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The Cronus Chronicles #2
The Siren Song
Inside an ordinary middle school in an ordinary city, a small redheaded eighth grader is doing something very ordinary, indeed.
Ever since Charlotte Mielswetzski and her cousin, Zee, saved the world, life has been rather ordinary. Ordinary, that is, if you call being ultramegagrounded (in Charlotte's case) or treated as if you might fall to pieces (in Zee's case) ordinary. Either way, heroes deserve better.
Of course, no one knows Charlotte and Zee are heroes. It's not like they can simply announce that Greek myths are real or proclaim they have returned from the Underworld, where they rescued all of mankind from Philonecron, a deranged demigod with delusions of grandeur. Instead, they are forced to keep this terrible knowledge to themselves, and are stuck in a state of extraordinary ordinariness.
But things aren't quite as ordinary as they seem. For Philonecron is the grandson of Poseidon, and you don't mess with the progeny of the second most powerful god in the universe. And Philonecron himself isn't so happy about having all of his delicious plans thwarted by mortal children. He wants revenge, and with his grandfather to help him, he is going to get what he wants.
For Charlotte and Zee, their not-so-ordinary lives are about to be disrupted once again. This time it's not the world they must save -- it's themselves.
In the thrilling second installment of the Cronus Chronicles trilogy, author Anne Ursu brings her trademark wit to a spectacular adventure on the high seas.
435 pages, Paperback
First published June 5, 2007
41 people are currently reading
1305 people want to read
About the author
Anne Ursu
19 books848 followersAnne Ursu is the author of several fantasies for young readers, including THE REAL BOY, which was longlisted for the National Book Award, and BREADCRUMBS, which was named as one of the best books of the year by Publishers Weekly, Amazon, and School Library Journal. She is also the recipient of a McKnight Fellowship. She teaches at the Hamline University's Masters of Fine Arts in Writing for Children and Young Adults, and lives in Minneapolis. Her next book, THE LOST GIRL, will be out in February 2018.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews
November 19, 2010
If anyone could take on the Greek gods by herself, it's Charlotte Mielsweatski. She proved that she was more than capable in The Shadow Thieves, and now she's taking on the all-powerful Lord of the Seas, Poseidon. But, you see, he picked the fight. Poseidon is a very vain god, full to the brim with his own self-importance, and he is annoyed that Charlotte and her cousin, Zee (short for Zachary), kicked the pants off his evil descendant Philonecron. So, he decides he's going to make Charlotte pay. Little did he know that this redhead packs a punch.
This was a very enjoyable book. I loved the humor. It had me laughing out loud many times. I think Ms. Ursu does something magical with the Greek myths. If I had kids, and I was trying to get them interested in Greek mythology, this is definitely a book I'd let them read.
It's also a good book to show the beauty of family (and in all its diversity). I loved the message that family doesn't all have to be the same color or same ethnicity or culture. You see, Charlotte's cousin Zee is biracial: his mother is black British and his father is white American. That makes no never mind to Charlotte; he's her beloved cousin and that's all that matters. I liked the way Ms. Ursu subtlely and eloquently addressed what Zee faced as a biracial person. People would ask how he and Charlotte were related. I am sure that is what biracial people face, but it's no big deal. You deal with it, and embrace that families don't necessarily come monochromatic anymore. And kudos to the publisher, for actually showing a boy on the cover who looks biracial (I wish the romance publishers would get a clue and realize that people will buy books if they show a brown-skinned person on the cover!).
There is also a powerful message about being strong and standing up for what is important. Charlotte is still grounded from having been out all night when her and Zee had to save the Underworld from Philonecron's takeover plan. It's rough having to deal with parents that don't get that you have very righteous motives for breaking their rules. Charlotte has a strong personality, and I think she's going to grow up to be a phenomenal woman. Of course, she is afraid of having to take on Poseidon, but she knows it has to be done when she learns Poseidon is going to sic his monster, Ketos, on the cruise ship where her parents and hundreds of others are being entranced by his siren lounge singer. She gets hurt very badly by Poseidon in their smackdown, but she doesn't surrender until her family and Zee are safe. What a girl.
Although this is a book for younger teens and older children, I think any reader who is young at heart and appreciates a good, fun, meaningful story will appreciate The Siren's Song. I know I did. Like I said, I consider this a must-read if you like Greek mythology. I am excited to see Charlotte and Zee take on Zeus, the king of the Greek gods. I know she's up for the challenge.
Overall rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 stars.
This was a very enjoyable book. I loved the humor. It had me laughing out loud many times. I think Ms. Ursu does something magical with the Greek myths. If I had kids, and I was trying to get them interested in Greek mythology, this is definitely a book I'd let them read.
It's also a good book to show the beauty of family (and in all its diversity). I loved the message that family doesn't all have to be the same color or same ethnicity or culture. You see, Charlotte's cousin Zee is biracial: his mother is black British and his father is white American. That makes no never mind to Charlotte; he's her beloved cousin and that's all that matters. I liked the way Ms. Ursu subtlely and eloquently addressed what Zee faced as a biracial person. People would ask how he and Charlotte were related. I am sure that is what biracial people face, but it's no big deal. You deal with it, and embrace that families don't necessarily come monochromatic anymore. And kudos to the publisher, for actually showing a boy on the cover who looks biracial (I wish the romance publishers would get a clue and realize that people will buy books if they show a brown-skinned person on the cover!).
There is also a powerful message about being strong and standing up for what is important. Charlotte is still grounded from having been out all night when her and Zee had to save the Underworld from Philonecron's takeover plan. It's rough having to deal with parents that don't get that you have very righteous motives for breaking their rules. Charlotte has a strong personality, and I think she's going to grow up to be a phenomenal woman. Of course, she is afraid of having to take on Poseidon, but she knows it has to be done when she learns Poseidon is going to sic his monster, Ketos, on the cruise ship where her parents and hundreds of others are being entranced by his siren lounge singer. She gets hurt very badly by Poseidon in their smackdown, but she doesn't surrender until her family and Zee are safe. What a girl.
