The various couples find themselves alone more often and we sense that our favorite characters are almost fully-fledged adults.
(Can we just take a moment here as well to say that we really miss those snarky chapter titles from the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series?) Percy is almost 17 and the tone of the book reflects this. Gone are the days of the 12-year-old boy who just found out his father was Poseidon. This book is as much about relationships as it is about finding a way to stop Gaea, and while that’s all fine and dandy, sometimes we (as in this writer in particular) just wants to see some ancient mythological monster’s head flying instead of hearing about how everyone feels about everyone else. There are a lot of characters aboard the ship, and taking stock of what each one is thinking or doing can become tiresome. The book slows down periodically to take note of everyone’s situation. Despite the fact that they knew what they had to face there, the crew of the Argo II and the readers alike take a moment to appreciate finally stepping foot in one of the birthplaces of all those legends. The most exciting part had to be when the demigods finally made it to Rome. The funny moments weigh equally with the emotional bits, and the suspense keeps you turning pages as if the fate of the world is resting on your back (or maybe that was just Atlas wanting a quick break). On the whole, the book was another success as far as we’re concerned. But this truly is Annabeth’s story (hence the title of the book) and we can’t help but say: finally! Even hopping into Piper’s brain for a while feels familiar and secure. Leo is also a personal favorite, and his witty retorts and unique perspectives don’t go unappreciated. Stepping back into Percy’s shoes always feels like soaking in a nice, clean, freshwater river after a particularly arduous day at Camp Half-Blood. The story is told from four different points of view: Piper, Leo, Percy, and Annabeth. They must fly on the Argo II, the Greek trireme adorned with the head of our favorite dragon Festus, cross the United States, traverse the ocean, and end up in Rome – one of the most dangerous places in the world for demigods. Seven demigods have to venture forth on the quest of a lifetime, but the hardest part might prove to be working together. The Mark of Athena sees representatives of the two camps – Half-Blood and Jupiter – together in the same place, but not necessarily united under the same flag.