Reviews with content warning for Violence - Percy Jackson e gli dei dell'Olimpo. Il Calice degli Dei

The nostalgia hits so hard, especially the humor and chaos I've always cherished since middle school.
The Chalice of the Gods left me yearning for more thrilling adventures that lie ahead. I can't wait to see where Percy's gonna look for his next college acceptance letter!

Content Warnings

bookcheshirecat's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny fast-paced

5.0

“I am a guy of limited talents. If I can't kill it with water, a sword, or sarcasm, I am basically defenseless.”

➽ Percy Jackson is back with another adventure! I have to admit that I was sceptical about a sixth Percy Jackson book at first, despite loving Rick Riordan's work. The original series holds such nostalgia to me, that I'm always unsure if a new book can live up to that. We've also seen a lot of Percy in other series, but I'm happy to report that he's got one more adventure left in him! I really liked The Chalice of the God as it gives us another quest, that makes sense for Percy and where he's at. He's saved the world countless times, so this time the stakes are more personal. After finally being (somewhat) at peace, Percy plans to graduate and apply to New Rome University together with his girlfriend Annabeth. Once again the gods thwart his plans as they require him to get three recommendation letters ... by another god. Percy's shocked and annoyed, but not surprised that they are still punishing him for being a kid of the Big 3. The normal rules have never applied to him!

“Are you kidding?” He grinned at Annabeth. “A chance to do quests, just the three of us? Like old times? The Three Musketeers!” “The Powerpuff Girls,” Annabeth suggested. “Shrek, Fiona, and Donkey,” I said. “Wait a minute,” Grover said. “I’m fine with this,” Annabeth said.”

➽ The original trio - Percy, Annabeth and Grover - is back for another quest to get Percy his first recommendation letter! I love their dynamic so much, they have all been through a lot and are there to support Percy. Luckily, their quest is in New York, as they also have to focus on their school work. The cupbearer of Zeus, Ganymede, has a big problem: the chalice of the gods has been stolen! If he can't get it back by the next feast, Zeus will blast him into the stratosphere. Percy agrees to help in order to get a recommendation! As always their adventures are so much fun and told in Riordan's distinct, humorous writing style. I loved seeing different gods that hadn't gotten the spotlight, such as Iris and Hebe!

“You know,” he said, “sometimes it’s the smallest waves that knock you off your feet. Tsunamis—everybody knows they’re powerful. Tidal waves—big and impressive. But those small waves? They hold a lot of power. They prove what the ocean is capable of, even when no one is paying attention.”

➽ I loved the themes that were explored in this book! Between dangerous quests and deadly threats, Percy never expected to make it this far into adulthood. Now he's finally close to going to college and living a 'normal' life with his girlfriend. Most demigods never make it to their stage, but Percy desperately wants to have all the experiences, he thought he might never get. Things are changing for him, as he's also close to moving out and his mother and her partner are expecting another child. I felt for Percy, as he's still trying to orient himself and plan a future with Annabeth!

Content Warnings

presco's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring tense medium-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

5.0

Content Warnings

nicosta_music's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

The Chalice of the Gods was a really promising start to what feels to me like the Percy Jackson Farewell Tour. It kept the fun and adventure of the original books and I really enjoyed how it focused on the original trio. As an older reader who grew up with Percy Jackson, I especially loved how the book was themed around growing up, touching on ideas like trauma and healing and the mentality of expecting that you'll die young.

Content Warnings

rafacolog's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging emotional funny inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

scrubsandbooks's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous funny lighthearted 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

This was like a trip down memory lane, and dare I say it, even cozy. Which isn't something I thought I would ever say about a Percy Jackson book but it helped that we knew how Percy's path to college ends (for those who have read Trials Of Apollo or The Sun And The Star, at least).

Content Warnings

mxdegroot's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

On the one side, it was a little weird reading The Chalice of the Gods because it's been so long since I read Percy Jackson for the first time. The experience is completely different, as I noticed as well when I read The Sun and the Star. Was this my favorite book? No, but that is entirely because of the way I and my taste in books have changed since I dipped my toe into the Riordanverse for the first time.

Generally, I don't enjoy books with low stakes, but it's perfect for this trilogy and makes for some great comedic content. Rick also did a fantastic job at making this book wonderfully nostalgic for long time fans, while still making it readable for readers who might only just be starting to get into the Riordanverse. Moreover, the gives a beautiful insight into the lives of 'older' demigods, particularly their facing adulthood while having spent most of their childhood having to fight to simply live the next day.

While the plot felt slow and insignificant to me at times, the messages that were sent towards the end were beautiful. I mentioned the facing adulthood, but also the demigods reflecting on their younger years at Hebe Jeebies and the importance and beauty of possibly growing old were perfectly written. It's especially nice to see Percy, Annabeth and Grover living some normal lives (or as normal as it gets for a teenage demigod). At the centre of The Chalice of the Gods was never the quests or the action, but the characters and their coming-of-age.

What I particularly liked and what was important to me, especially as an older reader, was the clear critique on the gods. I can talk about this for hours, but will take as an example Ganymedes, as he is the centre of the story. Yes, he is a funny character, but it's also made clear how tragic his story truly is, and gives an example of how much of a creep Zeus regularly is in the ancient times. The way Rick was able to send so many important messages by weaving the development of the characters and multiple histories together is a testament to his abilities as an author.

December 31st, 2023 - January 1st, 2024.

“I am a guy of limited talents. If I can't kill it with water, a sword, or sarcasm, I am basically defenseless.”

“Find someone who loves you the way my girlfriend pushes me off a cliff."

“he hadn’t killed me yet, so I decided to keep talking. (This is a mistake I make a lot.)”

Content Warnings

lindseyhall44's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

Reading this series feels like returning home.

Content Warnings

More...