Aru Shah and the Song of Death (A Pandava Novel Book 2)
Reviews
I loved how this book immediately throws you right back into the action. I feel as if no time at all had passed since the end of the previous book (I believe it may have only been a couple of hours or so?). I loved being back with Aru and Mini and I especially loved meeting the new characters of Aiden (ok we'd met him in the previous book a bit) and Brynne. This book taught me a couple of things about a mythology I had no prior knowledge of before starting this series, so I am honestly very grateful for that. The glossary at the back will help out as well if you're confused by some of the names (because I was, sometimes). I highly recommend you pick up these books if you loved any of Rick Riordan's books and if you love learning about mythologies in a fun way! I have already ordered the third book in this quartet and will hopefully pick it up soon!
I'll admit that I read the first book in this series a while ago, so I might be suffering from hindsight bias. However, I thought that this definitely suffered from 'sequel blues,' and I mostly did not enjoy it. Aru Shah and the Song of Death picks up almost exactly where the last one left off. The arrow of the god of love has been stolen, and she must quest to get it back. This was supposed to be the plot, right? PROS: + Several genuinely entertaining moments in terms of comedy. + A lot of interestingly incorporated gods. + I liked Aiden a lot! + New information on how the whole Pandava reincarnation thing works. + Can you tell I'm having a difficult time here? I'm having a difficult time here. CONS: - So many forced pop culture references that I have to assume won't age well. - I quite frankly hated Brynne and didn't understand why she needed to be there at all. I'm sorry. - The plot was extremely rushed, especially in the beginning, and it made it difficult to care about the stakes and follow along. In contrast, most of the character development was poorly done. - Extremely childish narration. This isn't how kids talk, definitely not when being put in life or death situations. I understand the urge for quips, but every page is really pushing it. - I feel like the author was trying to do six different things with the plotline, which predictably meant none of them worked out as she wanted them to. - Boo being replaced with Brynne is my villain origin story. - Honestly? Despite the fast-paced plotting and wealth of mythology Chokshi had to work with, this book was boring. The stakes weren't high enough, the side quests felt like a way to waste page time, and the characters were painfully one-dimensional. I'm probably going to read the next book in the series, just because I already have it on hold at the library. But I will definitely be extremely bitter about it.
I’ve been so excited to read this sequel since I finished the first book a couple of weeks ago. It was such fun and I completely fell in love with the characters and I’ve been waiting to know what happens to them next, and this book was just as spectacular. While the previous book gave us an introduction to this world of reincarnated Pandavas and prophecies and the Otherworld, we get to go deeper into it in this one. The plot is slightly different this time around, because the characters are more on a quest to prove their innocence of the theft for which they have been blamed. The author does a great job keeping the pace quick and consistent throughout, there is never a dull moment and the humor is totally up to the mark. There are also numerous pop culture references, especially LOTR which I really enjoyed but what delighted me more were the references to Bollywood, Indian dance and music and a certain beloved cricketer. I actually thought Roshani was pretty excellent at making sure the humor and references were very organic to the story and never felt too much. We also go much deeper into some of Arjuna’s story in the Mahabharata and Surpanakha’s story in the Ramayana. I liked the analysis of the epics from a more neutral perspective, that even heroes do wrong things sometimes and we don’t always know the complete story. There is also an underlying theme that two wrongs don’t make a right, and everyone has the choice to make the right decisions despite what has happened in the past. These are things that we probably realize while reading our epics but don’t want to voice our opinions because that’ll make us unpopular, but I liked that the author didn’t shy away from these discussions. This was a very quick read and pretty much finished the book in a single sitting. I completely fell in love with Aru and Mini in the first