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4.75 stars! This review will be spoiler free, but will contain spoilers from the previous books!
Synopsis:
Taking place 3 months after the Gods were unleashed from the Duat and Set's red pyramid attempt at taking over the world with chaos was destroyed, Brooklyn house is slowing filling up with new recruits/baby magicians, who are training to become followers of the old ways that Sadie and Carter are trying to bring back. Oldest of the new are Walt and Jes who appear right at the beginning and are prepared to help Sadie and Carter on their new mission. Apophis is breaking free of his cage and the only one strong enough to face him is his equal, Ra, the kind of pharaohs. However, no one, not even the Gods, has been able to find and wake him. Sadie and Carter must locate and retrieve the 3 parts of the scroll containing the spell to bring back Ra, then perform the spell correctly, all before the spring equinox in only FIVE days. If they do not, Apophis will rise unchallenged and destroy the world to rule it with chaos. This sequel follows similar format to book one where Sadie and Carter are narrating the book via pre-recorded audio, which is quite unique and I like it. Still it spoils you a bit as it leads you to believe that since they were alive by the end to make the recording… they must have survived. Ha. Ha. Right?
Initial thoughts:
Gotta love that Riordan formula he has. Powerful evil forces and the impossible versus two small kids with much much much less power, but the wits to outsmart the Gods. Oh don't forget to add in that good 'ol time crunch! This book was AMAZING. Such an improvement from book one with the characters and the plot and the pacing and everything. Loved it. Action from chapter one, romantic intrigue from chapter one, and a mission that needed solving. My interest was held from beginning to end and boy was that ending so great. I enjoyed the first half immensely, but the second half blew me away. So satisfying and realistic (which we do not get often with middle grade), yet still left me with many questions that makes me want to immediately start the next book. My only two things that bothered me (but I easily got over) are quite small: 1) stupid decisions. 2) when adults refuse to listen to children solely because they're children. Also on a side note, I felt like Sadie and Carter are very instalovey, but I can't be angry because I don't know if the insta-infatuation is just because they're kids and that's how it is sometimes with children?
Plot:
First of all, given the unique voice recorded way Sadie and Carter narrate this series, you should definitely use Audible or the audiobook! The audio is amaaaaazing and so worth it. I absolutely love the way they did Sadie and Carters voices and expressions and personality. Spot on.
Loves:
Again this book was SO GOOD. The rating on GoodReads does not lie! The pacing of the story was much more engrossing. I was utterly absorbed from beginning to end. I found myself itching to pick it up when I couldn’t. The action is interspersed perfectly. The battle scenes keep you on edge making you feel as if your heart is about to beat right out of your chest! Sadie and Carter both have their unique ways of handling their fights, which spices that aspect up as well. Not to mention the magic in this series seems to be an entity of its own. It’s always changing, growing, developing new traits, intensities, and uses. That adds a whole new layer of cool to this series.
My FAVORITE thing about this series, though, is that the Gods have active roles throughout the books. Unlike PJO and HOO where the Gods are always hidden off somewhere and speak into the minds the MC’s maybe twice a book, the Gods in TKC are actually present and doing things and being awesome. Horus and Isis do speak into Carter and Sadie’s minds, but way way more often than you’d expect and at good moments that help to push the plot and the magical developments forward. Then you have Gods that play as real characters. There’s Bes who plays the godly protector this time instead of Bast as she is indisposed on another mission. Bast who comes back in at the end and a little in the middle, but was big in the first book. Set, who is a villain, but such a witty and hilarious one. He’s obviously a bad guy, but I don’t know, there’s still something about him that screams he may change sides (maybe I’m just hoping). Anubis, who is a freaking love interest! A God plays a love interest here guys. We can only imagine how that is going to play out. I appreciate the Gods roles in this series so much. This unique aspect makes TKC stand out from Riordan’s Greek and Norse series.
I also deeply love the characters. I am fully invested in Sadie and Carter now. But of course, I will talk more about how much I love these two and the other characters below. I do love how the cast has grown in this sequel. We’re got our own little Egyptian baby camp coming along. Can’t wait to see who comes into the picture next!
