Jayson’s Reviews > The Chalice of the Gods > Status Update
Jayson
is on page 268 of 288
Notes:
(1) As a distraction, Grover hula-hoops while playing "Get Lucky" on his panpipes.
- I know the song's a decade old but, as a reference, it feels brand new and shiny compared to all the oldies mentioned in this book.
- Possibly, it's Grover's way of wishing Percy good luck on his mission, or an attempt to will success into existence via song.
(Continued in comments)
— Sep 03, 2024 06:15AM
Notes:
(1) As a distraction, Grover hula-hoops while playing "Get Lucky" on his panpipes.
- I know the song's a decade old but, as a reference, it feels brand new and shiny compared to all the oldies mentioned in this book.
- Possibly, it's Grover's way of wishing Percy good luck on his mission, or an attempt to will success into existence via song.
(Continued in comments)
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Jayson’s Previous Updates
Jayson
is on page 220 of 288
Notes:
(1) "Paul says [Bob] Dylan was one of the best twentieth-century poets. I mean, the guy can rhyme leaders with parking meters. I guess that’s something?"
- First of all, assonance, while no doubt lyrical, is not rhyming.
- Secondly, as someone who rhymes nearly all my reviews, I'm no poet. While no piece of cake, rhyming does not a poet make.
(Continued in comments)
— Sep 02, 2024 06:50AM
Notes:
(1) "Paul says [Bob] Dylan was one of the best twentieth-century poets. I mean, the guy can rhyme leaders with parking meters. I guess that’s something?"
- First of all, assonance, while no doubt lyrical, is not rhyming.
- Secondly, as someone who rhymes nearly all my reviews, I'm no poet. While no piece of cake, rhyming does not a poet make.
(Continued in comments)
Jayson
is on page 152 of 288
Notes:
(1) Grover plays Duran Duran's "Union of the Snake" on his pan pipes to lure away snakes. Kind of like St. Patrick crossed with the Pied Piper, except he gets chased.
- Hmm, you'd think snakes would find snake songs charming, you know, snake charming.
- He also plays YMCA and The Beatles' "Help," so it probably didn't need to be snake-themed.
(Continued in comments)
— Sep 01, 2024 05:35AM
Notes:
(1) Grover plays Duran Duran's "Union of the Snake" on his pan pipes to lure away snakes. Kind of like St. Patrick crossed with the Pied Piper, except he gets chased.
- Hmm, you'd think snakes would find snake songs charming, you know, snake charming.
- He also plays YMCA and The Beatles' "Help," so it probably didn't need to be snake-themed.
(Continued in comments)
Jayson
is on page 102 of 288
Notes:
(1) Percy and Annabeth summon the goddess Hebe by singing a karaoke duet of John Lennon's "Jealous Guy."
- Man, these pop culture references are all over the place! I doubt any single person would get them all, you know, outside of Rick Riordan.
- "Jealous Guy" is a pretty deep cut. I doubt you'd actually be able to find it on a karaoke menu.
(Continued in comments)
— Aug 31, 2024 06:45AM
Notes:
(1) Percy and Annabeth summon the goddess Hebe by singing a karaoke duet of John Lennon's "Jealous Guy."
- Man, these pop culture references are all over the place! I doubt any single person would get them all, you know, outside of Rick Riordan.
- "Jealous Guy" is a pretty deep cut. I doubt you'd actually be able to find it on a karaoke menu.
(Continued in comments)
Jayson
is on page 49 of 288
Notes:
(1) "[My mom] hummed as she worked—some Nirvana song, I think. 'Come as You Are'?"
- Well, in terms of pop culture references, it seems like Rick Riordan's graduated from the '80s to the '90s.
(2) This plot feels a lot lower stakes than usual.
- It's been so long since these books have been anything other than an "end of the world" situation.
(Continued in comments)
— Aug 30, 2024 06:45AM
Notes:
(1) "[My mom] hummed as she worked—some Nirvana song, I think. 'Come as You Are'?"
- Well, in terms of pop culture references, it seems like Rick Riordan's graduated from the '80s to the '90s.
(2) This plot feels a lot lower stakes than usual.
- It's been so long since these books have been anything other than an "end of the world" situation.
(Continued in comments)
Jayson
is starting
Notes:
(1) Okay, I've put off reading this book for way too long. This is one of those pre-order purchases I just forgot about because I was never in the mood or was otherwise preoccupied.
- But with the sequel coming out imminently I finally have my motivation.
(2) I've not been following the hype so I don't know what I'm in for.
- Well, except that Riordan's going pack it with '80s references, as has been his wont.
— Aug 29, 2024 04:00AM
(1) Okay, I've put off reading this book for way too long. This is one of those pre-order purchases I just forgot about because I was never in the mood or was otherwise preoccupied.
- But with the sequel coming out imminently I finally have my motivation.
(2) I've not been following the hype so I don't know what I'm in for.
- Well, except that Riordan's going pack it with '80s references, as has been his wont.
- Probably Paul Blofis' doing. Doesn't seem like a Camp Half-Blood or Gabe Ugliano thing, and I don't think he'd complain at all if it were Annabeth or his mom's idea.
(3) "I Got You, Babe" makes for perfect elevator music. No complaints there.
- Though, I wonder whether it's actually a reference to Groundhog's Day. You know, since it's being played on a loop, and 600 floors of it might feel interminable.
(4) "A line from an old movie flitted through my head: When someone asks you if you’re a god, you say yes!"
- Uh, the movie he's alluding to is a little film called Ghostbusters.
- The fact that he only refers to it as "an old movie" makes me feel ancient.
- I actually remember quoting that line myself in an update for a previous Riordan book, though I can't remember which.
(5) "Demi bags—as in bags of leftovers for demigods—were a real thing."
- You know, I never considered that gods might think of demigods as pets until this doggy bag pun.
- Though, seemingly, demigods are the opposite of pets since companionship, especially between gods and their offspring, isn't really a thing and demigods aren't dependents so much as they're depended upon (for quests).
(6) "My mom told us that her book had received its first one-star review online, even though the book wouldn’t be out for several more months. Apparently, the reviewer didn’t like that the title Love Songs of the Gods promoted paganism."
- Likely a jab at Goodreads, since Riordan's fairly active on this site and has probably experienced that exact situation more than he can count.
(7) Paul plays Dave Brubeck as dinner music, which is a lot more appropriate than Bob Dylan.
- If anything, because you don't need to pay attention to lyrics in order to appreciate instrumental jazz.
(8) A very good final scene to end the book on, though nothing special or anything that hasn't been done better in previous books. Just a very ordinary boyfriend/girlfriend moment.
- Along with the letter-writing scene before it, it's nice but a bit too cozy a note to end on.
- Really, it exemplifies this whole book, being comparably low-energy. I like my Percy Jackson stories with more monsters, more peril and more highly-caffeinated.