8 Ways The Percy Jackson Books Haven’t Aged Well

Percy Jackson & The Olympians is one of the best middle-grade fantasy book series of the 21st century, but that doesn’t mean that every part of the novel has aged well. For the most part, Rick Riordan’s books have aged better than most series, as they were created for the purpose of providing representation for children with learning differences like ADHD and dyslexia. Additionally, Riordan was part of the first wave of Greek myth retellings and sparked interest in the ancient tales for generations of young readers. What kids read as they’re growing up has a significant impact on them.

Percy Jackson has long been considered a great work of fiction, and the flaws that can be found in the books began to be resolved later in Riordan’s spinoff series and the new Disney+ show. So far, the TV series has improved upon some of the missteps of the books while staying true to the source material and bringing to life the aspects of the story that readers love. Audiences have a lot to look forward to as the series progresses, as some of the best Percy Jackson book characters aren’t in the Disney+ show yet.

8 The Lack Of Diversity

Most of the series’ main characters are white

One of the best things that the Percy Jackson TV show has done is infuse diversity in casting into the actors who bring the characters to life onscreen. Additionally, the series creators were well aware that it isn’t enough just to cast actors of color in these roles, and some of the story and development of the characters have been fully fleshed out to be the best representation possible. Diversity is important both onscreen and on the page because it’s exciting and empowering for kids to see themselves reflected in the art they love.

Since the first book was published in 2005, and Riordan is a white writer, it’s not surprising that he didn’t go as far with the diversity at the beginning of the series. The misconception that children or any younger audience aren’t capable of understanding and reading about race, class, and sexism in books will make authors shy away from touching upon the topic. However, introducing these issues in a constructive and helpful way can be a great way to teach kids about the world.

7 The Relationship Between Gabe & Sally

Though it’s short-lived, the first book portrays a problematic relationship

Percy is very aware of the evil nature of his stepfather, Gabe, in The Lightning Thief, and the relationship he describes between Gabe and Percy’s mother, Sally, is a borderline abusive one. Their dynamic is softened, and Sally is given more power in the TV show. However, it’s difficult to forget how terribly Gabe treats Sally and how this unforgivable relationship isn’t taken seriously by the book. Gabe is more than just an annoying character, as he’s harmful to both Percy and Sally.

Later in the book, Percy takes his revenge in no uncertain terms, sending the head of Medusa to Gabe and effectively killing him. While Gabe was a bad man, having Percy kill a mortal in the first book in the series is a little intense. Additionally, the reason that Sally gives for marrying Gabe in the first place doesn’t hold up. She claims it was to protect Percy through Gabe’s strong mortal smell, but there are other ways she could have done this.

6 The Writing Skews Toward Young Audiences

Rereading the series as an adult can be surprising

Even for a middle-grade book, Percy Jackson doesn’t push its reader very hard with the difficulty of the language and storytelling. This writing style makes the series accessible to a variety of audiences and doesn’t discourage readers of any level from picking up the books and getting lost in the story. However, it is a facet of the work that becomes more apparent as time goes by. Many adults who were fans of the books as children might return to the books and find that they’re not as engaging as they once were.

As the novels progressed and Riordan started writing the spinoff series, The Heroes of Olympus, his writing style changed, and he included more mature themes and complex plots. However, in the initial five books, the characters begin as twelve-year-olds, so it makes sense that Riordan would write similarly to the level that the characters would read at. For young audiences, Percy Jackson can be a great introduction to the world of fantasy, but it might not connect as well with older readers.

5 The Stories Leave Out The Truth Of Certain Greek Myths

In making them more appropriate, Riordan omits key parts of the tales

Most Greek myths are far too graphic and violent to include in a children’s book without making some changes, but that doesn’t mean that they have to be fabricated to fit into the story. For the most part, Percy Jackson is an exceptionally well-researched work of fiction that pays tribute to the traditions of ancient stories while updating them for contemporary audiences. However, the way some gods and monsters are portrayed in the books doesn’t do justice to the true tragedy and complexities of the myths.

