The Hidden Oracle by Rick Riodan Book Review
“Zeus needed someone to blame, so of course he’d picked the handsomest, most talented, most popular god in the pantheon: me.”
About
Author: Rick Riodan
Genre: Middle-Grade Fantasy
Series: The Trials of Apollo Book 1
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Other Trials of Apollo Book Review
Synopsis
How do you punish an immortal?
By making him human.
After angering his father Zeus, the god Apollo is cast down from Olympus. Weak and disoriented, he lands in New York City as a regular teenage boy. Now, without his godly powers, the four-thousand-year-old deity must learn to survive in the modern world until he can somehow find a way to regain Zeus’s favor.
But Apollo has many enemies-gods, monsters, and mortals who would love to see the former Olympian permanently destroyed. Apollo needs help, and he can think of only one place to go . . . an enclave of modern demigods known as Camp Half-Blood.
Review
Spoilers Contained Below
To the Apollo Fan club,
Back in 2016, I read The Hidden Oracle and I can’t say I remember that much from it, but I knew the gist of the book. But given quarantine, I wanted to pick up the book again because I really enjoyed Rick Riodan’s books and I haven’t read one in a while. There’s just something timeless about Rick Riodan that makes you feel young at heart. And picking up The Hidden Oracle was such a good decision. It kind of makes me want to go back and reread all of Rick Riodan’s books and maybe I will. I just never got around to finishing the Trials of Apollo, and when I start something, I want to finish it.
And can I thoroughly say that Rick Riodan’s humor has been a goshsend!!! I swear, even if I am a part of the older audience who reads his books, there’s just something to love in it. It really does remind me of a Disney movie because even parents (not that I’m a parent) can watch a Disney movie and still find some adult humor in it. I really found myself laughing more this time around because I guess now that I’m older with more knowledge, I feel like I understood the jokes a lot better. But man, just having a good laugh really does pass the time quickly and it is such a good pick me up during hard times like this.
The idea of the Trials of Apollo is fantastic. The reason I read any Rick Riodan book is because I love mythology, especially Greek. I don’t know why, but I just do. There’s something so fascinating to me about learning the different beliefs that people have and the rich history/culture behind it. I have to give all the props to Rick Riodan because he writes about Greek mythology in such a simple and humorous way that even I can understand it. Maybe I don’t pick up all the pieces, but I just love learning more.
Apollo is an interesting God, especially within the context of this story. I was surprised to learn how Apollo was casted out of Olympus not once or twice, but three times. You genuinely learn something new all the time from Rick Riodan. But I loved the way Rick explored Apollo with the story, and by explored, I mean, made him an acne ridden teen without a six pack. So like your average teen 😂.
And it’s just comical. Because here you have a literal God and he’s now just a less than average teen with insecurities. The shock Apollo goes through is hilarious in how he would look down at his body and see flab, which there is nothing wrong with. But I guess if you’re used to being golden and chilled, it would be alarming. I also thought it was funny how life just put him in the most ridiculous situations like a big joke. Which isn’t that surprising if Zeus is trying to punish him. Dumping him in a garbage bin multiple times 😂. Zeus is literally saying Apollo is trash.
But Meg McCaffery is someone I instantly adored. She has so much spunk in her traffic light body. Her style is super cute, no matter how much Apollo teases her about it inside his head because we all know if he called her a traffic cone to her face, she would tell him to slap himself. But I love Meg and her yellow dress, green leggings, and cat-eyed glasses. It’s such a distinct look. It kind of reminds me of Trixie from Fairly Oddparents if you know what I mean.
Meg is someone I also just want to hug. Like a big warm hug for her. Because she’s obviously been through a lot and she puts up this tough girl front because that’s all she’s ever known. She pushes aside her emotions or the idea that someone could care for her in a tender way. So when she met Sally Jackson and Sally gave her new clothes and made her all done up, it was such a sweet moment. Meg was quiet throughout the experience because I feel like she was not used to having a maternal figure in her life care for her, so she didn’t know how to react. I also felt like maybe deep down, Meg enjoyed being cared for because no one has ever done so. That just made me want to hug her even more because Meg deserved so much more.
