
**Disclosure – I received an advance copy of The Sun and The Star: A Nico De Angelo Adventure for review purposes from the Disney Book Group. All opinions are my own. No other compensation was received.
Are you a fan of Greek mythology? Have you anxiously been waiting to go on your quest with 2 other half-bloods? Are you ready to brave the dangerous landscape known as Tarturus and save an old friend? Say no more! Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro have come up with the perfect solution – a new book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians(PJO) universe, starring Nico Di Angelo, Will Solace and Small Bob, with special guest appearances by Seaweed Brain and other beloved fan favorites!
What is this book, you ask?
The Sun and The Star: A Nico De Angelo Adventure
Nico has had the same recurring nightmare for months now, and while he and Mr. D had their daily dream talks, nothing could shake Nico from the fact that someone needed his help. It probably didn’t help that he had received a prophecy and didn’t tell anyone about it…
And then Rachael Dare showed up again and suddenly Nico and Will were on their way to Tartarus.
And then there was the whole issue of getting into the Underworld.
And then there was the whole they had to go down to Tartarus deal.
But with help from the troglodytes and a few stolen fruits later, Nico and Will made their way to Tartarus, got lost, found each other again, almost died a bunch of times, and then had to battle an old goddess and save their friend in the process!
Along the way Nico and Will learn about the ups and downs of relationships, how it’s ok to open up to people you trust, and learn to accept others for who they are, and not judging them based on where they are from.
I was so excited when I got the chance to read this book early on! I’m a huge Percy Jackson fan, and it was thrilling to learn that this book was primarily following Nico and Will, two of my favorite characters, who didn’t necessarily get much story time in other books in the PJO universe. I love that there were flashbacks and memories from Nico and Will scattered throughout the book, giving more background and depth to the characters.
Oh, and don’t worry! This latest installment in the PJO franchise is chock full of humor, quick-witted humor, big fights against Greek monsters & gods, and heated debates on which Star Wars villain would be best to go on a date with.
While The Sun and The Star is filled with humor, it also does talk about dealing with important issues, like PTSD, wondering if you’re more than your trauma, dealing with mental health struggles, and how to cope with it all. While it did make the book a bit more heavy to read, I think it is important to include issues like these in books, especially since mental health is such a taboo topic and not many kids who struggle with similar issues know how to cope or relate. While the book won’t cure or diagnose anything, it might help kids feel more comfortable opening up to someone and seeking help, instead of bottling up emotions.
The Sun and The Star is for ages 10-14, but of course any PJO fan will enjoy this book! This book is great for Percy Jackson fans old and new, and while you could probably read this book without reading the other books in the franchise with minimal confusion, I definitely recommend checking out the rest of the series before reading The Sun and The Star.
I’m NDK and this is my review 🙂
Hi! I am the Neurotic Disney Kid – sharing my expert kid-opinion all about everything Disney! My favorite attraction is The Enchanted Tiki Room and my favorite park is Magic Kingdom. I love to read and take pictures!