Although this is a book for younger teens and older children, I think any reader who is young at heart and appreciates a good, fun, meaningful story will appreciate The Siren's Song. I know I did. Like I said, I consider this a must-read if you like Greek mythology. I am excited to see Charlotte and Zee take on Zeus, the king of the Greek gods. I know she's up for the challenge.
Overall rating: 4.5 out of 5.0 stars.
March 23, 2010
Although the first book in the Cronus Chronicles series was fairly lackluster, I'm glad I decided to pick up "The Siren Song" as well because everything picks up in this book. Charlotte and Zee are engaging characters, especially the former, and they experience some interesting and delightful character growth in "Siren Song." The snarky, matter-of-fact narration style is what exactly what I enjoy about children's books, and I found myself laughing out loud at several points during the book. Unlike the first book, I enjoyed Anne Ursu's take on Greek mythology in the second book, especially her version of the sea god, Poseidon. Most of my entertainment came from her description's of Poseidon's ridiculous antics, but Ursu also delivered by making him a terrible force to be reckoned with. Definitely will be picking up the third book in the series soon.
December 20, 2016
I need to learn that just because I love some of an author's works doesn't mean that I'll love all of them. As fantasy adventure epics for tweens go, this series is pretty good. Nice themes about revenge vs justice, and nice that the bravest kid just happens to be female (not, note, the typical 'spunky heroine' of most recent MG), and great that the complexities of the Greek Gods theology isn't dumbed down. However, even though this is much better than the Percy Jackson series, the subject matter is of no interest to me, and Ursu did not weave her subtle magic in this series. The second is even skippable, tbh. But there's some cool world-building in the first, and some nifty bits in the third, so if you are in fact interested in the genre, I do recommend them.
(This review duplicated for second and third books.)
(This review duplicated for second and third books.)
February 15, 2009
Eh. Just eh. Cute character but not a great plot. I actually thought it was a little bit better than the first book, but not terrific. I can't pinpoint my dissatisfaction, but part of it is that the age range intention is still odd. Is isn't complex enough for the age of the kids on the story, but some of the ideas are more advanced than I'd expect or want tweens to be reading. Once again, I just have to say that if this book intrigues you at all and you haven't read the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan yet, run, yes run to the bookstore and buy those books! They are the best kids books I've read, even (I know, heresy) better than Harry Potter! Ok, maybe not better, but as good for sure.
January 30, 2009
In this installment, Anne Ursu brings us back to the normal world...only to throw us into the sea this time--almost literally. Including the frustrations, experiences, and the infatuation of our 13-year-old heroine was a great decision. It is wonderful how the author managed to use a somewhat cliche personality of a power-seeking antagonist and spun him around to make him even wackier and intelligent at the same time. Also, this book certainly gives us a view of what those widely-known mythological beings might be like. And, in truth, possibly relating to plausible situations amidst the fantastical events.
It's certainly a wonderful piece. If I could rate it a ten out of five, I would XD
It's certainly a wonderful piece. If I could rate it a ten out of five, I would XD
January 1, 2010
The second in the series and just as delightful as the first. Charlotte and Zee are both grounded at the beginning of the book, completely oblivious that Poseidon is very angry at mortals for embarrassing his grandson, Philecron the way they did. This plot involves more of Charlotte which is great because she is very sarcastic and funny. Full of adventure and information about Greek mythology, this is a one doozy of a book. I don't know why this isn't as popular as the Percy Jackson series because I think this is way funnier.
November 27, 2010
I'm so impressed with this series. It's funny, frank, exciting, enticing, and the characters are strong, believable, and (in Charlotte's and my case) relatable. I haven't read a book so... ________________________ (I can't find a suitable word) in a long
time. One of my favorite series' of all time. This book was actually better than it's predecessor.
time. One of my favorite series' of all time. This book was actually better than it's predecessor.
January 10, 2023
As far as sequels are concerned, this is an excellent sequel.
Usually series- this can be said about media in general-that follow the first doesn’t follow up the quality of the writing and, in my opinion, feel like cheap attempts at cash grabs. This one could compete with the first book on the quality of writing. It feels like the author has an understanding of her characters enough to take risks with their development. Even if it is a children’s novel, you can still learn a lot about Greek mythology and enjoy the story.
Charlotte is portrayed like she was on the first novel, yet she has matured. Zee has some interesting character development shall I say, and the dynamic of her keeping what’s happened a secret from her parents and the repercussions of that make an interesting relationship.
Would very much recommend reading the first one before, but if you don’t then anything that happened in the first book that has significance it is summarized in this book
As for me personally, it took me way too long to finish this book, due to procrastination. You could easily finish this under a week’s worth of time.
Usually series- this can be said about media in general-that follow the first doesn’t follow up the quality of the writing and, in my opinion, feel like cheap attempts at cash grabs. This one could compete with the first book on the quality of writing. It feels like the author has an understanding of her characters enough to take risks with their development. Even if it is a children’s novel, you can still learn a lot about Greek mythology and enjoy the story.
Charlotte is portrayed like she was on the first novel, yet she has matured. Zee has some interesting character development shall I say, and the dynamic of her keeping what’s happened a secret from her parents and the repercussions of that make an interesting relationship.
Would very much recommend reading the first one before, but if you don’t then anything that happened in the first book that has significance it is summarized in this book
As for me personally, it took me way too long to finish this book, due to procrastination. You could easily finish this under a week’s worth of time.
September 28, 2016
Gods and glory against the life of an unlucky girl
The Siren Song by Anne Ursu
What would you do if you were up against one of the most powerful greek gods’ in the universe? I recommend the greatest fantasy fiction book, The Siren Song by Anne Ursu, because the book is based off greek mythology for ages 12-16 that enjoy adventure and mystery. I say this because the author engages the reader to be interested in the situation the main character is in. The author allows the reader to be limited to the main character's thoughts and ideas to the unusual conflicts the main character faces. The book belongs to a series where the main character faces against many other greek gods as the series continues. The author’s style throughout the story makes the narrator connect with the readers’ thoughts and creates curiosity in the story. This makes the reader have the desire to read more. The narrator also connects with the reader by adding in jokes or connections the reader can enjoy.
