Percy Jackson is my new favorite series. I just finished the first five books and the next series, with the same characters, should arrive any day now.
Ever since I was little, I loved Greek literature and had such a fascination with the gods. If my brothers were learning something, I was learning it too. In early elementary school, I was reading all about gods, oracles and demigods.
When quarantine hit, I started reading a lot more. This series got me out of my reading slump. A reading slump is when someone finds themself wanting to read but their brain refuses. It feels like the cursed spinning rainbow wheel.
What is a demigod, you ask?
A demigod is someone who has a godly parent. One thing that I like about Percy Jackson is that demigods usually have dyslexia and/or ADHD. Rick Riordan, the author, explains that a demigod has dyslexia because they are supposed to read ancient Greek which is a very complicated writing system. In addition, ADHD is what keeps warriors active in a battle.
The basic premise of Percy Jackson is: the Greek Gods, just like in the height of their day, have children with mortals (a.k.a. demigods or half bloods). In the first series, the reader discovers that a demigod, of either Zeus (God of Lightning), Poseidon (God of the Sea) or Hades (God of the Underworld), will cause either the destruction of the gods or will save them.
So, they make a deal between them, after World War II, to no longer produce any more offspring. Let’s just say, the gods are not great at listening.
-
The diversity is not used as a gimmick. Percy Jackson has a diverse camp of half bloods, centaurs and satyrs, which is a stark contrast to Harry Potter who has a few token people of color. For example, having the only Asian character in the seven book series, named Cho Chang.
-
Rather than having only four groups to be placed in, there are twelve Greek Gods that (usually) claim you as their child. Having twelve options instead of four allows you to delve deeper into your personality instead of choosing the smart or brave house.
-
It is also amusing that Percy Jackson suggests that the evil substitute teachers or mean adults are actually monsters in disguise. Trust me—you’ll never think of the bad teachers the same way.
-
Intelligence and skill are encouraged in Percy Jackson. That is a strong difference from Hogwarts. Hermione was mercilessly teased by professor Snape and other students. They were not only mocking her for being intelligent but for being herself. Annabeth, who is very similar to Hermione, is not only praised but is sought out for guidance.
-
Even though this uses Greek Mythology, there are no damsels in distress. There are girly girls, intelligent girls and girls made for war in Percy Jackson. Many of them, if injured or in a battle, would behave as anyone would. They would not behave only as a girl would.
This is not to say that you cannot continue to enjoy the Harry Potter movies or literature. I still own the books and movies; I still consider myself a Gryffindor. However, I do not want to give J.K. Rowling any more money. She is so open and unapologetic with her ignorance and hate.
That being said, Disney+ is making a Percy Jackson television series that seems to hold more promise than the movies. (I am so excited) The author is still a part of the adaptation process which gives me hope. You can check out the very, tiny teaser for the show here.
I guess we will have to wait to peer into Camp Halfblood. I’m just hoping that Dionysus, God of Wine and Madness (primarily), is not there. He is not the most reliable camp counselor as he does not like children. (Don’t tell him I said that.)
Until then, does anyone know where I can buy a dagger? (For training purposes, I promise)