Percy JacksonAdventure, Suspense, and Gender Equality!

July 4, 2011 Crystal Smith www.achilleseffect.com

While technically intended for an audience slightly older than the 5-to-8-year-olds I usually discuss, the Percy Jackson series is a hit with my 8-year-old son and his friends, many of whom began reading it before they hit third grade. (There are some spoilers here, so you may want to skip this review if you plan to read the books.) The books are very long and would likely challenge most children in grade 2 or 3, but they make for great read-aloud stories. My son was introduced to the series via the audio book version of the first book in the series, also an excellent option for kids who are interested in the story but cannot manage these hefty books. The first book in the series, The Lightning Thief, is also available in a graphic novel format, making it more accessible for younger kids. The series has some mature themes, so I would advise that parents read at least the first book before sharing the series with their children. And, as youll see in the rest of this review, this series may not be great bedtime reading for kids who tend to have nightmares. For those not familiar with the story, it centres on 12-year-old Percy Jackson. He has learning disabilities and a record of trouble in school. He has a close relationship with his mother, but does not know his biological father. Not too long into the story, Percy is separated from his mother when she appears to be killed by the Minotaur, a creature from Greek mythology. (The reader finds out later that she is alive, but this scene might be troubling to young children.) On the surface, it sounds like a stereotypical story with many of the tropes that I tend to rail againsta troublesome boy doing poorly in school, an absentee father, and the dramatic separation of a boy from his mother. But there is much more to the story. Percy finds out that Olympus, the home of the gods of ancient Greece, still exists and that the gods have been known to have, ahem, relationships with humans. (The randy nature of the gods is described in vague terms but mostly glossed over. Be warned that kids might ask questions about how children like Percy came into existence.) Percy is the child of a human mother

and the ocean god Poseidon, making him a demigod, or half-blood, and explaining his fathers absence from his life. He later encounters more half-bloods at a camp for kids like him. While there, he learns that these boys and girls share certain characteristics, including dyslexia, ADHD, and general difficulties in school. In other words, he possesses these traits not because he is a boy but because he is a half-blood. In many stories where a boy is separated from his mother, he is then surrounded by male mentors. That is not the case here. Percy has both male and female influences in his life. In the first book, he is mentored by Chiron, a wise centaur, and Annabeth, the daughter of the Greek goddess of wisdom, Athena. Annabeth is a valued partner and guide in the quest assigned to Percy, which sees them travel across the country and venture into the underworld along with Percys close friend, the satyr Grover. As the series progresses, Annabeth continues to play a major role, as do other female characters. Clarisse, Rachel, Thalia, Percys mom, and even the unwitting spy Silena are essential to the story, and all are shown as intelligent, composed, and brave. They are not cookie cutter characters either. Each is an individual with her own unique traits. These women and girls are also depicted as heroes capable of rescuing Percy and other demigods and humans on multiple occasions. The series leads up to a battle between the Titans (the bad side) and the Olympians (the good side). It features a veritable whos who of characters from ancient Greek mythology, including all of the major gods and mythical creaturesthe Minotaur, Medusa, several Pegasi (winged horses), and Daedalus, the inventor of the Labyrinthto other demigods, including Achilles, who tells Percy that what really killed him was not his physical weakness, but his arrogance. Good ultimately conquers evil, although the outcome is in doubt right up until the end. And in the end, it is not just Percy who is the hero. As my son said to me after I had completed the fifth book, Percy, Luke (a half-blood who had sided with the Titans), and Annabeth were all heroes because each of them played an important part in saving Olympus. The books feature a lot of adventure, suspense, and action. With action comes violence, of course, but there is little gore. On some occasions, there are descriptions of green or yellow stuff oozing from monsters, but no graphic descriptions of human wounds or death. Characters die and are given funerals of a sort, so children who are sensitive about this kind of theme may be better off reading this book at an older age. On the subject of monsters, there are many and they may be frightening to some children. Monsters are killed with swords and knives, but they merely disintegrate and rise again. There is occasional rough language (kick you in your soft spot and make you a soprano for a week), but such passages are few and far between. Overall, the writing is excellent with a good degree of humour. Adults may find the characters convenient escapes from peril a little contrived, but these plotlines would seem plausible to kids. As a male role model, Percy is a very good one. He worries about crying and showing emotion or fear in front of others, but the reader is privy to his inner thoughts and sees him admit to being scared, react

happily to hugs from his mother, and show empathy for others, like Clarisse, whom Percy overheard being berated by her father. He shows a sense of justice as well, befriending people who are picked on, like the satyr Grover and the Cyclops Tyson. Young readers would relate to his struggles with his emotions and the bullying he witnesses in the school and camp environment. Percy is not too proud to welcome help and advice from other friends, be they male or female. At various times he talks about the bravery of Clarisse, Thalia, Rachel, and Annabeth and also mentions that Annabeth saved his life on many occasions. He also enjoys a close relationship with his mother. In the series conclusion, Percy proves himself to be unselfish as well. He tells the goddess Hera that it was Annabeth who saved Olympus. When given a chance at immortality, he passes on it, instead asking for fairer treatment of the children of lesser gods and god of the dead, Hades. The series is ostensibly about Percy Jackson, but he is not the singular hero. Through the adventures of Percy, author Rick Riordan shows that heroes do not act alone; they admit when they need help, accept that others may play a bigger role than them, willingly listen and learn from others, and happily share credit with their friends. The Percy Jackson series is a fantastic read for boys and girls. (NOTE: Children who read this series are likely to develop a passion for Greek mythology. For further reading, I would recommend the companion book, Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Ultimate Guide by Rick Riordan, and Mythology by Lady Hestia Evans.)

I have read the first two books in the series and am about a quarter of the way through the third. And I have to say this is an excellent series for kids, although there are some mature themes. The randy nature of the So how does it fare on the gender scale?