It all starts off in the twenty-first century where a girl who lives in the U.S, is given the name Charlotte Mealsweatski. Charlotte shares character traits most typical heroes wouldn't have. This is interesting about the book because the main character's choices in the story are crucial. This especially happens when Charlotte comes across situations where the main character discovers something that will lead up to the conflict. For example, when Charlotte goes to school, she recognizes that her cousin Zee has been acting strangely as she decides to spy on her cousin. The main character faces problems such as trust issues with her parents, struggling to do good in school, and lots of other ordinary problems unlike her cousin. One day However, Charlotte engages conflict with Poseidon, who puts Charlotte's family at risk. Now it's up to Charlotte to determine the fate of her loved ones.
The story shows that no matter what the stakes are or how hard the problems you face in life is, You can solve all the problems life throws at you only if you're willing to face them. Charlotte goes up against Poseidon, a powerful greek god, to save her family from danger. When you go in depth in the book, you will see many other troubles Charlotte goes up against although Charlotte doesn't give up on her goal of defeating Poseidon.
The Siren Song is thrilling, exciting, and absolutely unpredictable as Charlotte goes through the trouble of going up against the gods. The author teaches us the theme that shows we can overcome our challenges, and the people that help us get to that goal are the people that are willing to help solve those problems.
I Think that The Siren Song is a great book to read because the author makes the book easy to visualize the conflict the main character is going through by using metaphors that help understand the situation. This is a good tool the author uses because it helps readers make good inferences and predictions later on in the book. Overall, the book is thoughtfully written with jokes and humor from the narrator. The book is well crafted as I believe that other people who enjoy reading about greek mythology would find a deep interest in this book. The Siren Song is a thought out the book to read that has a story like no other ordinary book.
“Go away little girl. Put your toy down. You might get hurt, little girl. Someone's angry with you.”
Citation
Ursu, Anne. The Siren Song. New York: Atheneum for Young Readers, 2007. Print.
The Siren Song by Anne Ursu
What would you do if you were up against one of the most powerful greek gods’ in the universe? I recommend the greatest fantasy fiction book, The Siren Song by Anne Ursu, because the book is based off greek mythology for ages 12-16 that enjoy adventure and mystery. I say this because the author engages the reader to be interested in the situation the main character is in. The author allows the reader to be limited to the main character's thoughts and ideas to the unusual conflicts the main character faces. The book belongs to a series where the main character faces against many other greek gods as the series continues. The author’s style throughout the story makes the narrator connect with the readers’ thoughts and creates curiosity in the story. This makes the reader have the desire to read more. The narrator also connects with the reader by adding in jokes or connections the reader can enjoy.
It all starts off in the twenty-first century where a girl who lives in the U.S, is given the name Charlotte Mealsweatski. Charlotte shares character traits most typical heroes wouldn't have. This is interesting about the book because the main character's choices in the story are crucial. This especially happens when Charlotte comes across situations where the main character discovers something that will lead up to the conflict. For example, when Charlotte goes to school, she recognizes that her cousin Zee has been acting strangely as she decides to spy on her cousin. The main character faces problems such as trust issues with her parents, struggling to do good in school, and lots of other ordinary problems unlike her cousin. One day However, Charlotte engages conflict with Poseidon, who puts Charlotte's family at risk. Now it's up to Charlotte to determine the fate of her loved ones.
The story shows that no matter what the stakes are or how hard the problems you face in life is, You can solve all the problems life throws at you only if you're willing to face them. Charlotte goes up against Poseidon, a powerful greek god, to save her family from danger. When you go in depth in the book, you will see many other troubles Charlotte goes up against although Charlotte doesn't give up on her goal of defeating Poseidon.
The Siren Song is thrilling, exciting, and absolutely unpredictable as Charlotte goes through the trouble of going up against the gods. The author teaches us the theme that shows we can overcome our challenges, and the people that help us get to that goal are the people that are willing to help solve those problems.
I Think that The Siren Song is a great book to read because the author makes the book easy to visualize the conflict the main character is going through by using metaphors that help understand the situation. This is a good tool the author uses because it helps readers make good inferences and predictions later on in the book. Overall, the book is thoughtfully written with jokes and humor from the narrator. The book is well crafted as I believe that other people who enjoy reading about greek mythology would find a deep interest in this book. The Siren Song is a thought out the book to read that has a story like no other ordinary book.
“Go away little girl. Put your toy down. You might get hurt, little girl. Someone's angry with you.”
Citation
Ursu, Anne. The Siren Song. New York: Atheneum for Young Readers, 2007. Print.
January 11, 2009
fter returning from their successful mission to the Underworld, Charlotte and Zee have returned to life as usual. Minus the nightmares/generally strange dreams, and the fact that Charlotte isgrounded forever, because it turns out, once you learn that the gods are real, lying to your parents just doesn't work anymore. Life is just too real for that. Still, it's not all bad. When a cute new boy moves to town, and seems to have an interest in Charlotte, it's hard not to feel at least a little uplifted.
Unfortunately, things don't stay smooth for long.
There's the strange old man Charlotte, Zee, and even Mr. Mielswetzski have seen around town. And Jason gone missing. And Zee taking an interest in Maddy, Charlotte's best friend, only to dump herand pick up with an Ashley. And let's not forget the total personality make-over he could have done without. And to ice Charlotte's cake, her father has won an award, and the family is going on a cruise. A History cruise. Every day to disembark and visit local sites. Every teenager's dream.
Or not.
Still, at least she can get out of the house.
Things go amiss on the cruise almost from the get-go. Her parents arrive late to breakfast on their second day raving about Thalia the lounge singer. It starts pouring just as she's about to lay out by the pool. Her parents make a date to meet her for breakfast the next morning (after locking her in her room due to a misunderstanding), and miss the appointment. Upon exploration Charlotte discovers the ship to be empty, and in the Mediterranean. Just a wee bit off course from the East Coast.
