The House of Hades: The Heroes of Olympus, Book 4

Firstly, I am an observant Christian. As a Christian, I try to be loving and accepting of everyone. However, I cannot help being disappointed by some of the reviews about this book. Many people have made awful homophobic comments regarding Nico's sexuality. These comments, like "marriage is only for a man and woman" or "I will not read/allow my child to read these books anymore because Nico is gay", are intolerant and hateful. To people who are saying that, "well, she should just ignore it, if she doesn't like it", my response is that, no, I shouldn't. First and foremost, these ideas are damaging to the LGBTQ+ community. There are people, including children, killing themselves because they do not feel like they can truly be themselves and be accepted. Secondly, many people who express these bigoted views cite Christianity and the Bible as the reason why. This reflects poorly on, and even defames my religion. Anyway, I applaud Riordan for taking on what shouldn't be, but unfortunately, is a controversial topic in children's literature. Kids of all different races/ethnicities, abilities, and sexual orientations deserve good representation, and with this series, Riordan strives to acknowledge that fact. These books show that there is not just one type of hero. Heroism is defined by actions and virtues, not by race, gender, ability, or sexuality. This is just one of the good messages in this book. The characters are strong; they are all good role models, while still being imperfect enough for kids to relate to. The mythology that is covered gives these books additional educational value. I have tried to be very respectful to all with this review, despite the rage I felt reading some of the reviews. I need to point out one more thing, though. To the people saying that they, after reading House of Hades, have started to dislike this series because its stance on homosexuality does not reflect Christian values: you are hypocrites. Even if you (in my opinion, wrongly) believe that homosexuality is a sin, the objections to House of Hades are not about religion. It is about homophobia, plain and simple. Why do I say that? Because, if you were truly choosing books based on religious merit, you would have dismissed the series after the first part of the first book, when you learned that the entire plot is centered around Pagan gods and goddesses not only being real, but also constantly having extramarital affairs.

I'm incredibly disappointed in this review section. So what Nicos gay? Actually, scratch that. Its a awesome thing that theres a gay character in a kids book. That would have changed my life as a kid, knowing that there were people out there like me and it wasn't the end of the world to be gay. Even if you don't love the idea of homosexuality, c'mon. It's one scene. Its not sexual, theres no profanity, no vulgarity, and it isn't the topic of the entire book. Don't discount the book because of some of the ratings. It's a great continuation of the series and another home run from Riordian.