This is a 3.5 Star book because it really breaks no new ground following the first volume and really doesn't acknowledge that the MCs are a year older (the difference between 12 and 13 is not a tiny one).

"The Sea of Monsters" is charming, morally wise, above-average YA SFF. Just when Riordan seems to have settled into telling over-trodden tales, he unfolds a serving of elegant mindfulness, of moral dilemma for the main characters to face; the strengths of this book are clearly of that sort, since much of the book is quick-paced, action adventure. The introduction of and role played by the new character Tyson really anchors Percy's growth and forwards the overall narrative: well-played, Mr. Riordan! I find it interesting that, of the Olympians introduced so far, the most accessible and _likeable_ is Hermes; but then, maybe it is not so surprising that the god of messengers is fair at communicating. Avuncular Chiron is more present and richly portrayed throughout, given more to say. He offers Percy and us this tidbit in the final act:

"Monsters never die. They are reborn from the chaos and barbarism that is always bubbling underneath civilization . . . they must be defeated again and again, kept at bay." ( )

Eh, this was alright. I'd still call it a good book, but it's definitely the weakest entry in the series. It feels like a spin-off story, for the most part. I don't mind spin-offs, but, considering this is book 2 of 5 of the whole series, I expected a bit more. It's probably my fault that I wasn't a massive fan of this book.

Anyway, a lot of what I like about the first book is present here as well. The jokes aren't as strong as they are in the first book, but they're still decent. Riordan's writing style is extremely entertaining. He doesn't beat around the bush. He just gets straight to the point. As a result, these books have very good pacing. They rarely get boring.

I thought Percy and Annabeth got some great character development here. Percy dealing with the shock of having a cyclops as his brother, and Annabeth being tempted by the singing of the Sirens: they both grow quite a bit as a result of these experiences, and it's great to read.

Though I like how quickly Riordan gets to the point in these books, I also sometimes feel that his books are a bit too short. What I love about the later Harry Potter books is actually their length. They really make the whole war against Voldemort feel like an actual war. Things move slowly, and there are lots of moving elements in the massive storyline. Here, things move along a little too quickly for my taste.

A major problem I have with the first book is the fact that a lot of the epic elements of this story feel undermined by the overabundance of jokes. It's even worse in this book. The battles on Luke's ship and the battle with Polyphemus were really silly. They feel really anticlimactic because a quip or a funny thing has to happen every five lines. It got on my nerves at times.

Anyway, despite the numerous problems I have with this book, I still enjoy it quite a bit. It's still Percy Jackson, at the end of the day, so it's quite hard for me to dislike it. ( )

The "Beyoncé?!" meme but Thalia Hahahah
Ahh. I’m hooked.

Magic

THE SEA OF MONSTERS by Rick Riordan is the second Percy Jackson and the Olympians book, and it ends much more strongly than it begins. I saw the movie years ago, providing me with the basic plot. Still, reading THE SEA OF MONSTERS was very different than watching the movie. It surprised me in several ways.

It wasn't apparent in the movie, but I would describe THE SEA OF MONSTERS as The Odyssey Lite. Percy and Annabeth essentially follow Odysseus' path, with stops at Circe's island, escaping Sylla, Charybdis, and the sirens, and battling a cyclops. Plus, there is a not-so-veiled nod to Penelope. It just so happens that this all occurs in the Bermuda Triangle instead of the Mediterranean Sea. Very clever, Mr. Riordan. Very clever, indeed.

As if retelling The Odyssey weren't enough, THE SEA OF MONSTERS also pushes the overarching plot forward. We learn the answers to one or two secrets, meet new characters, and learn more about Luke's plans. You can feel the story preparing for a big battle. While we aren't at that point yet, you can begin to see how it might unfold.

The other element of THE SEA OF MONSTERS I appreciate is the growing maturity of the characters. Yes, they are still young and act like it. But we also get to see many of the characters overcome prejudices and battle long-held intolerances. Percy doesn't jump quite as fast into an unknown situation. He does take a second or two to think through his actions before jumping. The character development feels natural, befitting the characters' experiences and increase in age.

THE SEA OF MONSTERS is a clever retelling of The Odyssey. Similarly, Percy and friends provide excellent examples of what it means to overcome prejudice. With plenty of monsters and danger to excite the target audience, there are also some great lessons young readers will pick up along the way. No wonder it remains so popular with kids and parents. ( )