Eventually, Charlotte finds the passengers and all the crew locked in the Lounge with Thalia, who happens to be a Siren, and her powers don't work on Children. It's up to Charlotte. Who, by somestroke of fate, isn't alone. Jason, whom she thought she'd seen the day before, is indeed on board. There to help her. Turns out, he knows about her escapades in the Underworld. His dad's a god, kin to Poseidon. Poseidon doesn't take well to people messing with his family, and it turns out Philonecron is his grandson. Which puts Charlotte on the hit list. For which an entire ship full of people are about to pay the price. So of course they do the only sensible thing. They head forPoseidon's yacht, with the plan of stealing his Trident to control Thalia and free the passengers and crew.
After a near miss with a couple sea monsters, Charlotte and Jason make it to the yacht. They hatch a plan.Charlotte, never big on patience, sets off on her own. Suffice it to say her plan takes a turn for the disastrous, but fate seems to be on her side, handing her an unlikely ally, and one more shot to save the day.
Again.
Unfortunately, things don't stay smooth for long.
There's the strange old man Charlotte, Zee, and even Mr. Mielswetzski have seen around town. And Jason gone missing. And Zee taking an interest in Maddy, Charlotte's best friend, only to dump herand pick up with an Ashley. And let's not forget the total personality make-over he could have done without. And to ice Charlotte's cake, her father has won an award, and the family is going on a cruise. A History cruise. Every day to disembark and visit local sites. Every teenager's dream.
Or not.
Still, at least she can get out of the house.
Things go amiss on the cruise almost from the get-go. Her parents arrive late to breakfast on their second day raving about Thalia the lounge singer. It starts pouring just as she's about to lay out by the pool. Her parents make a date to meet her for breakfast the next morning (after locking her in her room due to a misunderstanding), and miss the appointment. Upon exploration Charlotte discovers the ship to be empty, and in the Mediterranean. Just a wee bit off course from the East Coast.
Eventually, Charlotte finds the passengers and all the crew locked in the Lounge with Thalia, who happens to be a Siren, and her powers don't work on Children. It's up to Charlotte. Who, by somestroke of fate, isn't alone. Jason, whom she thought she'd seen the day before, is indeed on board. There to help her. Turns out, he knows about her escapades in the Underworld. His dad's a god, kin to Poseidon. Poseidon doesn't take well to people messing with his family, and it turns out Philonecron is his grandson. Which puts Charlotte on the hit list. For which an entire ship full of people are about to pay the price. So of course they do the only sensible thing. They head forPoseidon's yacht, with the plan of stealing his Trident to control Thalia and free the passengers and crew.
After a near miss with a couple sea monsters, Charlotte and Jason make it to the yacht. They hatch a plan.Charlotte, never big on patience, sets off on her own. Suffice it to say her plan takes a turn for the disastrous, but fate seems to be on her side, handing her an unlikely ally, and one more shot to save the day.
Again.
December 5, 2009
I love this book, Charlotte and Zee are back on another hard-hitting adventure, and it is just amazing, blew my mind!! Ann Ursu (author of book) grabs a story, looks into your heart, and puts it into a book. I would recommend this book to ANYONE who loves a great story! I know the cover to the shadow thieves is wierd, but, read it! I did, and now I loveit,I just love it! 5 stars from me!!!!! (applause)!!!
Athena Patornai
Athena Patornai
August 27, 2009
This was definitely a good book. Unfortunately I've never enjoyed books that involve sea monsters (because there's always a gross part, but this was pretty good. Some parts seemed a little to much like the first one for my liking but it still had it's moments. I definitely think that the first was better but this wasn't bad.
February 3, 2016
En definitiva me gusto mas que el primero, sigue sin embobarme como me gustaria pero definitivamente si es mejor.
No tengo mucho que comentar; los mismos personajes se vuelven a ver envueltos con problemas de los dioses, ahora con el segundo dios mas poderoso: Poseidon.
No tengo mucho que comentar; los mismos personajes se vuelven a ver envueltos con problemas de los dioses, ahora con el segundo dios mas poderoso: Poseidon.
October 24, 2014
A lot more intriguing than the first one. Looking forward to reading the last one.
November 28, 2016
First of all, I am pleasantly surprised that this book does not go down the path that the second Percy Jackson book did. Namely, The Siren Song doesn't just retread The Odyssey with teenagers instead of Odysseus. It does, of course, include a siren, as well as the wrath of Poseidon and Scylla and Charbdis. But, other than that, there are no other major incidents from The Odyssey repeated here, and in fact the plot is largely completely original. Philonecron is back and this time he wants revenge on Charlotte for thwarting his plans. Not Zee, of course, because Philonecron is creepily obsessed with Zee and absolves him of his part in the matter. No, our favorite villain is just concerned with getting his granddad angry enough to destroy Charlotte. In this case, rather than bouncing her around for a decade, Poseidon is content with luring Charlotte, her family, and an entire innocent cruise ship to the Mediterranean and then having them eaten by a sea monster. It probably doesn't help Charlotte that she lacks an Immortal patron. Zee, meanwhile, gets kidnapped and replaced by a creepily cheery doppelganger.
As a result, the action almost entirely follows Charlotte and relegates Zee to a passive role, which I found interesting. I didn't like the setup as much as the previous book, largely because the moment Zee started acting weird in the first part, I knew he had been replaced, and thus a fair bit of the middle school antics didn't hold my interest. However, Ursu continues to have some great bits of humor throughout the novel. As I said in the previous book, having a third person narrator allows for some ironic detachment and commentary on the story that's pretty fun. I especially enjoyed the narrator noting and mocking bits of Poseidon's yacht that Charlotte missed. On that subject, I really enjoyed Ursu's version of Poseidon. He is unquestionably a total raging asshole. It makes me really curious to see how Zeus is handled in the next book, because that seems more like how I'd characterize him. But I guess Poseidon has some serious issues with only being the second most powerful god in the universe. Also, I generally enjoy that unlike the other Greek myth kid's books I've read, this series makes it clear that the Greek Gods aren't really deserving of godhood and something should be done with them.
I think I generally enjoyed this installment a bit more once I properly got into it, because Philonecron is honestly a bit generic and I prefer the use of preexisting Greek elements combined with modern day stuff. Still, the Cronus Chronicles continues to be an excellent series, and I'm definitely looking forward to reading the final book.