And don’t even get me started on her dad: Nero, or the Beast. The whole idea that Nero killed her step-dad and took her in, was just kind of messed up if you ask me. The step-dad sounded like such a good man who was doing something the Triumvirate was scared of, so he was gotten rid of. And that has got to hurt. Meg was only five when she saw her dad die and then she was taken in by a psycho maniac who didn’t know how to raise a little girl. The whole, don’t make the “Beast” angry thing was RIDICULOUS. Like what is this? Beauty and the Beast? Like stop making Meg feel bad because she can’t anger the Beast 🙄. How about you control yourself and not let an eight-year old decide whether or not you are angry? Get a grip.
It also reminded me a lot of Jekyll and Hyde where one moment he’s a scientist and then the next he’s insane or something. But I did not like the way Nero treated Meg. I also didn’t like the way Meg felt inferior around Nero. Meg was this strong, brazen girl and when she was around Nero, I felt a part of her become submissive to her dad again. And that shouldn’t be what a parent-daughter or parent-anything relationship should be. It should not be fearful. And I kept thinking, Meg, you don’t need to listen to him. But I also understood why she did. That’s the guy who raised her—for good or for bad. And no matter how “bad” a person can be, there’s always going to be this love and good memories underneath.
But I think after Meg betrayed Apollo, she really started to think how Nero might have not been the best dad and that she should do her own thing. And she should. Not that she also shouldn’t have someone to care about her, because gosh she’s only a kid, but her being independent made her stronger and better and she did not need Nero holding her down or telling her who she could or couldn’t be.
But backtracking a bit, I enjoyed Apollo and Meg’s partnership. They have such a unique relationship where they are kind of the same age, but Meg controls Apollo. But on the inside, I could tell that Apollo feels fondly as Meg, and dare I say it, a little bit paternally towards her. I think there’s a part of Apollo that cares deeply about her given all she’s been through and how close they’ve gotten. But he would never admit that to her. It’s just cute how much they banter or tease each other. Reading the story from Apollo’s perspective is also hilarious in the way he always describes her as a traffic cone, eating too much, saying too little, or digging her nose. It’s funny because Meg just sounds like an unabashed teen who couldn’t give two poops what other people think of her, which I love.
When Meg went to Camp Halfblood, that was a whole trip within itself. Literally.
One of the other things I love about Rick Riodan’s books is how everything connects and how you get to see everyone again. So seeing the man of the hour, Percy Jackson, was like Daniel Radcliffe showing up for a Harry Potter reunion—-nostalgic.
“Oh, why does college have to happen to perfectly good people?”
I have never reacted so hard to something Percy said 😂. But it’s good to see what Percy is up to these days. He’s studying hard to get into college like most teens do and there’s something very humbling and refreshing about seeing him be a normal teen. It’s refreshing in the way that he’s not fighting monsters and he can now settle down and focus on his future and the baby sister he is going to have. Like a little baby sister! We need to see Percy by the end of this series again and also see the baby!
We also got to see Chiron again, which man, it was sooooo good to know he’s doing well. I kept laughing when Apollo was trying to explain the situation to him and then Meg kept trying to wake up the animal on the wall and Chiron and Apollo kept looking at her. And then when Apollo would mention something about the Titan war or the war with Gaea, Meg would chime in and say no she did not remember those things 😂. I thought it was funny because it’s true that from an outside perspective, you wouldn’t know what happened all these years. I also liked how when Apollo would explain something, it would be like he was speaking Spanish to Meg. But when Chiron would say something in a nature metaphor and all of a sudden it was like hearing English.
Meg is a daughter of Demeter, which makes sense given her nature 😉. But the diversity of having her be a descendant of a nature God was interesting. I appreciate that Rick Riodan always explores different Gods with his characters because it adds to that learning value.
But we also saw Will and Nico. Man, it’s been AGES since I’ve read about Will and Nico. I forgot that they were even a thing until we saw them again. I feel ashamed because if there’s anyone who is Will and Nico’s biggest fan, it’s ME. I am here for them.
It was also such a fun time to be back at Camp Halfblood with the dining hall and the games they played with each other. Can’t forget the three-legged death race because that’s a natural camp activity 😆. The actual excitement Harley had for his race was so pure and cute. I have a feeling Leo and him would be great friends.
Then there was Rachel Dare. It was such a treat to see her again too! We should just have an overall reunion with everyone because that would be super fun. Maybe at the end of this, all the demigods, cyclops, dryads, satyrs, and oracles can come together to celebrate Apollo becoming a God again because we all know that is endgame. But anyway that is the reunion we need and I want to manifest that.