book and it was great to meet them again. Due to reasons, we don’t get to see Mini or Boo for a significant portion of the book, and I really missed their banter. But Aru is more delightful than ever and definitely more confident about her abilities too. She has grown very attached to the Otherworld and the various celestial beings, which makes the idea of losing it all very scary for her, but she is also worried that is not capable of being a hero and will ultimately disappoint her found family. But despite grappling with these issues, she never loses sight of her mission and is always thinking very quickly on her feet to get everyone out of troublesome situations. We also get introduced to new characters Brynne and Aiden, who are guarding their own personal family secrets but have to team up with Aru and Mini for the quest. Brynne has used to working alone always and is well trained, so she is not interested in having to tag along with Aru but slowly they start to grow on each other and I loved the progression of their relationship. Aiden on the other hand is like a peace keeper and mother hen wrapped up in a single package, always making sure they don’t fight amongst each other and also have everything that they need to keep up their sustenance. I loved this new dynamic between the gang, and I’m also very excited to see who else will be joining them in the future books. And finally, that revelation of which Mahabharata character Aiden is reincarnated from was hilarious and quite unexpected and I just couldn’t stop laughing at the way it was handled. What more can I say except if you enjoyed Aru Shah and the End of Time, stop wasting any more time and pick this up immediately. If you haven’t read this series but love middle grade adventure fantasy novels, then this one is just perfect. This book was fun, delightful, fast paced with an amazing group of characters who will keep you smiling throughout.
Nope, can't get through this - way too juvenile for my taste.
After enjoying Aru Shah and the End of Time, I knew I needed the rest of this series in my life. I don't know why I waited so long, but I finally picked up the sequel. To start off, I have to say how much I love these covers and I love how much they bring the story to life. After reading the book, I love that I know exactly what scene they used on the cover. The sequel continues only a little while after the first book left off. Aru and Mini are still training with Boo and things get interesting. The God of Love's bow and arrow has gone missing and Aru, Mini and our new character Brynne are being blamed for it. To be able to continue to train and be Pandavas, they get ten days to find the bow and arrow to clear their names. What I love about how Roshani wrote this story, is that as these characters go on this adventure there are lessons to be learned along the way. And the way she takes mythology and culture and puts that in this fun adventure went so smoothly. I loved learning about these stories along with our characters. To make it even more fun, this book is filled with humor. So many references a lot of readers will completely understand and also for the adults enjoying these stories as well. A big part of this story is about Mimi, Aru, Brynne and Aiden working together to get their tasks done. Not everything comes easy and they really have to think to get everything to work. Aru Shah and the Song of Death is a very heartwarming story that revolves around family and friendship. I loved that there were little mentions of a crush, but that it didn't take over the story. This book fits perfectly in the age group it's written for. I don't want to give too much away, because this book is just too much fun not to experience all on your own. All in all, Aru Shah and the Song of Death turned out to be a fun, heartwarming adventure. I loved the characters and the journey they went on. This book definitely left a smile on my face!
I really loved this sequel book to the first book in this series. I really loved the adventure in this novel and also the quest that the characters were set on. I also loved how the group expanded to feature more characters this book. It was super fun read and one that I really loved listening to. I really loved that i LEARNED so much about the different myths in this read. I really can't wait to tackle book 3 soon
I NEED THE SEQUEL!!! Believathon book 2 for Baba Yaga's House!!! I READ THIS BOOK IN TWO DAYS! I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!! This book was hilarious and sad and happy and I FREAKING LOVED IT!!! I can't wait to read Tree of Wishes!! If you haven't read this series DO IT!!!!