This comes into play with Medusa in The Lightning Thief, as Medusa is characterized as an unsympathetic villain. The Percy Jackson show makes changes to Medusa’s book story and touches upon the real Greek myth in the third episode of the show. Providing insight into her story helps the audience gain new sympathy for the character and see the gods through their failures and successes. Hopefully, the Percy Jackson series will continue this trend of updating and evolving the myths in season 2.

4 The Books Use Lots Of Slang & Casual Language

This dates the work and makes it harder to read

In the dialogue between Percy and his friends, it’s natural that the characters would use slang to communicate, but it also bleeds into Percy’s internal monologue. Unfortunately, most of these casual and colloquial words don’t hold up today and date the book more than Riordan might have imagined. This isn’t a glaring issue, and it doesn’t take the reader out of the story. However, it does make a good case for using more neutral language and staying away from trend cycles in language when writing.

2005 is almost twenty years ago now, and the way young readers speak and interact with each other has changed significantly since then. Riordan might have been on the pulse of how middle schoolers talk back then, but today, Percy Jackson is surprisingly dated. It’s refreshing that phones and social media aren’t an issue in the series, as the internet was just taking hold at this time, but it does create some distance between Percy’s experience and the reader’s.

3 The Absence Of LGBTQ+ Stories

Though romance isn’t a major theme in the books, it still comes into play

The most significant LGBTQ+ character in the series, Nico di Angelo, is one of the most complex characters in the original five books. However, it’s not until The Heroes of Olympus that Nico comes out as gay and expresses to Percy that he had a crush on him during the events of Percy Jackson & The Olympians. Though there are hints about the nature of Nico’s feelings and other queer relationships in the story are hinted at, like the emotional friendship between Clarisse and Silena, nothing is explicitly stated.

Not only does Percy Jackson fail to account for the many facets of sexuality, but diversity in gender identity is also overlooked in the novels. This was common for books in the early 2000s, as LGBTQ+ stories have only recently been accepted into popular culture. Additionally, the early years of Percy Jackson focused on characters that were so young the question of romance didn’t concretely come up until The Battle of the Labyrinth. Even then, there were more important issues facing the characters, like saving the world.

2 Every Book Follows A Similar Formula

While they include unique elements, Percy’s quests unfold in the same ways

All five books in the series see Percy go on a dangerous quest, almost always accompanied by Annabeth, that leads him deeper into the overarching plot of the fight against Kronos. While the stakes increase and new characters are introduced in each novel, there are familiar story beats that can be found in every installment. The book will begin with Percy at a new boarding school, and he’ll travel to Camp Half-Blood, receive a quest, and then be back in New York by the end of the story to finish out the summer with a new clay bead and a bonfire.

Of course, there are plenty of deviations from this formula, but the general outline remains the same and makes the books a little predictable. For a middle-grade book, there’s nothing wrong with predictability, as this makes the novels a safe place to explore new themes and ideas as well as sensitive situations. However, as Riordan progressed in the novels, he began to push himself more in changing the script of the stories, which is seen in The Heroes of Olympus.

1 Percy & His Friends Don’t Have Many Flaws

Though they discuss their fatal flaws, they’re more like strengths

Every demigod takes on certain traits from their godly parents, making them smarter, stronger, faster, and just more talented than everyone else. While Percy faces plenty of doubts and makes mistakes like a regular kid, he and his friends are unquestionably good and always do the right thing, no matter what. There’s a scene in The Sea of Monsters when Annabeth explains what her fatal flaw is and that every demigod has one. Though she says hers is hubris, it reads more like confidence in the context of the book.

Additionally, Percy’s flaw of loyalty to his friends and loved ones is what sets him apart from everyone else in the series and drives him to do good, no matter the cost. Of course, the characters in a book like Percy Jackson & The Olympians should be aspirational and include selfless and kind characters, but it would add depth if there were more moral dilemmas that the characters had to grapple with. In the end, there’s never any doubt that Percy and his allies will save the day and sacrifice themselves to save the world.