By Olivia Wilson ’24
Publisher and Books Editor
New York Times bestselling author Rick Riordan released his hotly-anticipated new novel on May 2, 2023, to critical acclaim and seven weeks on the New York Times bestseller list for middle-grade fiction with no signs of slowing down. “The Sun and the Star” marks two firsts for the author: Riordan has enlisted another author in the smash-hit Percy Jackson universe for the first time ever, and it is the first to feature a queer couple as main protagonists.
Mark Oshiro is a fellow young adult and middle-grade author who identifies as queer and nonbinary, and in the past, has authored books including “Anger is a Gift.” Their novel “Each of Us a Desert” was named one of the NPR Books We Love of 2020.
“The Sun and The Star” follows fan-favorite, and first openly queer main character to be introduced into Riordan’s universe, Nico Di Angelo, a snarky and mysterious son of Hades who has struggled throughout the series to find happiness. On the surface, the book follows Nico’s adventure with his new boyfriend — eternal sunshine, literally glowing son of Apollo — Will Solace, through the monster-filled depth of Tartarus, the mythical pits of the Greek underworld where only the worst monsters reside.
Looking only slightly below the surface, the book actually follows the journey of Nico coming to terms with his depression and trauma, and Will as he learns to navigate the complexities of a queer relationship. Beneath the gods, mortals and monsters, the romance between Nico and Will and both their individual and collective journeys to acceptance and some semblance of peace feel beautifully and painfully human.
Nico’s story follows his journey with his trauma and mental health, both things he’s struggled with since his introduction in the 2007 Percy Jackson novel “The Titan’s Curse.” His greatest fight in Tartarus is to realize that his own darkness and the darkness he has been subjected to are not things that should be reviled, but embraced and celebrated.
Will Solace, who makes his debut as a lead character in “The Sun and the Star,” is faced with exposure to a life fundamentally different from the one he leads, and must find a way to accept Nico’s values while still holding true to his own.
Each encounter that Nico and Will have throughout their journey through the pits of Tartarus represents an obstacle in their relationship they must overcome: from worrying about their parents to their first couple’s fight, teens in their first queer relationships will likely find their own fears reflected in sharp detail.
Reviewers have generally been favorable towards the book, especially citing the exploration of the queer relationship and the thought that was placed into it. A review by Goodreads reviewer Amina called the novel a “poignant and emotional look at Nico and Will’s relationship.”
Action-packed and full of fast-paced fight scenes with Riordan’s signature cast of quirky side characters and familiar faces, the book doesn’t lack any of the aspects Percy Jackson fans love. However, the tone is markedly different. Fans of the series may be used to the characteristic snark of the titular character, who endeavors to make light of any situation and annoy his enemies into surrender. This voice is not as present in this story, but, as stated in a review by the blog “A Blog of Books and Musicals,” Nico’s story is “about depression” and “the focus of…Nico’s grief and trauma in ‘The Sun and The Star’ was a pleasant surprise.
While the character development, themes, and voice of the novel are where it shines brightest, readers will also find some outdated meme references and lines of dialogue that remind them that Riordan and Oshiro are generations removed from their readership and do not quite know how teenagers speak to one another. Some of the dialogue reads closer to fanfiction rather than a thought-out, professionally written novel. The missteps in dialogue and some minor issues with the story’s pacing are forgivable when taking into consideration just how much this book already means to readers and will continue to mean for queer youth starved for good representation.
Ultimately, this story is a refreshing, wonderful read focusing on two queer characters who have been begging for a novel of their own. Fans of the original series will find a lot to love in its pages, and its dialogic missteps eventually become endearing.
The dedication at the beginning of the book best sums up the core message, and the message is to the audience of this book. To those readers who see themselves in Nico and Will: “May you shine as bright as the sun and the stars.”