Disclaimer: I bought this book! Support your authors! Book: Aru Shah And The Song of Death Author: Roshani Chokshi Book Series: Pandava Quartet Book 2 Rating: 5/5 Publication Date: April 30, 2019 Genre: MG Fantasy Recommended Age: 10+ (slight violence and a little gore, some scary moments) Publisher: Rick Riordan Presents Pages: 375 Amazon Link Synopsis: Aru is only just getting the hang of this whole Pandava thing when the Otherworld goes into full panic mode. The god of love's bow and arrow have gone missing, and the thief isn't playing Cupid. Instead, they're turning people into heartless fighting-machine zombies. If that weren't bad enough, somehow Aru gets framed as the thief. If she doesn't find the arrow by the next full moon, she'll be kicked out of the Otherworld. For good. But, for better or worse, she won't be going it alone. Along with her soul-sister, Mini, Aru will team up with Brynne, an ultra-strong girl who knows more than she lets on, and Aiden, the boy who lives across the street and is also hiding plenty of secrets. Together they'll battle demons, travel through a glittering and dangerous serpent realm, and discover that their enemy isn't at all who they expected. Review: Usually with the second book, a series will lag a bit as the author presents material that they need to build upon for the whole of the series, but honestly this book didn’t feel like a drag. It was amazing! The characters continued to be developed, which I really appreciate. The world building was much better in this one and I absolutely loved the introduction of new characters. One of the best series I’ve ever read! The only issue I did have was that I felt like the pacing was a bit slower in this one in certain spots and that some little events dragged a bit, but it wasn’t a lot. Verdict: I highly recommend this series!
Lmaoooo first insomnia finish of 2021
I really enjoyed this, as much as if not slightly more than the first one. I really love how well the merging of current pop culture references and actual religious stories is done. I feel the kids are written really spot on for the ages they portray and the messages are clear without being too laboured. A solid enjoyable read. Onto book 3!
This was a fun book to read. It took me a little bit to get back into the story (I had read the previous book about a year ago), but once I did, it was enjoyable. Of course, the format is sort of predictable, but I guess I like learning about new mythology through the lens of a children's book.
Highlights
“Decisions are hard,” said Aru, thinking of every battle they’d gone through in the past few weeks. “But the biggest one is deciding what to do with the time that is given to us.”
Aiden frowned. “Did you just make that up?”
“Nah. Stole it from Gandalf.”
“Cool. So, all in favor of Aiden’s new name being Wifey, keeping in mind that it’s only a name, and he’s his own person, blah, blah, blah….”
Mini and Brynne raised their hand. So did Aru.
Aiden looked horrified. “Wait a second! Don’t I even get to vote? I don’t want to be called Wifey!”
“Rules are rules, Wifey,” said Mini, laughing.
And that was that.
“So…” said Aru. “Should we call you Wifey?”
Aiden—who looked as if he’d been hit by a train—managed a weak laugh.
“Go away, Shah,” he said.
Kamadeva opened the door for them. “I wish you well, Pandavas.”
Aiden sighed. “Honestly, I’m really not a Pandava.”
“Maybe not by blood. But certainly by marriage,” said Kamadeva. “After all, in another life, you were Queen Draupadi, the wife of the five Pandava brothers.”
OMGGGG 😱
“A Pandava must be so precise and so skilled that they can separate a shadow from its host! They can grab the wind! They are as swift as—”
“A river!” shouted Aru.
Mini hollered, “With all the force of a great typhoon!”
“With all the strength of a raging fiiiiiire—” sang Brynne.
“STOP SINGING MULAN!” shouted Boo.
🤣🤣🤣
“It is when we stop listening that we commit the greatest wrongs.”
The song of death was like ice creeping across a windowpane, and a warning shout unleashed a second too late, and water closing over your head, and the silent chime of a moment that has been forgotten forever. It was impossible and painful and, ultimately, inevitable.
Lady M raised the bow and arrow, aimed it at Aru, and let loose. A lot of things happened simultaneously, but to Aru, it seemed like time slowed to a crawl. She was gradually bringing up Vajra, sluggishly stepping aside. Mini and Brynne got into formation—it must have been superfast, but at that moment, they could’ve been swimming through thick honey. Brynne swung her mace. Mini aimed her shield. Hira darted back and forth uselessly.
But Aiden…
Aiden dove in front of her.
“We’ve got something the other side doesn’t have,” said Aru.
The others looked at her blankly.
“Well, it’s definitely not weapons, brainpower, or looks,” said Mini.