As a result, the action almost entirely follows Charlotte and relegates Zee to a passive role, which I found interesting. I didn't like the setup as much as the previous book, largely because the moment Zee started acting weird in the first part, I knew he had been replaced, and thus a fair bit of the middle school antics didn't hold my interest. However, Ursu continues to have some great bits of humor throughout the novel. As I said in the previous book, having a third person narrator allows for some ironic detachment and commentary on the story that's pretty fun. I especially enjoyed the narrator noting and mocking bits of Poseidon's yacht that Charlotte missed. On that subject, I really enjoyed Ursu's version of Poseidon. He is unquestionably a total raging asshole. It makes me really curious to see how Zeus is handled in the next book, because that seems more like how I'd characterize him. But I guess Poseidon has some serious issues with only being the second most powerful god in the universe. Also, I generally enjoy that unlike the other Greek myth kid's books I've read, this series makes it clear that the Greek Gods aren't really deserving of godhood and something should be done with them.
I think I generally enjoyed this installment a bit more once I properly got into it, because Philonecron is honestly a bit generic and I prefer the use of preexisting Greek elements combined with modern day stuff. Still, the Cronus Chronicles continues to be an excellent series, and I'm definitely looking forward to reading the final book.
July 25, 2018
3.5 stars
I think this is a three star book but a four star reading experience. Most of it is probably nostalgia because I read this series when I was like 7 or 8 and loved it to pieces, and still do to be honest. This is a pre-teen greek mythology action comedy and it is so much fun. This is still one of the only books that makes me laugh out loud, and even though I've only read it like 3 times in 10 years I remember a lot of the jokes and passages, they stick with me. There's a scene where Zee starts questioning if he should be chasing this stranger down a street being that he has no idea what this man's powers might be, and starts imagining what would happen if this man turned him into a common gray squirrel, "and Zee would spend his days trying to convince people that he was not a squirrel but a boy, a real boy, and they would laugh and feed him bread crumbs and say, 'Sometimes that squirrel seems almost to be trying to communicate with us,' and then they would chuckle and shake their heads and fold up their picnic blankets and leave, and then a stray dog would come by and eat him." It is the weirdest humour but I love it. And the villain of the series, Philonecron, is amazing. I love him too. I mean, he wears tailored suits and a cape and red lipstick and spikes his hair and talks about how sensitive he is. It's amazing.
I love Zee, but Charlotte is just fantastic. I think she's an excellent character, and her character arch is so well done, and at the end it actually makes me a bit emotional at what she's going through. She has do things that aren't physically hard or gross, rather unfortunately necessary and morally questionable, and she does them but it is very upsetting for her, and this is a really great and surprising type of conflict for a book with a young audience.
Poseidon as a villain is corny and kind of weak but doesn't get too much screen time so it's okay.
Overall, I don't recommend it because I don't know how much of a role nostalgia plays in my enjoyment, but I do so enjoy this book.
I think this is a three star book but a four star reading experience. Most of it is probably nostalgia because I read this series when I was like 7 or 8 and loved it to pieces, and still do to be honest. This is a pre-teen greek mythology action comedy and it is so much fun. This is still one of the only books that makes me laugh out loud, and even though I've only read it like 3 times in 10 years I remember a lot of the jokes and passages, they stick with me. There's a scene where Zee starts questioning if he should be chasing this stranger down a street being that he has no idea what this man's powers might be, and starts imagining what would happen if this man turned him into a common gray squirrel, "and Zee would spend his days trying to convince people that he was not a squirrel but a boy, a real boy, and they would laugh and feed him bread crumbs and say, 'Sometimes that squirrel seems almost to be trying to communicate with us,' and then they would chuckle and shake their heads and fold up their picnic blankets and leave, and then a stray dog would come by and eat him." It is the weirdest humour but I love it. And the villain of the series, Philonecron, is amazing. I love him too. I mean, he wears tailored suits and a cape and red lipstick and spikes his hair and talks about how sensitive he is. It's amazing.
I love Zee, but Charlotte is just fantastic. I think she's an excellent character, and her character arch is so well done, and at the end it actually makes me a bit emotional at what she's going through. She has do things that aren't physically hard or gross, rather unfortunately necessary and morally questionable, and she does them but it is very upsetting for her, and this is a really great and surprising type of conflict for a book with a young audience.
Poseidon as a villain is corny and kind of weak but doesn't get too much screen time so it's okay.
Overall, I don't recommend it because I don't know how much of a role nostalgia plays in my enjoyment, but I do so enjoy this book.
February 7, 2021
Book review of “The Siren Song” by Anne Ursu.
Reviewed by Grace, age 10, 1/30/21
Charlotte was grounded. Zee was treated like he was going to fall to pieces. Why was it like that? Because a few days or maybe months before they were off in the underworld saving the overworld. The adults found out that they were gone for an entire night and they both got very different punishments.
Then… duh duh duhn! Zee fell in love with Maddy. Maddy is Charlotte’s best friend. Then Zee turned all loo-loo and dumped Maddy for one of the Ashlies. (There are two of them.) Meanwhile Charlotte’s parents had gotten an award to go on a cruise. Later Zee gets a prophetic dream about something. Charlotte sees this cute new boy in Zee’s soccer team, and later that boy runs away. Charlotte goes on the cruise with her parents and all of the grown-ups were hypnotized by something that would be a huge spoiler. Then for some reason Philonocron is on that boat, controlling Zee (see first book). Charlotte has to get Poseidon’s Trident to save the ship from being eaten. Spoiler alert: they do. The End. (ish.)
I really like the way this book is written and how very sarcastic it is. Now I am very interested in Greek Mythology and I want to read it. This pleases my father. He also thinks I should read Norse Mythology and likes to talk about how they “rhyme,” both with each-other and the Bible and stuff. But I’m really glad Greek mythology isn’t real, because the retirement plan sucks. And many other reasons.
Reviewed by Grace, age 10, 1/30/21
Charlotte was grounded. Zee was treated like he was going to fall to pieces. Why was it like that? Because a few days or maybe months before they were off in the underworld saving the overworld. The adults found out that they were gone for an entire night and they both got very different punishments.
