This story moves at an outrageous clip. It’s difficult to put down.

Nico is a major player in this book, and he begins to come into his own toward the end. The realization that his parentage means he’ll always be lonely is sad, but he seems to start to own it. I’m interested in his story, where he’ll go and what he’s been doing while he’s been on his own during these stories.

Aphrodite’s influence on Percy’s life becomes dramatically clear to everyone except Percy in this book. It’s funny because Percy recognizes some tension within his friendships with Annabeth and Rachel, and he suspects the cause, but like every teenager ever, he has no idea how to handle it.

I love Riordan’s concept of the Labyrinth, the idea that it is essentially a metaphysical maze that can literally take a person anywhere if they can get through the mist. The quest to find Deadalus is well done, and it has a nice pay off in the end.

The story of Pan is heartbreaking, and the intervention of Dionysus in the final chapters is unexpected. Clearly Grover is a leader and he’s grown to be even more that he could have imagined. I look forward to his journey in the next novel.

I’m going to close out this review now and go read the final book. I want to know how the prophecy plays out.

P.S. The actual Battle of the Labyrinth is riveting as well. :)