Wonder
R. J. Palacio
Another excellent Juvenile Fiction for readers interested in this subject
From the World of Percy Jackson: the Court of the Dead
A sequel that takes Nico, Will, and Hazel to Camp Jupiter and asks a bold question for a monster-fighting series: what do heroes owe the monsters who want to change?
What It's About
This is the follow-up to The Sun and the Star, the Nico di Angelo and Will Solace adventure that Rick Riordan co-wrote with Mark Oshiro. Some months after their trip through Tartarus, the couple travel west to Camp Jupiter, the Roman demigod camp. Nico's half-sister Hazel Levesque needs help with a problem the boys partly caused. Monsters from the Underworld have learned they don't have to be villains, and some have come to the camp looking for shelter. Then those monsters start vanishing, and the force behind it seems set on punishing every monster for what it did in the past.
The premise flips the usual Percy Jackson formula. Instead of slaying monsters, the heroes are protecting them, and the story's tension comes from questions about guilt, second chances, and whether anyone is defined by their worst acts. The description hints that the threat is personally tied to all three demigods, so expect family history and buried pasts to matter as much as the mystery.
Readers who know the earlier book can expect the same mix of quest-style action, humor, and emotional honesty. Nico and Will's relationship sits at the center, and Hazel's return gives longtime fans a sibling dynamic they have wanted more of. It reads quickly, aimed at middle-grade and young teen readers, though plenty of adult fans of the series will pick it up too.
Read this if you…
- loved The Sun and the Star and want more of Nico and Will
- have always wanted more time with Hazel and the Roman side of the series
- enjoy fantasy adventures that take kindness and second chances seriously
Skip it if you…
- haven't read the main Percy Jackson and Heroes of Olympus books, since much depends on knowing these characters
- want the nonstop monster-slaying action of the original series rather than a more reflective story
Key Ideas
- 1
Heroes protecting monsters, not hunting them
The series has always treated monsters as obstacles to defeat. Here the monsters are refugees, and the demigods are responsible for keeping them safe. That reversal pushes young readers to think about who gets labeled a villain and whether people, or creatures, can choose to be different from what they were made to be.
- 2
Punishment versus the chance to change
The antagonist wants monsters to pay for their past crimes. That sets up a conflict about justice. Is it fair to keep punishing someone who is trying to do better? The question gives the mystery real moral weight, beyond figuring out who is behind the disappearances.
- 3
Nico and Will as a steady couple
After the first book established their relationship, this one shows them as partners working through a crisis together. The book offers queer representation in which the romance is supportive and part of everyday life rather than a source of tragedy. That has been a big reason readers return to these characters.
- 4
Hazel and Nico's sibling bond
Hazel and Nico share an unusual history as children of Pluto with complicated pasts. Bringing her into the story adds family loyalty and shared trauma to the plot. The description also suggests that their own connections to the dark force will be tested.
Limitations
This is fan-focused storytelling. New readers will miss much of the emotional payoff without the Heroes of Olympus books and The Sun and the Star behind them. Some readers of the first co-written book found its pacing slower and more introspective than the classic Riordan novels, and this one seems likely to share that tone. Readers who prefer plot-driven quests may find the attention to feelings and relationships heavy. As a spin-off, it also adds little to the larger mythology.
Questions Readers Ask
- Do I need to read The Sun and the Star first?
- It's strongly recommended. This book picks up a few months after Nico and Will return from Tartarus, and its premise, monsters choosing not to be evil, comes directly from what happened in that adventure. You'll also want the Heroes of Olympus books for Hazel and Camp Jupiter.
- What age group is The Court of the Dead for?
- It's published for middle-grade and young teen readers, roughly ages 10 and up, like the rest of the Percy Jackson world. The tone handles darker themes such as guilt, trauma, and punishment with care, and many older teens and adult fans read these spin-offs too.
- Is this book written by Rick Riordan alone?
- No. It's co-written with Mark Oshiro, who also co-wrote The Sun and the Star. Many readers notice Oshiro's influence in the stronger focus on emotional life and queer representation, mixed with Riordan's familiar humor and mythology.
- Published
- 2025
- ISBN
- 9781368109116
- Difficulty
- beginner
- Category
- Children's Books
Book details and cover from Google Books.
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