Reviews with content warning for Body horror - The Sun and the Star

Okay so I LOVED this book and I was so excited for the release. A book that focused on Nico as an individual (rather than having his own side quest and doing stuff behind the scenes within the main plotline) was an addition the pjo series needed. I'm so happy uncle Rick is giving his most interesting side characters their own development and own series that focus on them as the main character rather than an accessory.
Nico was an obvious (yet very welcome) choice for this development in the pjo universe.
Nico and Will have been beloved characters for a good while within the series and I love how this book draws attention to both the harmonies and hardships of their relationship. It isn't afraid to show how they sometimes clash as individuals but both have an understanding that it doesn't make or break their relationship. If anything: their differences complete one another.
However
It took me a while to get through simply because it was co-written. And while that wasn't a bad thing nor is it a deal breaker: I'm so used to and fond of Rick's writing style that it was sometimes jarring when Mark Oshiro was writing instead. I know, from friends that have read this book, that it isn't an issue for most people. But to me I found the two authors have different writing styles (especially when it comes to describing settings or emotions) so I sometimes found it hard to get into long reading sessions of this book as the difference broke up the chapters quite a lot to me.
Mark Oshiro was nevertheless an incredible choice of co-author for Rick to make as I did enjoy his individual writing style but I think (since I'm very comfortable with Ricks writing style and I find it easy to read) it simply took longer to read/ follow than a normal Rick Riordan book for this reason

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puttingwingsonwords's review

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adventurous dark hopeful fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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rachelditty's review

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I loved this! I think this is a great book for middle-grade readers as well as long-time fans of the Percy Jackson universe. The sense of humor was very sarcastic, which is exactly what I'd expect from a point of view from Nico. I adored how much Rick and Mark were willing and able to give Nico and Will the opportunities to shower each other in affection--kissing, holding hands, using nicknames, etc. It was very nice to read, and I love knowing that young queer kids are going to be able to see that as well. The growing pains of a young relationship were very well done, and there were a few different points at the end where I teared up. I'm glad Nico got to have his moment to work through what he needed to, and same goes for Will. A great addition to a well-loved series. Fantastic :)

"'I want what's best for him, and he seems to disappear into his darkness, like he's hiding in a place that doesn't want my light.'
'Then why not offer him your darkness?'" (p. 244).

"...it hurts to hear you talk about [the Underworld] like it's evil. Death isn't evil. It's just... death." (p. 349).

"'Sometimes I have to remind myself of that,' [Nico] said. 'That people did love me when I was younger.'" (p. 374).

"Will had heard love described in so many dramatic, bizarre ways over the years, but no one had described it like this: It's like drifting down a river of pain and knowing you are safe." (p. 432)

"To be alive in the world once more... It is beautiful." (p. 445).

"No one had ever loved him like Will did, and that was no longer terrifying. How could it be? How could acceptance and respect and desire be anything but the best things for Nico?" (p. 461).

"The future held hope. And he clung to it." (p. 462).

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livelaughomo's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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saucy_bookdragon's review

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adventurous dark emotional funny reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

People who became gay because they got really into Percy Jackson when they were younger we won.

Nico’s a fan favorite character for a reason. He’s the mysterious son of Hades with a tragic backstory and many tricks up his sleeve throughout both Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus. He’s also the first openly queer character in Rick Riordan’s books and the first time many PJO fans ever saw positive queer representation (myself included).

I’ve seen some people complaining that Nico was out of character in this, but I disagree. Despite being present throughout all three series before this, we mostly only saw him from other characters’ perspectives. He did get a POV in The Blood of Olympus, but that story wasn’t really focused on him.

This book dares to ask the bold question “how is Nico di Angelo?” It’s a look into his trauma specifically and him trying to cope with it. Nico’s arc had me sobbing towards the end! This book was to me the literary equivalent of therapy and did heal a little bit of something inside of me.

This also made me finally like Will Solace! I think I’m in the minority of PJO fans for taking this long to appreciate him. My reasoning is that he was essentially a glorified background character in the other books. So to me Solangelo had felt like just throwing Nico at the nearest presumably single boy we could project onto and have the fun little light/dark dichotomy with.

But now I like my boy! This book expanded on both his backstory and relationship to Nico. He has some of his own trauma he’s working through but processes things differently from his boyfriend. He starts TSATS wanting to help Nico, but is stumped on how to as he can’t fully understand Nico’s experience, which in his defense perhaps nobody could. I loved that this was a book about a queer couple that gets to have a realistically complicated relationship!

Overall, the character work in this was great! The plot and writing had some issues though. Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro’s writing styles don’t blend well and you can pretty easily pick out who wrote which scenes, though I didn’t dislike either writing style; it would occasionally take me out of the story. The antagonist was way too unserious, a situation where some of the typical Riordan jokes needed to be cut. The themes are handled mostly without subtlety. And I already critiqued this in my review for The Tower of Nero, but Riordan still relies too heavily on convenience to get his characters out of conflict.

Oh and where were Reyna and Hazel???? Why were they barely even mentioned???? They were the closest people to Nico in HoO!

I also have mixed feelings on the flashback scene where Nico asked Will out in regards to queer rep. Without spoiling, basically Nico and Will were pressured to come out. This is especially problematic given Nico was outed in The House of Hades. Can we just let that boy come out when he’s ready???? Hasn’t he been through enough????

Despite that scene, I view the queer rep in this (and Riordan’s books in general) as a net positive. And despite my other critiques, I did really love The Sun and the Star! It was cathartic to see a character that means so much to me finally begin to unpack the tragedy of his story.

