“In a way, it’s nice to know that there are Greek gods out there, because you have somebody to blame when things go wrong.”

The Titan’s Curse, Rick Riordan

I forgot how good this book is! I literally flew through it. It’s so fast-paced and jam-packed with action. It’s been so many years since I last read The Titan’s Curse, and I think it reignited my inner Percy Jackson fan girl.

So as what’s become a custom in this reread, I find new things to put under a microscope. This time, it was Bianca Di Angelo.

I love Nico. So much so, I named my dog after him. But Bianca often takes a back burner because she’s only truly in this one book. However, she really struck me as such a complex character reading as an adult. 

I kept wondering why she’d jump so quickly to becoming a Hunter, but it’s quite obvious. It’s the first time in her life she’s given a choice about her own future. She’s never been allowed to put herself or her wants first. It’s always been about Nico. And even then, they’ve been shoved around by Hades for nearly a century. 

Joining the Hunters of Artemis is a selfish decision, but Bianca deserves to be selfish. She deserves to rid herself of the responsibility that’s been shoved onto her without consent. She deserves to make a decision for herself. 

Along the same lines, I really got stuck on Thalia. Because her decision is the opposite of Bianca’s. It’s selfless. She’s giving up the glory of being the child of the prophecy. She’s giving up her glory of being a daughter of Zeus. She chooses immortality to give Camp Half-Blood more time to prepare for Luke and Kronos. 

Though choosing the Hunters means ridding herself of the weight of that, as well. She won’t have to make the decision to raze Olympus or protect it. She won’t have to bear the burden that Percy has accepted for himself. She gets freedom in her servitude. 

While I thought The Lightning Thief showed Percy becoming a hero and The Sea of Monsters defined the hero he’ll become, I believe The Titan’s Curse solidified the hero Percy wants to be. 

Through Zoe’s story, he sees the damage heroes can do. The wreckage they leave behind in their quest for glory. He sees the hurt they can cause to people who care about them. He doesn’t want to be that kind of demigod. He shows he’s a different demigod. He earns the respect of Zoe and Artemis. He’ll be better than Hercules, because he’s not seeking glory but doing what’s right. He’s protecting humanity. 

But with that all being said, here’s all my thoughts on The Titan’s Curse:

• Bar Harbor, Maine, mention! I’m going there in a few weeks.
  • Fun Fact: Bar Harbor is the first spot the sun rises in the U.S. I wonder if Rick Riordan knew that and that’s why he chose that spot for Westover Hall. 
• Joining the Hunters is a selfish choice, but Bianca deserves to be selfish. She never got to make decisions for herself. She put Nico before herself for so long. When the opportunity came up to rid herself of responsibility, she took it. She knew Nico would be taken care of.
  • However, it did seem like she made the decision rather quickly. She should’ve talked to Nico first or taken time to think it over. But then again, she’s young and eager for freedom.
• It hurts to see Nico like this. … So young, so outgoing, so full of life. He changes so much. He was robbed of his innocence.
• Thalia acts like she’s been at camp longer, but she literally just got here, bro. She never made it to camp the first time around. Never met Chiron. Never had any seniority. So why is she acting like she’s hot shit?
  • when did Chiron even have time to show her how to manipulate the Mist even?

• No wonder Poseidon fell in love with Sally. She’s just as unpredictable as the sea. She knows Percy can’t be restrained and trusts she raised him to make the right judgement. She lets him decide his own fate.
• Oh, Nico. … You can’t make him promise that. It’s not fair. But then again, when has life ever been fair?
• Seeing Luke deteriorate is so sad. And I can’t help but keep thinking about how he’s not even getting what he really wants. He’s still second best. Kronos wants Thalia or Percy, not Luke. Luke is just an end to a means. He’s a pawn. Kronos is using him just like the gods used him.
• I’m pretty sure Bianca is the first demigod death in the series, and it really shows how disposable they are to the gods. How senseless their deaths are. It highlights the tragedy of the demigod life.
  • but also dying trying to get Nico a peace offering. A way of showing him even though she forged a new life for herself, he still has a place in it. She still loves him even though she’s no longer responsible for him.

• “But there is power in killing innocence.”
  • the purity of it. But also how it shows you have no limit. Power in limitless, unbound ruthlessness. Unrestrained by morals. How it strikes fear in people to cross those lines.
• Percy putting aside his pride to beg Mr. D for help … not because he was about to die, but because he couldn’t let Thalia die again. His selflessness that always defies the gods’ expectations.
• Mr. D puts on this show that he hates all the campers, but it’s all a front. He clearly cares about them. He was born a demigod after all. But he acts indifferent to cope with the losses. That’s the real punishment. Having to meet so many demigods and watch them die young. … How it could’ve been him.
• Joining the Hunt frees Thalia of the prophecy, but also of the burden of being a daughter of Zeus. She gets to forge an immortal life free of expectations and prophecies. It gives her a purpose of her choosing. It’s freedom in servitude.
• Poseidon said Hermes thought Luke was his “pride and joy.” That makes me so sad, because he clearly didn’t make that known to Luke. He didn’t show him that. Didn’t give him the praise he deserved. And it backfired. He let Luke feel alone, worthless, abandoned … He did this.
• Percy saying Aphrodite scared him more than the other gods… because love is terrifying. It’s unpredictable. It means you have something to lose. Something you’ll protect with everything you have. Something you’ll sacrifice the world to save.

• Poor baby Nico … Bianca was all he had in this world. And she chose to leave him. Then chose to die. How abandoned he must feel. How alone. How vulnerable. How betrayed.
  • Bianca probably told him Percy would take care of him. And he broke his first and only promise … even though Percy technically didn’t make the promise.
  • Nico is the perfect victim for Luke to prey on. He could turn so easily.
• Percy accepting his fate. Choosing to be the hero of the prophecy because he refuses to put that burden on Nico. He’d rather bear the weight of the world on his own shoulders. How it perfectly fits his fatal flaw. How it parallels his willingness to hold up the sky for Artemis. He will be the child of the prophecy, not because he want to be, but because it means protecting those he cares about.

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