~~or at least that what we all thought at that time~~. I love how Lester went back and visited all those places that were a part of his journey. Really filled me with nostalgia. And that BTS throwaway line at the end lmao. The glow-in-the-dark kitkat boyfriend thing is sooo cute I can't wait for the Sun and the Stars to get to witness more of this cuteness.

Content Warnings

rachelditty's review

Go to review page

adventurous hopeful inspiring lighthearted tense medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is such a fantastic wrap-up, not only to the Trials of Apollo series, but to the Camp Half-Blood series as well.

Spoiler

This final book really hammered down on the importance of character development, of heart, of breaking cycles of abuse, and of being present in moments that will stick with you for your entire existence. It's not very often you absorb a piece of media that leaves you feeling both ecstatic and sad at the same time, feeling so bittersweet. But this final installment really did it for me. Apollo was already my favorite of the Olympian Gods, but my love for him has raised exponentially after this series. Well done, Riordan, really well done.

Content Warnings

More...