Then… duh duh duhn! Zee fell in love with Maddy. Maddy is Charlotte’s best friend. Then Zee turned all loo-loo and dumped Maddy for one of the Ashlies. (There are two of them.) Meanwhile Charlotte’s parents had gotten an award to go on a cruise. Later Zee gets a prophetic dream about something. Charlotte sees this cute new boy in Zee’s soccer team, and later that boy runs away. Charlotte goes on the cruise with her parents and all of the grown-ups were hypnotized by something that would be a huge spoiler. Then for some reason Philonocron is on that boat, controlling Zee (see first book). Charlotte has to get Poseidon’s Trident to save the ship from being eaten. Spoiler alert: they do. The End. (ish.)
I really like the way this book is written and how very sarcastic it is. Now I am very interested in Greek Mythology and I want to read it. This pleases my father. He also thinks I should read Norse Mythology and likes to talk about how they “rhyme,” both with each-other and the Bible and stuff. But I’m really glad Greek mythology isn’t real, because the retirement plan sucks. And many other reasons.
September 1, 2024
Había empezado bien, tenía ganas de seguir leyendo, los chistes me daban risa, estaba volviendo a conectar con el universo después de haber terminado el anterior, viendo como sentaban las bases para el conflicto de este libro pero todo eso tomó demasiadas páginas.
Para la mitad e incluso antes, se volvió aburrido, metían demasiado relleno, no estaba pasando nada nuevo.
A la fuerza tuve que terminarlo solo para llegar al 3ro y saber cómo termina la trilogía.
Igual mejora cuando llegas a la acción pero para llegar, toma su tiempo.
Me gustó que conectara bien con lo que vimos en el 1er libro y ya te están adelantando que podría cocinarse para el final de la trilogía.
Para la mitad e incluso antes, se volvió aburrido, metían demasiado relleno, no estaba pasando nada nuevo.
A la fuerza tuve que terminarlo solo para llegar al 3ro y saber cómo termina la trilogía.
Igual mejora cuando llegas a la acción pero para llegar, toma su tiempo.
Me gustó que conectara bien con lo que vimos en el 1er libro y ya te están adelantando que podría cocinarse para el final de la trilogía.
May 20, 2025
After saving the Underworld, and all of humanity, the thanks Charlotte gets is to be grounded and forced to see a therapist. She finds it hard to take school seriously when she knows the gods could pop up and ruin things at any minute. Plus, Philonecron is out there somewhere, and unlikely to have taken a quiet retirement.
The writing style and characters are still so fun. This book was focused on Charlotte, and Zee wasn't around a whole lot. He gets a couple of random chapters that rehash what you already know, and I thought that was unnecessary. Charlotte had some good character growth.
The writing style and characters are still so fun. This book was focused on Charlotte, and Zee wasn't around a whole lot. He gets a couple of random chapters that rehash what you already know, and I thought that was unnecessary. Charlotte had some good character growth.
June 5, 2020
I loved the first one in this series, but the second one couldn't recapture the magic for me. The main character was very whinny and wishy-washy and felt like nothing ever got accomplished. The villain in the first book was humorous as was the overall tone, but in the second book the humor seemed forced and Poseidon was just angry, nothing likable about him.
Like I always say though, it is hard to write a book and I congratulate the author on that. This had some nice moments but, as I said, everything seemed to push back the action until I just lost interest.
Like I always say though, it is hard to write a book and I congratulate the author on that. This had some nice moments but, as I said, everything seemed to push back the action until I just lost interest.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2019
Guess I read the second book before reading the first. Not. At all impressed though. You can't make all the gods evil, come on. That's where Percy Jackson succeeded and other books didn't. And contrary to the title, this was hardly about the siren and their full potential. And Charlotte was so infuriating. Jason was annoying, Zee was flat, Charlotte's parents are so stupid. This feels like a spoof. I'm good with one, thanks.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2017
This one, for me, wasn't as good as #1. That said, I am still keen to try #3. I enjoy the humor and wit. I still think these are great books for Riordan fans, and for kids interested in mythology.
July 7, 2019
a slightly creepy book
July 24, 2020
One thing that I appreciate about these books even when I love them in other books is that Charlotte and Zee really are just regular kids. They're not demigods or anything extra. They're just kind of lucky that the immortals so severely underestimate them and I think it's kind of awesome.
September 14, 2020
Started out slow. Had to tell you a lot of what happened in the previous book. That slowed the book down. After that it got better. Interesting story.
April 29, 2021
No fue una lectura que me atrapara, puede que no fuera el momento del libro en mi vida.
July 29, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 28, 2012
Ursu, A. (2008). The Siren Song. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Reader.
430 pages.
Appetizer: It's been several months since Charlotte and her cousin Zee traveled to the underworld to prevent a revolt against Hades and Charlotte is still grounded for having been out all night. Her cousin Zee's parents are being overprotective as well. And Charlotte feels certain that she can get through anything as long as her cousin is by her side, but when Zee starts behaving strangely, Charlotte isn't so sure anymore. So, when her parents plan for the family to go on a cruise (fun!) to see famed historical sites along the East Coast (less fun), Charlotte thinks it may be her only chance at a break. She doesn't even suspect that she is venturing into a trap set by Philonecron, who blames her for his failure to take over the Underworld.
The Siren Song lives up to the fun narrative voice set up by the first book in this trilogy, The Shadow Thieves. As I was reading, I felt Charlotte's frustration with how overbearing her parents were being and I loved Zee's continued struggle to find a place that he belongs (although, Philonecron's fascination with him did become a little too creepy this time around. As the reader, I wasn't really picking up the supposed would-be-father-wants-you-as-a-son vibe that the story was trying to establish. For me, it was more of a creepy-demon-guy-is-way-too-in-love-with-a-teenage-boy-ICK vibe.) I also felt like the story could have been trimmed a little. (Charlotte spent too much time running around her cruise ship for my liking and I was left with the too-strong desire to want to go on a cruise (if only I had the time/money...I suppose I would be willing to settle for a tanned man servant bringing me drinks and making whooshing sounds to represent the sound of the sea waves.)
As with the first novel, most of the story is told from Charlotte's perspective, with an introduction to give Zee's account. With this novel, I didn't really feel as though including Zee's perspective added much (except for maybe trying to attract those elusive male readers).
