Percy Jackson and the Olympians is one of the best middle-grade fantasy book series of the 21st century, but that does not mean that every part of the novel has aged well. for the most part, Rick Riordan’s books are older than most series, As they were created for the purpose of providing representation for children with learning differences such as ADHD and dyslexia. Additionally, Riordan was part of the first wave of Greek myth retellings and sparked interest in the ancient stories for generations of young readers. What kids read as they grow up has a significant impact on them.
So far, the TV series has improved on some of the books’ missteps while staying true to the source material and bringing to life the aspects of the story that readers love.
Percy Jackson has long been considered a great work of fiction, and The flaws that can be found in the books began to be resolved later in Riordan’s spinoff series And the new Disney+ show. So far, the TV series has improved on some of the books’ missteps while staying true to the source material and bringing to life the aspects of the story that readers love. Audiences have a lot to look forward to as the series progresses, as some of the best Percy Jackson Book characters are not yet in the Disney+ show.
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The lack of diversity
Most of the main characters of the series are white
One of the best things that the US Percy Jackson The TV show has improved diversity in casting in the actors who bring the characters to life on screen. In addition, the creators of the series are aware that it is not enough to just cast actors of color in the roles, and some of the story and development of the characters are completely designed to be the best representation possible. Diversity is important both on screen and on the page Because it’s exciting and empowering for kids to see themselves reflected in the art they love.
Since the first book was published in 2005, and Riordan is a white writer, It is not surprising that he did not go as far with the diversity at the beginning of the series. The misconception that children or any younger audience are incapable of understanding and reading about race, class and sexism in books will make authors shy away from touching on the subject. However, introducing these issues in a constructive and helpful way can be a great way to teach kids about the world.
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The relationship between Gabe & Sally
Although it is short-lived, the first book depicts a problematic relationship
Percy is very aware of the evil nature of his stepfather, Gabe, in The Lightning Thief, And the relationship he describes between Gabe and Percy’s mother, Sally, is borderline abusive. Their dynamic is softened, and Sally is given more power in the TV show. However, it’s hard to forget how horribly Gabe treats Sally and how that unforgivable relationship isn’t taken seriously by the book. Gabe is more than just an annoying character, as he is mean to Percy and Sally.
The reason Sally gives for marrying Gabe in the first place doesn’t hold up.
Later in the book, Percy takes his revenge in no uncertain terms, sending Medusa’s head to Gabe And effectively killing him. While Gabe was a bad guy, having Percy kill a mortal in the first book in the series is a little intense. Furthermore, the reason Sally gives for marrying Gabe in the first place doesn’t hold up. She claims it was to protect Percy from Gabe’s strong mortal smell, but there are other ways she could have done this.
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The writing skews towards young audiences
Rereading the series as an adult can be surprising
Even for a middle-grade book, Percy Jackson Does not push their readers very hard with the difficulty of the language and narrative. The writing style makes the series accessible to a variety of audiences and does not discourage readers of any level from picking up the books and getting lost in the story. However, there is one facet of the work that becomes more apparent as time goes by. Many Adults who were fans of the books as children may return to the books and find that they are not as engaging As they once were.
As the novels progressed and Riordan started writing the spinoff series, The heroes of OlympusHis writer has changed. And he included more mature themes and complex plots. However, in the first five books, the characters start out as twelve-year-olds, so it makes sense that Riordan would write similar to the level the characters would be reading. for young audiences, Percy Jackson Can be a great introduction to the world of fantasy, but it may not connect with older readers.
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5
These stories reveal the truth of certain Greek myths
In making them more appropriate, rearrange key parts of the stories
Most Greek myths are far too graphic and violent to include in a children’s book without making some changes, but that doesn’t mean they have to be fabricated to fit the story. for the most part, Percy Jackson is an exceptionally well-researched Works of fiction that pay tribute to the traditions of ancient stories while updating them for contemporary audiences. However, the way some gods and monsters are portrayed in the books does not do justice to the true tragedy and complexities of the myths.
Hopefully, these Percy Jackson Series will continue the trend of updating and evolving the myths in season 2.
