Jose.Maltaca 27/06/2019
More fun, more depth, more battles
The third installment of the Percy Jackson series is a blast. It introduces new characters, gives more depth to the previous ones and feels like a critical point in an overarching storyline. Yes, the Titan’s Curse does not suffer from the series’ main problems in the first two volumes, like their similarities to other series and their mindless plot, and focuses on itself, its world and the development of its inhabitants. Percy comes back as a more secure and fearless hero, always loyal to those whom he calls friends, conquering the minds of those who accompany him. Grover this time around does not get a full development, usually filling the comic relief role, nonetheless receiving near the end of the book a great boost in regards to his storyline. Last, but not least, Annabeth is barely present, although the little she appears causes an unnerving sensation in the reader, and never gets really out of the story because she is mentioned all the time.
This story begins very differently from the previous two installments: yes, there is a school, and yes, there is a monstrous presence, and yes, a battle ensues. However, the circumstances surrounding these events are much unlike anything the series had presented so far, and many roles are reversed. Afterwards, there is the mandatory stop at Half-Blood Camp, a prophecy told by the Oracle and a quest, all of them feeling like much more melancholic than in the first two books. In this regard, the new characters play a significant role: Zoe Nightshade is a dubious character, whose personality goes through a long transition throughout the book; Thalia is a terrific addition to the series, representing a powerful antithesis to Percy, yet a great friend and ally, with an arch that goes in the opposite direction of Zoe’s; The Di’Angelo brothers seem like plot devices, although very beautifully crafted and making the reader curious about their destiny.
Even though this book does not feel episodic, there were characters and plots which just seemed as afterthoughts, or devices to make the story accelerate. They are more like appendices to an otherwise simultaneously heartwarming and exciting journey. These minor flaws should not detract any reader from reading these Olympian adventures, with their fun, engrossing, hilarious and satisfying stories, which keep building up to a greatly constructed storyline. I had an amazing experience and recommend this book strongly.