Rachel Dare adds more to the already growing knowledge of the complex situation Apollo faces. In a series of trials, he has to restore the five oracle places that he is responsible for. If he can do that, he thinks that that will please Zeus and prove his Godliness enough to make it back on Mount Olympus. While conversing with Rachel she explained everything she knew about the Triumvirate. The Triumvirate is a group of three powerful Romans who had been biding their time, building up their resources and power so that they can one day become Gods. They funded Luke’s war in the Percy Jackson series, which explains a lot considering where did a young demigod teen get money to fund a war? Now we know. They have been working behind the scenes and they also want to take control of all the Oracles to have power, so Apollo has to do so before they do.
One of the Oracles, the Grove of Dodona rebuilt itself at Camp Halfblood and that is why people are disappearing. They are getting called in by the Grove and that enchants them to go missing.
Some of those who went missing included Austin and Kayla who were Apollo’s kids. For Apollo, it really humanized the idea that he had kids that he should care more about. So when they disappeared, I liked how you could see how Apollo felt responsible for them and that he wanted to get them back.
Eventually, they do find the Grove of Dodona near a myrmeke liar. Myremeke sounds like one of my greatest nightmares if I’m being honest. Giant insect. OOOOH, NO SIREE 😅. I give props to Apollo and Meg for fighting off the myremeke, let alone riding some of them. I could not. Just the idea of a gigantic ant scares me in the other direction. A giant cockroach, ooooh that is something I do not want to see in my future 😂. But Meg got captured by one of them and that’s gross.
Apollo goes to rescue her, but first he talked to this geyser dude who by all means is hilarious. I love how the geyser dude was all about hospitality and customer service. I mean, that’s nice, but man, we got pressing issues to get to like controlling the Grove and getting Meg back. No, Apollo doesn’t have time to take your survey of his experience 😅.
But he was a good time.
The battle scene with the giant statue on Camp Half Blood was also a good time and reminded me of the Spy Kids: Game Over movie with the giant robot. I love how everyone banded together to help save the camp, it was like the good old days for sure.
Then the man of the hour came back, which I touched on a bit earlier. Leo freaking Valdez. If I’m being completely honest, I knew Leo did not pass away after the Heroes of Olympus series because there’s no way. If there’s anything Pretty Little Liars or Riverdale has taught me, it’s that a person is not officially passed away unless you see a body. And we did not see Leo’s body so he was out there. So when he came back, my heart just swelled because Leo is such a jubilant character. I love his humor, I love his finesse, I love the way he can fix things. He’s like Handy Manny, but a kid version.
I love Handy Manny 😂.
I also love a good love story. And Leo came back with a WOMAN. A WOMAN I tell you. Calypso. I forgot that he had a thing going with her, but I am happy that they got something going between them 😏.
So now that Leo and Calypso were there, they could accompany him on his next trip to the Oracle of Trophonius in the next book. But I forgot to touch on Meg.
Meg went along with her “dad,” Nero because she betrayed Apollo. I remember this happening the first time I read it, so it wasn’t as surprising to me, but it still hurt. I knew it wasn’t because Meg really wanted to betray Apollo, but again, it goes back to head versus heart in how Nero raised her and how Meg still can think for herself.
All I know is that we are going to go on another adventure with one of my favorite characters (Leo) and we have to reunite with Meg because she controls Apollo.
Can’t wait for that.
Overall, I really enjoyed re-reading the Hidden Oracle because it brought back so much nostalgia with all the characters and Rick Riodan’s world. Rick Riodan definitely knows how to build a world that will captivate you, make you laugh, cry, and laugh again. It was such a good time.
If you read this book, what was your favorite part? Least favorite part?
Who is your favorite Greek God or Godess?Anything I mentioned or didn’t mention that you want to chat about? Let me know below in the comments as I love hearing form you all 💕
I hope you have a beautiful and wonderful day whenever and whereever you might be reading this!
And as always, with love,
Rating
4.52 Full Bloom Flowers
Characters: Getting to see the humanized Apollo was such a treat and he has such an innocent and comedic way of looking at things. It’s either he has a great sense of humor or he really is clueless. I also enjoyed Meg and I want to know more about her roots, if you will.
Plot: Such a fun concept that any Rick Riodan fans—new and older—-will find something to love.
Writing: Honest to gosh timeless magic ✨
Action: Full of jam-packed scenes of garbage dumping, ant stampeding, and statue sneezing.