There Are Gods Among Us!
A book review of The Red Pyramid for Parents (and Parents who want to read it too)
For my next book project I will write a middle grade fiction novel. In doing my research, how many pages do they typically run, what series are popular, etc. I finally got tired of researching and decided I would just go to the source. Why not just re-read one of (in my opinion) the best middle grade series?
So, I fired up my trusty Kindle Fire and downloaded my copies of the Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan.
Yes, I am aware that these books are recommended for children aged 9–15. I am one of those readers who has never cared what age range a book is intended for; if I want to read something, I read it. I’ve read all of Mr. Riordan’s series for kids, except 39 Clues and The Asgard series. (I just haven’t gotten to them yet.) Funnily enough, I haven’t read his series for adults, yet. They are on my list.
This review contains some spoilers
This trilogy begins with The Red Pyramid. The main characters, Carter and Sadie Kane are brother and sister, but have not been raised in the traditional sense. Since the death of their mother, Sadie has been living with their mother’s parents, in London, attending traditional schools and living a normal life. Carter has been home-schooled and traveling the world with their father, Dr. Julius Kane, a famed Egyptologist. Twice a year, Dr. Kane is allowed to visit with Sadie in London. This is where our story begins.
The Kane family is bi-racial. Dr. Kane is African-American, while his deceased wife was British Caucasian. According to the descriptions given in the book, Sadie resembles their mother, while Carter resembles their father. This causes people to have a hard time believing they are brother and sister, especially since they only spend 2 days a year together. It likely doesn’t help that Sadie, being raised in London, speaks with a British accent and uses British slang quite frequently.
Dr. Kane tells the children that he has a special visit planned to the British Museum, a research experiment that will set things right for their family. He blames himself for the death of their mother, and the children wonder if this “experiment” has something to do with this.
Things go horribly wrong, however, and instead of fixing things, Dr. Kane ends up unleashing the Egyptian god Set, who immediately banishes him into oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives.
Not long after, Sadie and Carter learn that the Egyptian gods are awakening, and the most evil of them, Set, has his sights on the Kanes. In order to stop him, the children must embark on a journey unlike they’ve ever experienced. They learn that their family’s history is not what it seems, and that their family has a link to a secret society tied closely to the pharaohs of Egypt.
I have always been intrigued by Egyptian mythology, which is what drew me to this series. I had already completed and loved Riorda’s Percy Jackson series, a similar story using Greek mythology, but was a bit hesitant to read this one due to the lower reading age. I feared it would not hold my interest. I am glad that I decided to go forward with it anyway.
This novel is action packed, full of historical references, and is told alternately by Sadie and Carter themselves. Mr. Riordan writes it as if he has been sent a cassette tape by Sadie and Carter, and is just transcribing their words. He even goes so far as to write an afterword, in his own voice, explaining that he has done some research on his own, and that based on what he’s found, it appears that the children are telling the truth.
It’s an interesting way to present the events in the book and I personally found it to be endearing. I can imagine that it would draw in younger readers even further. I read the Kindle edition, but just for information purposes, the paperback version is 192 pages.
Mr. Riordan’s writing will captivate readers of all ages. He gives a voice to each character that any reader will find something in that makes you want to keep reading.
For me, Sadie stood out. She’s only 12 years old, but she tries so hard to be much older, snarky, and in charge. I was very similar at her age, so I found myself connecting with her character almost immediately. With Carter, his innocence struck me. He has been a world traveler his entire life, yet, he has also been sheltered. As a parent, I just wanted to keep him safe.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys stories about mythology, action, and adventure. If you’ve read the Percy Jackson series or Heroes of Olympus series, I think you would enjoy this book and the subsequent two as well.
I gave this book 5/5 stars on Amazon and Goodreads.
Further notes for parents:
Action: 5/5: There is a lot of action. Nothing too gory or out of the way. It’s just fast paced and fun.
Language: 1/5 (Sadie uses the British slang “Bloody” often, which might be a bit much for some people if they are allowing their younger children to read. She also uses “God” with a capital G as an expletive a few times.)
Spirituality Concerns: 2/5: This book is about a pantheon of gods, not based on Christianity. So, if this is an issue, I would not recommend this book or series for your family. If, however, you feel you can have this discussion with your child on the level of this being fantasy, then it’s a fantastic read. Also, Mr. Riordan provides downloads on his site, reader’s guides, guides for teachers, and guides for parents to engage in discussions, rationales, etc. that are quite helpful.
The Message: This book has a great message, in my humble opinion. There are quite a few positive role models featured, strong leads, family values, and teaching that sometimes we have to make sacrifices for the good of the world before what we think is good for ourselves. This is actually the driver of my 5 star rating.
