i received a copy of jason side identity from the author in exchange for an honest review.
jason side: identity review
i recently had the opportunity to read and review jason side identity, thanks to the author (who reached out to me on instagram). i hadn’t heard of this book prior to him contacting me, but i was glad for the chance to give his book a go.
the biggest seller on this book is that it’s marketed towards fans of percy jackson. if you know me, you know how much that series means to me. i was more than excited to jump at the chance to read it. this book focuses on demi-gods and monsters, much like percy jackson does. there’s many gods (who are reminiscent of the greek gods, with new names). much like percy jackson, it’s also an urban fantasy.
upon starting jason side identity, i was happy to see how diverse the cast was. our main character, jason, is an african american, along with many of the characters within this book. it should be noted that the author is bipoc, and is writing from experience. i think it’s important that readers read diversely in order to grow their minds and create less stigma and separation between different groups of people.
one of the biggest things readers will note about jason side identity is how big it is. it’s not a short book by any means. it’s approximately 550 pages long, and very detailed. there are several chapters that are quite philosophical and really get your brain thinking.
unfortunately, because it is quite long, some pages do drag a little bit. i found the first 70 pages of the book to be quite repetitive (the author reinforcing how mundane and boring his life is while at school). i just want to mention that as i know a lot of readers won’t go past 4 chapters if they think it’s ‘boring’. it gets much better after that initial 70 pages or so. i do think it could’ve been edited a little better to get things moving faster.
the second half of the book was a whirlwind of fast paced action scenes and revelations as jason discovers who/what he is.
to conclude this review: if you’re looking for a new and exciting read that supports a bipoc author, then this might be the one for you! if you like demi-gods, magical abilities, and monsters doing bad things, this is something you could consider.
