Aru Shah and the Nectar of Immortality: Pandava, Book 5
By Carrie R. Wheadon,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Stellar female heroes shine in Indian myth series finale.
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What's the Story?
In ARU SHAH AND THE NECTAR OF IMMORTALITY, the Pandavas are in series trouble. Kara has entered the labyrinth with the Sleeper and is headed for the prize within: the nectar that will make all the Sleeper's evil monster followers eternal. Oh, and they will cause Armageddon in the process. The Pandavas -- Aru, Mini, and Brynne -- want nothing more than to stop them, but Kara has destroyed their celestial weapons. Without the weapons, they can't access the labyrinth at all, unless ... There is another way in, if they unite three pieces of a sun jewel, the glorious light will guide them. The problem is that the pieces are hoarded by some seriously dangerous beings. Just to get the first jewel piece, they'll need to enter the realm of a snake god so large its body wraps around mountains. And then there's the bear king, who is so good in a fight that he has all the furniture in his home upholstered with the skins of his vanquished enemies. The odds aren't looking good, but the clock is ticking. The Pandavas will use lots of ingenuity and a little divine help to not only get the sun jewel, but earn their weapons back so that they can save the world.
Is It Any Good?
This series finale steeped in Indian mythology stays firmly focused on the stellar girl characters over raucous monster battles, and is so much better for it. Yes, there's Armageddon to stop and only days to do it, and three pieces of a jewel to unite in three fascinating parts of the Otherworld. But it's the girls' struggles to get their celestial weapons back, to earn them by seeing their inner strengths, that really breathe life into the story. Mini, a girl whose fears drive her every thought, has one of the most poignant moments in the realm of dreams -- befriending an actual night mare/horse.
And even with the big end-of-times battle brewing, fans of the series will be thrilled to know that there are still plenty of scenes filled with humor. Those night mares have the best names, including Loose Teeth, Creepy Party Clown, and Don't Look Under the Bed. Brynne, both warrior and accomplished chef, has words with the king of the bears over his lackluster hot chocolate. And when all the Pandavas get blessed with god-level musical talents, Aru gets stuck being the best tambourine player in the Otherworld. It's all a nice break from the usual end-of-the-world doom and gloom. This humor mixed with poignant moments of character growth -- and, yes, a battle at the end -- makes for a well-balanced and highly enjoyable finale.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the Pandavas' celestial weapons in Aru Shah and the Nectar of Immortality. What do they represent to Mini, Brynne, and Aru? How does their loss impact each of the girls? What trials do they each face to get them returned?
In this series the girls are the powerful heroes (and like to be called heroines) and boys are the supportive sidekicks. How many adventure-fantasy stories do you read where that happens? What roles do girls usually have?
The series is complete, but there's still a chance for more Pandava adventures. Who would you like to read about the most?
Book Details
- Author: Roshani Chokshi
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Princesses, Fairies, Mermaids, and More, Superheroes, Adventures, Brothers and Sisters, Friendship, Great Girl Role Models, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- Character Strengths: Courage, Perseverance, Teamwork
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Rick Riordan Presents
- Publication date: April 5, 2022
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 8 - 12
- Number of pages: 384
- Available on: Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: April 21, 2022
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