This comes into play with Medusa in The Lightning Thieflike Medusa is characterized as an unsympathetic villain. The Percy Jackson Show makes changes to Medusa’s book story and touches on the real Greek myth in the third episode of the show. Providing insight into her story helps the audience gain new sympathy for the characters and see the gods through their failures and successes. Hopefully, these Percy Jackson Series will continue the trend of updating and evolving the myths in season 2.
4
The books use a lot of slang and casual language
This dates the work and makes it difficult to read
In the dialogue between Percy and his friends, It is natural that the characters would use slang to communicate, But it also bleeds into Percy’s internal monologue. Unfortunately, most of the casual and colloquial words do not hold up today and date the book more than Riordan could have imagined. This is not an obvious issue, and it does not take the reader out of the story. However, there is a good case for using more neutral language and staying away from trend cycles in language when writing.
2005 is now almost twenty years ago, and The way young readers talk and interact with each other has changed significantly Since then. Riordan may have been on the pulse of how middle schoolers talk back then, but today, Percy Jackson is surprisingly dated. It’s refreshing that phones and social media aren’t an issue in the series, as the internet has just taken off at this time, but it creates a distance between Percy’s experience and the reader’s.
3
The absence of LGBTQ+ stories
Although romance is not a major theme in the books, it still comes into play
The most significant LGBTQ+ character in the series, Nico di Angelo, is one of the most complex characters in the original five books. however, It is not until The heroes of Olympus That Nico comes across as gay And expressly for Percy that he has a crush on him during the events of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Although there are hints about the nature of Nico’s feelings and other strange relationships in the story are hinted at, like the emotional friendship between Clarisse and Silena, nothing is explicitly stated.
The first years of Percy Jackson Focused on characters who were so young the question of romance did not concretely come up until The Battle of the Labyrinth.
Not only does Percy Jackson Fail to account for the many facets of sexuality, however Diversity in Gender identity is also overlooked in the novels. This was common for books in the early 2000s, as LGBTQ+ stories were only recently accepted in popular culture. In addition, the first years of Percy Jackson Focused on characters who were so young the question of romance did not concretely come up until The Battle of the Labyrinth. Even then, there were more important matters facing the characters, like saving the world.
2
Each book follows a similar formula
While they include unique elements, Percy’s quests unfold in the same ways
All five books in the series see Percy going on a dangerous quest, almost always accompanied by Annabeth, Which leads him deeper into the overarching plot of the fight against Kronos. While the stakes increase and new characters are introduced in each novel, there are familiar story beats that can be found in each installment. The book will begin with Percy at a new boarding school, and he will travel to Camp Half-Blood, get a quest, and then be back in New York at the end of the story to finish the summer with a new clay bead and a Bonfire.
Of course, there are many deviations from this formula, however The general layout remains the same and makes the books somewhat predictable. For a middle-grade book, there is nothing wrong with predictability, as it makes the novels a safe place to explore new themes and ideas as well as vulnerable situations. However, as Riordan progressed through the novels, he began to push himself more into changing the script of the stories, which is seen in The heroes of Olympus.
1
Percy and his friends don’t have many flaws
Although they discuss their fatal flaws, they are more than strengths
Each demigod takes on certain traits from their pious parents, making them smarter, stronger, faster and just plain more talented than everyone else. While Percy faces a lot of doubts and makes mistakes like a regular kid, he and his friends are unquestionably good and always do the right thing, no matter what. There is a scene in The sea of ​​monsters When Annabeth explains what her fatal flaw is And that every demigod has one. Although she says hers is hubris, it reads more like confidence in the context of the book.
In the end, there is never any doubt that Percy and his allies will save the day and sacrifice themselves to save the world.
moreover, Percy’s lack of loyalty to his friends and loved ones is what sets him apart of everyone else in the series and drives him to do well, no matter the cost. Of course, the characters in a book like Percy Jackson and the Olympians Should be aspirational and include selfless and lovable characters, but it would add depth if there were more moral dilemmas the characters had to deal with. In the end, there is never any doubt that Percy and his allies will save the day and sacrifice themselves to save the world.