Ben & Books

A new book from my favourite author? A sequel to my favourite book in the series? Featuring my favourite character? Yeah, this review was always going to happen. The Court of the Dead is yet another exciting and emotional return to the Riordanverse, with both returning and new characters providing the trademark charm and humour that is expected from Riordan. The Court of the Dead is not only laugh out loud funny, but also sad, charming, and shocking in equal measure, and although it feels like the end of the story for some characters, it feels like just the beginning of a whole new story for the several newly introduced characters.

So, let’s talk about Nico di Angelo. Introduced as far back as the third Percy Jackson book, Nico’s journey has been longer and more expansive than arguably any other character in the series. Across three different series and 12 books, we’ve seen Nico losses, heartbreak, and pain, but we have also seen him find love, learn to make new friends and trust them, and overcome his demons, sometimes literally. The Court of the Dead feels like the natural end point of Nico’s story, and as that story comes to its end, I am so happy that I have had the chance to see such a wonderfully written, beautifully deep character grow across all these books.

“Wasn’t the world full of odd ones out?” this quote from the book is a perfect summary of the story of the Court of the Dead. At its heart, this book is a story about accepting your past and looking to the future, learning to live with grief and carry on with your life after loss, and overcoming societal expectations and preconceived idea over who and what you should be, to live your life however you want to. It is in these themes where the characters truly shine, as well-known returning characters like Nico and Will show how much their characters have grown since their first appearances, and new characters defy the expectations of them in a surprising and endearing fashion.

The story of the Court of the Dead feels refreshing, yet familiar. It feels great to see Camp Jupiter again, and reading about all the familiar sights, characters, and traditions of the Roman camp feels very comforting. Yet, like the characters in the story, the camp feels like a different place, almost as though it has grown and changed with the characters through the events of the last few years.

The villains of the Court of the dead are excellently written. Although they don’t present the world ending threat of the giants and titans of past books, they feel like more of an insidious threat to the characters and world. They’re insecure, afraid of change, and hold a deceptive amount of power, and they feel dangerous in a way that is much scarier than an evil god. The reveal of the identities of these villains is one of the most ridiculous and over the top chapters in any of these books I have ever read, and it sets them up to be one of the most entertaining villains Riordan has ever written.

The Court of the Dead is an excellent sequel to what is arguably the best book in the Riordanverse. It is a story of redemption and change, of love and grief, of friendship and trust. Sharp in humour and deep in emotions, this book beautifully captures the growth that some of the most popular and interesting characters in the world of Percy Jackson have gone through since their introduction to the series years ago. Although the Court of the Dead feels like an ending for some of these characters, it also feels like a fresh new beginning for the series, and although it feels somewhat bittersweet to say goodbye to so many incredible characters, it is also very exciting to imagine what will come next in the series.