Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

The Burning Maze by Rick Riordan

10 reviews

monniebiloney's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

So far The trials of Apollo series has been disappointing. This book, by far has been the best of the 3, but still falls to some of the problems I had with the previous books.

the Pros: Apollo is a character with a personality and goals. (this was lacking in the 1st book), and goes through great character development (which was lacking in book 2). He has Meg around to have a relationship with (Apollo doesn't have any chemistry with any of the main cast in Book 2) and we have some nice side character show up here. The book had some iconic scenes and emotions ones as well.

Cons: We are still doing Hot potato with who has to hang out and help Apollo. all characters introduced are either A: Killed off, or B: Decide that they have better things to do the to help save the world. It's jarring to as the least. I under stand that the 7 are tired and just want questing to be over with, but it feels wrong for all for them (except for Jason, he was worried) to be so nonchanlant about everything.

The main problem I really had with this is the characters that died. The first character died when be barely had 50 pages with him! It was no where near enough time for us (and Apollo) to truly bond with him before his dead (Which is greatly shown by how Apollow reacts to Person As dead VS Person B who we had around 100+ pages of interactions with!) as a long time reader, I felt saddened for how one of my favorite characters ended with their potential nevee fufilled (for thats whats sad about his death--His potential. Not that a beloved character, a beloved friend has died. Not his dead is sad because it truly never really meant much.)
I loved the second character that died and his dead was well written and I really can't blame Rick for it, but I morn him all the same. I feel.like he had so much potential.


All in all the Apollo books feel like almost a cash grab to make sure we get a bunch of cameos and to 'close up' some problems with characters other fans probably complained about in the first 2 series. And it comes off as almost like they HAD to do it, rather then a sorry written with love. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death

Minor: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Child death, Deadnaming, Self harm, Slavery, Torture, Grief, and Suicide attempt

theintrovertsbooks's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Infidelity, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

thaliareads's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful mysterious 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 actually my first read-through of this book, despite reading the second one two or three times already. These books are just getting more and more intense and complicated as details from all the series are at play together. 

This book was excellent. It was sad, but also handled so well. While I wish this part of the series didn't exist, it does. To be honest this isn't something I expected which makes it hit all the harder but also really highlights the severity in a way that otherwise just couldn't be captured.  I just hope that Apollo makes the most of their position in the next book. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Self harm, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Dementia

While this is written in a way that is appropriate and approachable for a YA audience, I'd recommend this for the more mature of the YA audience.

nevermoregothic's review against another edition

adventurous challenging funny lighthearted 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? Yes

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, and Death

Moderate: Torture, Violence, and Murder

Minor: Child abuse, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, and Gaslighting

marenm's review against another edition

adventurous funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Violence, Blood, Suicide attempt, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

the_embodiment_of_chaos's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Torture, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Body shaming

atcamryn's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring 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

rip crest

wow…the most emotional i think i’ve ever been reading a book, possibly ever. apollo’s character development as he literally gains proximity to humanity and empathy is so moving. he’s still sassy and arrogant and not losing a touch of that overconfidence that makes his pov so amusing, but he’s gaining so much softness and understanding so much of what it means to be human. it almost makes you, as the reader, feel exposed to everything that makes life difficult—but also makes it worth living. truly a heartbreaking, inspiring, and somehow still riotously funny novel.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Torture, Grief, Death of parent, and Murder

Minor: Suicide attempt

hales_1243's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Self harm, Torture, Excrement, Vomit, and Death of parent

Minor: Confinement

hayleyvem's review against another edition

adventurous dark 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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Grief, Suicide attempt, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Torture

Minor: Child abuse

trintrin's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny 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? Yes

5.0

WARNING! It’s sad!!

This is the first time I've ever shed actual tears because of a book .Should’ve known when I saw this book is dedicated to the Muse of Tragedy :”)

Or at least when I saw the first page literally says:

NO. 

I refuse to share this part of my story. It was the lowest, most humiliating, most awful week in my four-thousand-plus year life. Tragedy. Disaster. Heartbreak. I will not tell you about it 
…

In these pages, only suffering awaits. 

Jason wasn't my favourite character in the Heroes of Olympus. But my respect for him shot up when we saw everything he was doing to help the minor gods and their children, which even Percy didn't manage to do. I was finally beginning to take him a little more seriously but TOO SOON. I was spoiled that he's gonna die but still it took me by surprise. Honestly didn't know Rick was capable of killing off such an important main character. The death itself made me incredibly sad but it was Piper and Leo's reactions that broke the floodgates. I'll never get over the fact that Leo and Jason are both dead to each other.

But on the bright side, this is the book where Lester starts his character development arc and I love him for that. I found him annoying for the past two books but he quickly became one of my favourite characters of the Riordanverse after this. Good for him 

Two lines that broke me: 

"Whatever happens, when you get back to Olympus, when you become a god again, remember. Remember what it's like to be human"

"But from now on I would be more than Lester. I would be more than an observer.
I would be Apollo.
I would remember."

*cue tears*

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Violence, Grief, and Suicide attempt

Moderate: Gaslighting