Kirkus
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Thousands of years after dying in battle, a Greek shade shakes up both the over- and underworlds by escaping Hades’ clutches. Showing laudable streaks of idealism, the renowned co-authors create a character who makes nearly everyone around him better people. Having refused to drink from the river Lethe on the way into Hades and so keeping most of his memories, Simon of Athens (who was 13 when he died) has spent the last 2,451 years serving Queen Persephone, beguiling the savage guardian Cerberus, and hanging out with the likes of Socrates, Shakespeare, Sartre, and Maya (“who knew something about cages”). Succeeding at last after nearly 90,000 escape attempts, he emerges from a school bathroom stall in present-day St. Paul before the wondering eyes of bullied but resilient seventh grader Zeke Tripp, who remarks, “Dude, you have got to get some clothes on.” Ensuing chortle-worthy events will sweep readers along—as will the infectious, rapturous delight Simon takes in every moment of being once more in the world of the living, where his own heartbeat is a marvel, and so is everything from color to the taste of chocolate cake. So brightly shines his love of life that young audiences will come away as profoundly affected as the characters he encounters both above ground and below. Names cue diversity in the crowds of shades. Moving and thoughtful; presents a genuine hero as model while making a strong case that the classics are cool.(Fantasy. 11-13) Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.