Title: The House of Hades

Author: Rick Riordan

Pub. Date: December 8, 2013

Pages: 597

Pub: Disney-Hyperion Books

Genre: YA Fantasy Mythology

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hazel stands at a crossroads. She and the remaining crew of the Argo II could return home with the Athena Parthenos statue and try to stop Camp Half-Blood and Camp Jupiter from going to war. Or they could continue their quest to find the House of Hades, where they might be able to open the Doors of Death, rescue their friends Percy and Annabeth from Tartarus, and prevent monsters from being reincarnated in the mortal world. Whichever road they decide to take, they have to hurry, because time is running out. Gaea, the bloodthirsty Earth Mother, has set the date of August 1 for her rise to power.

Annabeth and Percy are overwhelmed. How will the two of them make it through Tartarus? Starving, thirsty, and in pain, they are barely able to stumble on in the dark and poisonous landscape that holds new horrors at every turn. They have no way of locating the Doors of Death. Even if they did, a legion of Gaea’s strongest monsters guards the Doors on the Tartarus side. Annabeth and Percy can’t exactly launch a frontal assault.

Despite the terrible odds, Hazel, Annabeth, Percy, and the other demigods of the prophecy know that there is only one choice: to attempt the impossible. Not just for themselves, but for everyone they love. Even though love can be the riskiest choice of all.

This will be a spoiler free review. I listened to the audiobook via Audible. I was a little annoyed that the narrator changed for the last two books, and I much preferred the original narrator. Still very good and very enjoyable and this was easily the best book in the series. If you’re interested in my reviews for the PJO Series, The Lost Hero, The Sun of Neptune and The Mark of Athena, you can check out the links provided.

I loved this book. I mean, it’s the most torturous one in the series with the most suffering, but omfg I couldn’t get enough. This was kind of the moment I was waiting for – Percy and Annabeth’s struggle in Tartarus. For years that’s been the big shocking event that happens in this series, so I was looking forward to it. I loved how it brought them closer together. And what can I say, I like characters to suffer a bit – though, Percy and Annabeth have been though a lifetime of suffering already.

All those moments where they held each other up, their descent into Tartarus – Percy pulling her close. I mean, my heart. I loved that even though this is probably one of the toughest and scariest unknowns they’ve ever faced, their relationship is stronger than ever. Percy and Annabeth are epic, and no one can tell me otherwise.

And even when all hope seems lost, they stand and fight. When everything seems to be against them, they stand up and they fight. I just want to scream about how much I love them.

I also loved how everything finally felt like it was truly ramping up to the final showdown – and I wasn’t disappointed. I did wish that more time was spent with Percy and Annabeth and their travels in Tartarus, but I also found myself fully enjoying the other character POVs. The stakes are so high, they’re running out of time and so much is happening. The crew of the Argo II have to face so much and there are so many possibilities of how the next days are going to play out. Will they save the world, or doom it? Will they be fast enough to get the Athena Parthenos back to Camp Half-Blood? Will they even have a home to return to. They all really start coming into their powers and abilities. Seeing where they are now, confident, capable and badass, versus where they started in the first two books…talk about character growth.

Also, I loved that this book (this series) didn’t just happen over the course of a few days. The deadline was longer, and it gave me more time to fall in love with the journey and the character growth that came along with it. I loved seeing the crew interact and grow close and fight for each other. I thoroughly enjoyed the remaining crew having to figure out how to navigate a world where Percy and Annabeth don’t exist. To watch them deal with their emotions, the feeling of loss, the hopelessness, the impending potential doom…you can’t help but fall in love with them. I loved the interwoven mini quests on top of the big life altering one. I loved the differences between the Greek and Roman God Personas. This book just had everything, and it was so good. I really can’t find a fault.

Once again, Riordan writes a wonderful story that keeps you captivated and engaged and dying to know what happens next. I’ve already read the final book, and it doesn’t disappoint either.

I’m kind of kicking myself for having waited so long. I’m such a dumbass. 

Let me know if I should go onto The Trials of Apollo next!