Book Review – The Red Pyramid by Rick Riordan

I guess it started the night our Dad blew up the British Museum…

Carter and Sadie Kane’s dad is brilliant Egyptologist with a secret plan that goes horribly wrong. An explosion shatters the ancient Rosetta Stone and unleashes Set, the evil god of chaos…

Set imprisons Dr Kane is a golden coffin, and Carter and Sadie are forced to run for their lives. To save their dad, they must embark on a terrifying quest from Cairo and Paris to the American South-west and discover the truth about their family’s connection to the House of Life: an Egyptian temple of magic that has existed for thousands of years.

The pharaohs of ancient Egypt are far from dead and buried. And so, unfortunately are their gods…

***

  4/5 Stars

I really enjoyed the Red Pyramid. At first I wasn’t completely sure, largely because of the format, and there’s quite clearly a lot you don’t know. But it quickly grew on me!

I really like that it’s a different format to the Percy Jackson books, gods-wise, and like the inclusion of magic. I was a little disappointed that the kids were “special” but I did like how that ended up playing out.

My favourite bit is the scene early on where Bast “protects” them from a (completely non threatening) wrecking ball, it’s a brilliant inclusion of her cat tendencies and made me giggle.

I also really liked the fact it discusses the inconsistencies in the myths, and doesn’t just pick an answer.

My main complaint is that its a bit long and some of the scenes are just too silly for me. But I’m an adult and this is a middle grade book, so a bit of silliness is allowed!