The Sun and the Star
2023
- fantasy
- mythology
- lgbt
- middle grade
- young adult
- queer
- romance
- greek mythology
- fiction
- adventure
The story
As the son of Hades, Nico di Angelo has been through so much, from the premature deaths of his mother and sister, to being outed against his will, to losing his friend Jason during the trials of Apollo. But there is a ray of sunshine in his life–literally: his boyfriend, Will Solace, the son of Apollo. Together the two demigods can overcome any obstacle or foe. At least, that’s been the case so far . . . Now Nico is being plagued by a voice calling out to him from Tartarus, the lowest part of the Underworld. He thinks he knows who it is: a reformed Titan named Bob whom Percy and Annabeth had to leave behind when they escaped Hades’s realm. Nico’s dreams and Rachel Dare’s latest prophecy leave little doubt in Nico’s mind that Bob is in some kind of trouble. Nico has to go on this quest, whether Mr. D and Chiron like it or not. And of course Will insists on coming with. But can a being made of light survive in the darkest part of the world? and what does the prophecy mean that Nico will have to “leave something of equal value behind?” Nico will have to face demons both internal and external as his relationship with Will is tested to the core in this standalone adventure featuring two of the most popular characters in the Percy Jackson saga.
What it’s like
Bright Mediterranean sunlight gives way to the cold blue-black of the Underworld, and the prose moves between those two registers with a Riordan-style lightness: quick, wisecracking dialogue set against long stretches of shadowed, echoing dread. Scenes unfold in camp dining halls and sunlit cabins, then down through Tartarus, where the air thickens and the sense of pressure builds. The voice is first-person and conversational, close to a teenager's inner monologue, with humor used to keep the darker material from sinking too far. Its vibe is tender adventure with a melancholy undertow: warm, funny, and quietly aching. It suits a long weekend read, a comfort reread for fans of the series, or an evening curled up with a story that feels like a friend talking. Violence is present, mostly in monster fights and battle sequences that are fast and not graphic; there is some peril and emotional grief, and the romance is sweet and affectionate, with no explicit content. Death and loss are handled directly but without gore. The book is for readers who love mythology, queer teen romance done with warmth, and found-family stories that balance banter with sorrow.
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