- Chapter Books
- Ages 9–12
- Comedy
Simply the Quest
Book 2 of 4 in Who Let the Gods OutView the full series
The second Who Let the Gods Out? adventure is bigger, badder and packed with more gods, as Elliot hunts the Air Stone while the death daemon Thanatos and his terrifying mother Nyx plot the end of the world. Riotously funny with a genuinely poignant heart.
- Best for9–12
- FormatChapter
The vibe
What it’s like.
Style
- Comedic
- Conversational
Tone
- Funny
- Irreverent
- Exciting
- Heartwarming
- Bittersweet
Themes
Experience meters
What’s it about?
The story.
Elliot Hooper's troubles are only getting worse: his mum's health is declining, school is a disaster, and his home is still full of anarchic Greek immortals, including the disgraced teen goddess Virgo. Meanwhile the death daemon Thanatos and his terrifying mother, Nyx, are on the loose and determined to destroy the mortal world. To stop them, Elliot must recover the next Chaos Stone, hidden as a priceless emerald deep inside the vaults of the Natural History Museum, while Virgo fights to win back her lost immortality by proving herself a true hero. Maz Evans widens her wonderfully daft universe with even more squabbling gods, sharper jokes and set-pieces that gallop along. But she never lets go of the emotional core: Elliot's love for his ailing mum, Josie, gives the comedy real stakes and several genuinely tearful moments. A worthy, warmer, funnier follow-up that leaves you desperate for book three.
Fit check
Right for your child?
Where it lands by age
A direct continuation for 9-12s who read book one, with the same blend of broad comedy and genuine emotion. Reads aloud well from about 8, but the deepening thread of a parent's illness suits confident older readers best.
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- Best fit · 9–12
- Read aloud · 8–11
- Independent · 9–12
Prose load
Moderate
Visual support
Low
Reluctant-reader friendly
Very
Read-aloud quality
Strong
Works well for
- Reading aloud
- Gift-buying
- Reluctant readers
Preview before sharing if a child is sensitive to: illness or disability, grief.
Bedtime suitability
2 / 5 · Better outside bedtime
Sensitive-child
3 / 5 · Mostly fine
Graphic intensity
2 / 5 · Mild
Best for
- Greek mythology
- Funny adventure
- Reluctant readers
- Big hearted comedy
Avoid if
- Wants gentle bedtime
- Sensitive to parental illness
Particularly good for children who are…
- Illness in family
Why it lands
Why they love it.
Why kids love it
The world gets bigger and the villains scarier, but the gods are as gloriously useless as ever. A museum heist, a fight for the Air Stone and Virgo's battle to become a hero keep the adventure rocketing along, with jokes on every page.
- Going on a quest
- Adventure and freedom
- The underdog winning
- Friendship and belonging
- Surviving danger
Why parents love it
A sequel that grows the comedy without losing its emotional truth. Elliot's relationship with his declining mum gives the daft god-chaos real weight, and Evans handles the sadness with a light, honest touch that rewards reading aloud together.
- Shared humour
- Conversation starter
In the series
Who Let the Gods Out.
4 books · open the series →
About the creators
About the creators.
If you liked this
Three ways out of this book.
If you liked this, try…
Lateral matches. Same shelf, different texture.
Come into this from…
Easier or preparing reads — perfect lead-ins.
Where to go next…
Escalation reads — a step up in scale, silliness, or stakes.
More like this…
Books that share themes and topics with this one.