I did like that Poseidon was a featured Greek god in The Siren Song. It was particularly interesting, since Ursu's approach to creating him was so different from Rick Riordan's in his Percy Jackson series.
I really love the world Ursu has created and the fact that Charlotte, an ordinary girl, must repeatedly best the Greek gods. With most of the gods disinterest in helping mortals and Charlotte and Zee's acknowledgement that the system has to change, I am very curious to see what happens in the final novel of this trilogy, The Immortal Fire.
Dinner Conversation:
"Once, not so long ago, inside an ordinary middle school in an ordinary city in an ordinary state in the middle of an ordinary country, a small redheaded eighth grader was doing something very ordinary indeed. Charlotte Mielswetzski (Say it with me: Meals. Wet. Ski. Got it? If not, say it again: Meals. Wet. Ski.) was in the school office calling her mother. And lest you think she was calling her mother for some interesting reason, let me assure you she most certainly was not. For Charlotte could be found in that same office calling her mother every day after school." (p. 3).
"An American History cruise!" said Mrs. Mielswetzski. "Up the East Coast! Normally, a girl who is grounded doesn't get to go on cruises, but given the educational nature of this one, we thought we'd make an exception."
"Anyway," said Mr. Mielswetzski, "it will give us a lot of time together. As a family."
Her parents exchanged a happy look.
"Oh," Charlotte said. "Um, look I've got to go to my room now." (pp. 16-17)
"It was silly, of course. Ridiculous. Normal boys aren't afraid of shopping malls. Normal boys go out with their friends and have fun and talk about sports and gils and music and video games and don't worry about whether a half-demon/half-god freak is stalking them. But normal boys just don't have Zee's fabulous luck." (p. 96)
"She was stranded in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean on a cruise ship full of people in singer-induced comas. For the last month of her life, she had been feeling increasingly more alone in the world. Well, now she was truly all alone.
430 pages.
Appetizer: It's been several months since Charlotte and her cousin Zee traveled to the underworld to prevent a revolt against Hades and Charlotte is still grounded for having been out all night. Her cousin Zee's parents are being overprotective as well. And Charlotte feels certain that she can get through anything as long as her cousin is by her side, but when Zee starts behaving strangely, Charlotte isn't so sure anymore. So, when her parents plan for the family to go on a cruise (fun!) to see famed historical sites along the East Coast (less fun), Charlotte thinks it may be her only chance at a break. She doesn't even suspect that she is venturing into a trap set by Philonecron, who blames her for his failure to take over the Underworld.
The Siren Song lives up to the fun narrative voice set up by the first book in this trilogy, The Shadow Thieves. As I was reading, I felt Charlotte's frustration with how overbearing her parents were being and I loved Zee's continued struggle to find a place that he belongs (although, Philonecron's fascination with him did become a little too creepy this time around. As the reader, I wasn't really picking up the supposed would-be-father-wants-you-as-a-son vibe that the story was trying to establish. For me, it was more of a creepy-demon-guy-is-way-too-in-love-with-a-teenage-boy-ICK vibe.) I also felt like the story could have been trimmed a little. (Charlotte spent too much time running around her cruise ship for my liking and I was left with the too-strong desire to want to go on a cruise (if only I had the time/money...I suppose I would be willing to settle for a tanned man servant bringing me drinks and making whooshing sounds to represent the sound of the sea waves.)
As with the first novel, most of the story is told from Charlotte's perspective, with an introduction to give Zee's account. With this novel, I didn't really feel as though including Zee's perspective added much (except for maybe trying to attract those elusive male readers).
I did like that Poseidon was a featured Greek god in The Siren Song. It was particularly interesting, since Ursu's approach to creating him was so different from Rick Riordan's in his Percy Jackson series.
I really love the world Ursu has created and the fact that Charlotte, an ordinary girl, must repeatedly best the Greek gods. With most of the gods disinterest in helping mortals and Charlotte and Zee's acknowledgement that the system has to change, I am very curious to see what happens in the final novel of this trilogy, The Immortal Fire.
Dinner Conversation:
"Once, not so long ago, inside an ordinary middle school in an ordinary city in an ordinary state in the middle of an ordinary country, a small redheaded eighth grader was doing something very ordinary indeed. Charlotte Mielswetzski (Say it with me: Meals. Wet. Ski. Got it? If not, say it again: Meals. Wet. Ski.) was in the school office calling her mother. And lest you think she was calling her mother for some interesting reason, let me assure you she most certainly was not. For Charlotte could be found in that same office calling her mother every day after school." (p. 3).
"An American History cruise!" said Mrs. Mielswetzski. "Up the East Coast! Normally, a girl who is grounded doesn't get to go on cruises, but given the educational nature of this one, we thought we'd make an exception."
"Anyway," said Mr. Mielswetzski, "it will give us a lot of time together. As a family."
Her parents exchanged a happy look.
"Oh," Charlotte said. "Um, look I've got to go to my room now." (pp. 16-17)
"It was silly, of course. Ridiculous. Normal boys aren't afraid of shopping malls. Normal boys go out with their friends and have fun and talk about sports and gils and music and video games and don't worry about whether a half-demon/half-god freak is stalking them. But normal boys just don't have Zee's fabulous luck." (p. 96)
"She was stranded in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean on a cruise ship full of people in singer-induced comas. For the last month of her life, she had been feeling increasingly more alone in the world. Well, now she was truly all alone.
March 29, 2025
“It’s not enough for you to be able to worship us, you *want* things.” He set his face in a sneer, and his voice grew high and mocking. “Poseidon, protect my boat from the storm! Poseidon, save my village from the tidal wave! Poseidon, I’m drowning! Save us, Poseidon, save us!” He scoffed. “Why should *I* help them?”