“Speak for yourself,” said Brynne.
😂😂😂
In that second, Aru realized they weren’t just looking at her…they were looking to her. Like they trusted her. Pride flared through Aru. So what if she couldn’t shoot an arrow through a fish eye or whatever it was that Arjuna had done? She had her imagination and three sets of eyes that trusted her, and, honestly, it was enough.
“Uh-oh,” said Aiden. “Shah’s making that face.”
“What? What face?” asked Aru.
“That’s, like, your signature I’ve-got-a-plan face,” said Brynne excitedly.
Aru liked the sound of that. She had a signature face? Excellent.
Aru didn’t want to see all those gray spaces between good and bad—she just wanted things to be easy.
"(...)In the end, all we are is the version of ourselves that others choose to remember.”
“Stories. Legends. Myths. Once a story stops being told, it dies. Unless people find pieces of it later, polish them up, and breathe new life into them…"
Aru’s mom had taught her that many tales from around the world were similar. That didn’t make them unoriginal or bad, but rather proof that people cared about and were frightened of the same things no matter where they lived.
“What is something that never dies but lives a thousand lives at once?”
Now she was asking them riddles? They looked at each other for a moment, before hesitantly answering.
“Gods?” asked Mini.
“Demons?” asked Brynne.
Hira shook her head, but didn’t answer. Aiden stayed silent, watching all of them.
Aru loved riddles, and so when she heard Lady M’s words, a different answer came to her mind:
“Stories?”
She's so smart 🤓
“I like you, Shah.”
Aru’s eyebrows shot up. Her heartbeat jittered and she felt a not unpleasant swoosh low in her stomach, like butterflies taking wing.
Aiden panicked. “But not like, uh—”
Aaaand all the butterflies died.
“Like friends,” finished Aru, her voice sounding a touch too bright.
“Yeah,” he said, smiling. “Like friends.”
Aru would never say no to having more friends, even if she thought, for a second…Well, it didn’t matter.
“Just so you know,” she said, “being friends with me means that on Wednesdays we wear pink.”
She didn’t have the god Krishna by her side the way Arjuna did, but she had her family and her instincts, and if at the end of the day she could say she was doing her best, that had to count for something…right?
Sometimes life isn’t fair—but that doesn’t mean things happen without a reason.
“I’m not abandoning family.”
That jolted Aru. Mini had been her soul sister for a while now, but Brynne and Aiden had only recently been shoved into her life without her consent. Since then, they’d made fun of one another and fought with one another and shared candy and battles and even awful road trips (with red cows). So, yeah, it was safe to say they were family.
She wasn’t going to leave them, either.
Mini waited until they had become nothing more than specks in the distance before yelling, “IT WAS NOT NICE TO MEET YOU!”
Brynne laughed. “That’s what you shout at the backs of your enemies? Not ‘Don’t mess with my squad’?”
Aiden shuddered. “Can we not say ‘squad’?”
“Why? Does it annoy you? Does ‘hashtag squad goals’ make you mad?” asked Aru.
“Yes.”
“Then we’re a squad.”
Fighting wasn’t something Aru enjoyed. But fighting alongside her friends? That felt like music.
“You’re terrifying!” called Aru happily.
Brynne bowed. “Thank you.”
“I am excellent at pep talks. Witness,” said Durvasa. He cleared his throat. “You have approximately two days left before Queen Uloopi exiles you from the Otherworld. That which you seek will be well guarded, and the path to the shore of the Ocean of Milk is already treacherous. Not to mention the fact that Surpanakha is an accomplished warrior, and so is Takshaka. You are all woefully outmatched. There. How was that?”
Aiden lunged forward to catch Mini before she fainted. Even Brynne, the most confident out of all of them, let out a whimper.
Aru’s jaw fell open. “That was your pep talk?”
“Yes. P. E. P. Preparing for Evil People. Surely that is what you meant.”
“It was not.”