BTW though it's not necessary, I'd recommend reading the Trials of Apollo series before this. Though Nico and Will only appear in the first and last books, there are some spoilers to ToA and you'll have a better understanding of Will, particularly his relationship to Apollo. Trials of Apollo is also just a really good series itself!

TWs: outing (Cupid when you catch these hands), PTSD, death, grief, some gore including injuries and blood, bugs.

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dlrosebyh's review

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adventurous emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Reading a book from the Riordanverse for the first time feels like I’m eight again. I’m almost twice as old now, and the nostalgia is hitting me like a truck. I felt the same way Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield fans felt when they appeared on the large screen during No Way Home. THIS is MY Now Way Home. THIS is MY Joker.

Starting right off the bat, Nico has always been one of my favorite characters. He was the blueprint for the “religiously traumatized, queer, neurodivergent, and burnt out” characters aka people that represent me. Ever since Rick Riordan started expanding on his character from the little collector boy to one of the most deadly demigods alive in a span of a book, eight-year-old me wanted a book with Nico di Angelo. And of course, after reading House of Hades, and most especially Trials of Apollo, I wanted a Solangelo novel. It’s been a long time coming, but it’s finally here. And the best thing about this novel is that it’s co-written by someone in the LGBTQIA+ community— so you know it’s real and organic.

Aside from Nico, Will Solace has always intrigued me— and I’ve always seen him rather underrated. Usually, he is just perceived as Nico’s boyfriend when he’s so much more to that. And don’t even get me started on how overlooked his trauma is— especially during The Last Olympian. I’ve always wanted a deeper dive to his character because according to the previous books, he was distinct to his siblings. He wasn’t as talented in music as his siblings are, but he did have a gift for being doctorly.

As for the book, yes, it did feel cheesy in some parts, but I especially loved that aspect. Nico deserved that cheesiness, I don’t care. Plus, they’re teenagers, so it’s pretty expected. The target audience for this novel is definitely for younger queer people— the Nico, the Will, the Piper, and etc. Compared to the other Riordanverse novels, this one was more of a character study into Nico and Will and into their relationship. It was less climactic and for two people going to the Tartarus, I can admit that the climax was easily resolved— but I don’t think that’s something to be criticized on heavily because this novel had such a great message.

This is probably the closest we’ll ever have to Nico going to therapy; I mean that guy has been through a lot and even Hades at the end of the book admitted that. This was such a beautiful story about further self discography, self love, and healing. We tackle Nico’s PTSD for a pretty big chunk of this book. Some people might say that the ending was anti-climactic, but I waited patiently for three Riordanverse series for Nico to GET that ending. It was so beautiful, it made me tear up.

As a queer teenager who struggles with identity, it was refreshing to read about two people being so open about their sexuality. No one knows how much I cry whenever I just see the words “he is my boyfriend” in this novel. It felt like a love letter, especially that it was co-written by a queer author. The novel was so alluring to me because even if it did tackle so many heavy stuff, it was well-balanced out with the wit, sarcasm, and wholesomeness.

Although I gave this book five stars, I’ll still run over some of the “not so great” things in this book.

You could tell which one is Rick’s and which one is Mark’s. Their writing styles aren’t really different from one another, but I could still tell that Mark wrote the first chapters, and starting from the build-up of the climax, you could tell that Rick wrote them.
Since the characters are like 15-16, expect some very cheesy, “childish” dialogues. But again, cheesy doesn’t always mean bad. If you can acknowledge that something is cheesy with freeing yourself a bit, it wouldn’t hurt you. Expect also some miscommunication as they’re just teenagers (they don’t miscommunicate a lot, and when they do, it’s not like other miscommunication where I want to bang my head to a wall; it’s more of them masking to make each other stronger especially that they’re in the Tartarus.)
As I’ve said earlier, this book is anti-climactic especially for a book set in one of the scariest place in Greek mythology.
If we’re talking about adventure-wise out of all the Rick Riordan novels, I’m sorry, but this is probably the worst one. It’s not bad, it’s just not that adventurous compared to the others. It was low staked, but not in a cozy fantasy type of way because this was not cozy at all.

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the_real_al_cal's review

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was my most highly anticipated book of the year and it did not disappoint!

I was fortunate enough to be at the event in which Rick Riordan originally gauged interest in this book by asking the audience, and I couldn't believe how many screams and cheers there were for it. So I guess he must have taken that to heart! I really appreciate that he brought in Mark Oshiro to help him write the more tender parts. Mark brought such a wonderful, authentic perspective to this story about two LGBTQIA+ teens and their friends navigating their changing feelings and identities. Stories like this are so important, especially in this day and age.

From what I've seen of some online reactions, the response to this book ranges from absolutely loves to kinda lukewarm. I personally found this book very charming and impressive in how it approached some heavy themes in a way that is acceptable for the intended middle-reader audience. There were some silly moments and dialogue, but I thought it was sweet. I imagine that the majority of the more lukewarm responses come from fans who may have "aged out" of the middle-reader range and are finding that the writing style and humor aims a bit younger than they remember. It doesn't make their opinions wrong, but that's just how I interpret that response.

This story explores the theme of trauma quite extensively, but a very interesting part of trauma that often goes underwritten--the healing part.

Nico must learn that he cannot simply erase his trauma, but that living with it (in his case, literally!) and growing from it are completely healthy and normal. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Will, the indelible healer, must learn that healing others doesn't always mean forcing them to avoid pain completely. He must learn learn to accept pain, and understand that sometimes the best way to help someone is to meet them where they're at, rather than smothering them with toxic positivity.

I could go on for pages about this book, so in the end, I'll just say that even a day after finishing this book, I'm still thinking about it. Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro did a wonderful job. This is another jewel in the crown that is the Percy Jackson series.

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