Charlotte couldn’t take it anymore. As Poseidon ranted, she picked herself up off the ground. One foot on the floor, then the other, then she pushed herself up–oh! Not with that hand–so she was standing almost at her full height despite the loud protests of her muscles and bones. It was nothing, she was barely above Poseidon’s kneecaps, but at least she was up. She stared up at him, eyes full of fire, and hissed, “*Because you can.*”
—
I figured it was about time that I read the second part of the “Cronus Chronicles” (in which Cronus never actually appears?). You know, sometimes I think about how this trilogy is interesting to read alongside/after reading “Percy Jackson & the Olympians”, but this one? This one is especially weird, because of its depiction of Poseidon as an egotistical douchebag is so far removed from Riordan, who is weirdly kind to the sea god despite ragging on pretty much every other Greek god.
I mean, this series isn’t really nice to pretty much any of the gods, except one, so that tracks. This book has the series go full-on humanist tract at times. And given the way the Greek gods act in the myths, it can be hard to blame Ursu for her take on the gods.
Actually, some elaboration: while I think the anti-theism of the book wears on me a bit, and I think feels a bit old, there's also this comparison to celebrity culture. The Immortals of Poseidon’s court only want to have an eternal party on the yacht, while using mortals for entertainment, even if it means their deaths. In the days of the Beast Games and social media clout, it feels like Ursu’s really onto something.
Right, so, anyway: this book’s good, though at the same time, it’s a little frustrating to re-read. Zee is in this novel, which means we have less of a dual perspective. The reason is that he’s kidnapped and replaced early on, and Charlotte doesn’t realize this, so upon re-read it’s like, “C’mon, Char, get it together. That guy is obviously not your cousin.” Which is a bit silly, because what’s obvious to the reader isn’t necessarily obvious to the characters, yet it’s still annoying to go through a book knowing something that big that the main character doesn’t, especially when it means that one of the leads of the series is out of action for the majority of the story.
It is VERY satisfying when he comes back, though. And I suppose that it also means Charlotte has to work hard to figure things out without him.
This book introduces Jason Hart, who in the end is such an interesting supporting cast member. I think a less cynical author would make him end the story as a love interest, or in a way that he’s obviously going to be important later on. Ursu doesn’t do that; she wisely makes Charlotte realize exactly the kind of guy he is, and deals with him accordingly.
Philonecron is still a fruity weirdo and a fun villain, though he takes a bit of a backseat here. When he does appear, he’s still memorable, evil, and a massive jerk. He cashes in on his family relation to Poseidon, while also subtly insulting him several times–though to be fair, he’s right, Poseidon IS tacky.
And Sir Lawrence! It’s not often that you have such a wonderful, kind, and well-spoken character that’s a giant squid, but here you are. He’s fantastic.
I remember that while the idea of going up against Poseidon was expected, the execution wasn’t quite what I expected from the sequel when I first read it. I think it mostly holds up extremely well, and it’s another reminder to me that this trilogy should be much more popular and well-regarded than it is.
Charlotte couldn’t take it anymore. As Poseidon ranted, she picked herself up off the ground. One foot on the floor, then the other, then she pushed herself up–oh! Not with that hand–so she was standing almost at her full height despite the loud protests of her muscles and bones. It was nothing, she was barely above Poseidon’s kneecaps, but at least she was up. She stared up at him, eyes full of fire, and hissed, “*Because you can.*”
—
I figured it was about time that I read the second part of the “Cronus Chronicles” (in which Cronus never actually appears?). You know, sometimes I think about how this trilogy is interesting to read alongside/after reading “Percy Jackson & the Olympians”, but this one? This one is especially weird, because of its depiction of Poseidon as an egotistical douchebag is so far removed from Riordan, who is weirdly kind to the sea god despite ragging on pretty much every other Greek god.
I mean, this series isn’t really nice to pretty much any of the gods, except one, so that tracks. This book has the series go full-on humanist tract at times. And given the way the Greek gods act in the myths, it can be hard to blame Ursu for her take on the gods.
Actually, some elaboration: while I think the anti-theism of the book wears on me a bit, and I think feels a bit old, there's also this comparison to celebrity culture. The Immortals of Poseidon’s court only want to have an eternal party on the yacht, while using mortals for entertainment, even if it means their deaths. In the days of the Beast Games and social media clout, it feels like Ursu’s really onto something.
Right, so, anyway: this book’s good, though at the same time, it’s a little frustrating to re-read. Zee is in this novel, which means we have less of a dual perspective. The reason is that he’s kidnapped and replaced early on, and Charlotte doesn’t realize this, so upon re-read it’s like, “C’mon, Char, get it together. That guy is obviously not your cousin.” Which is a bit silly, because what’s obvious to the reader isn’t necessarily obvious to the characters, yet it’s still annoying to go through a book knowing something that big that the main character doesn’t, especially when it means that one of the leads of the series is out of action for the majority of the story.
It is VERY satisfying when he comes back, though. And I suppose that it also means Charlotte has to work hard to figure things out without him.
This book introduces Jason Hart, who in the end is such an interesting supporting cast member. I think a less cynical author would make him end the story as a love interest, or in a way that he’s obviously going to be important later on. Ursu doesn’t do that; she wisely makes Charlotte realize exactly the kind of guy he is, and deals with him accordingly.
Philonecron is still a fruity weirdo and a fun villain, though he takes a bit of a backseat here. When he does appear, he’s still memorable, evil, and a massive jerk. He cashes in on his family relation to Poseidon, while also subtly insulting him several times–though to be fair, he’s right, Poseidon IS tacky.
And Sir Lawrence! It’s not often that you have such a wonderful, kind, and well-spoken character that’s a giant squid, but here you are. He’s fantastic.
I remember that while the idea of going up against Poseidon was expected, the execution wasn’t quite what I expected from the sequel when I first read it. I think it mostly holds up extremely well, and it’s another reminder to me that this trilogy should be much more popular and well-regarded than it is.
June 17, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Just when Charlotte and Zee thought life would return to normal, Philonecron returns—with a grudge and divine backup from his grandfather, Poseidon. Thrust into a battle at sea, the cousins must once again face mythological dangers, but this time it’s their own lives—not just the world's—on the line.
Just when Charlotte and Zee thought life would return to normal, Philonecron returns—with a grudge and divine backup from his grandfather, Poseidon. Thrust into a battle at sea, the cousins must once again face mythological dangers, but this time it’s their own lives—not just the world's—on the line.
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