The world itself has expanded as well. We touched on the Duat in the first book and it’s uses, but here you get to really see more of it. More Egyptian mythology is brought it, what with the introduction of more Gods (major and minor) and learning about the back story of Ra. AND the characters explore more of the other countries previously visited in the first book.
SO MUCH happened in this sequel in such a short period of time, I don’t even how Rick accomplished putting all that into those few days. The first half of this book was great, no problems. But the second half… woah. Was I blown away. That ending was a masterpiece. All the trials and failure that occurred in those last few chapters. It wasn’t a complete win or loss, there’s still battle to be fought and arguments to be had. Still I was so satisfied with what played out. I feel like this was a realistic ending to the sequel. It wasn’t wrapped up in a nice little bow, no. Riordan is making our hearts hurt for that happy ending. I need to start the next book!
Gripes:
There were times that choices need to be made and the characters chose the most obvious one that would throw them into danger, aka the DUMB one. A plot device that will forever and always bother me, but I understand some of these decisions are needed to push the plot forward.
The adults not listening to children thing mostly has to do with Michel Desjardins accusing the Kane children of being traitors and godlings and heretics despite the fact that they saved the world. This continued from the first book and will continue through the next book, I know it. Still, I just want to sit these "all knowing" adults down and just scream at them, LISTEN! These kids are telling the truth! AGH!
Characters:
I feel so much closer to Sadie and Carter in this book. I feel like we’ve gotten to really know them and being in their POV’s is so much fun. Neither is boring, they’re both so great at telling the story and they contrast each other perfectly. Not to mention their brotherly-sisterly relationship is so touching and heartwarming. Whenever the other is in danger, the other is immediately at their side ready to fend off whatever is causing the harm. The one moment that one appears to be deviating from the other, when they get separated, it’s almost heartbreaking.
SADIE is snarky, intelligent, and slightly boy-struck and I love it. She doesn’t seem to overly mature that way, she still has the personality of a 13 y/o through the courage and awesomeness she exudes throughout her mission. She is the wisdom to the duo, the eloquent talker, the spell caster.
CARTER is the brawn and battle to the duo. He is his falcon warrior form that is freakin’ COOL. He’s specializes in combat magic and some of his best scenes are the fighting ones or when he’s completely failing at something and Sadie comes to the rescue. Carter is a girl-struck boy too! Zia is all that’s on his mind and I want to slap him sometimes for the decisions he makes, but he got one of his own in this book. The way him and Zia play out becomes way more realistic in this book too, I appreciate that.
BES is such an interesting character. He comes off kind of abrasive in the beginning, but you warm up to him throughout the book. His arc reveals to you his complex background and how he shows he cares. Also his godly power is being UGLY. What even. He defeats people/gods/godlings off by showing them his ugliness.
WALT’s story has only just begun. He already presented a conundrum from the beginning as he is another one of Sadie’s love interests, but has his secrets. I do not know how Sadie can choose between a God and a magician both with their drawbacks, both with their gorgeousness.
ANUBIS IS MY BBY. He pulls some sweet moves early on in this book and it made my heart race. I can just picture him in my mind and think. Damn, I wish I was Sadie. Except for the whole need to save the world thing.
SET has a cruel, but amusing personality for a villain so I felt like I should give him a shoutout for making a certain scene so much more entertaining.
VLAD is a down right despicable villain. He’s part of the reason Michel wouldn’t even hear out or give trial to Carter and his claims about Vlad or his plans to coincide with the Gods rather than banish them.
Overall:
I clearly loved this book so much more than the first book. At this point, I'd recommend anyone attempting to read this series to at least read until book two because book two is so much better. Can't wait to see what is going to go down in that final book! I'm still secretly waiting for a crossover to happen, maybe some Greek mytho characters will make an appearance in this series... I MEAN. They're both taking place in New York... at the SAME TIME... only on different ends of the water.