Some think the best way to learn mythology is by investigating myths, others think they can become geniuses in the topic by just watching movies; others simply aren’t interested in the field. In my opinion, the best way to learn about mythology is by reading Rick Riordan’s books.
I personally learned mythology with Riordan’s books. Rick is a New York Times Best-Selling author specialized in mythology. Now, “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” series is really common, but did you know that Rick Riordan has written an Egyptian mythology series? Or maybe his Greek/Roman series? Probably not, and I don’t blame you, they aren’t that known.
Rick’s books are the best way to learn about myths because they use simple, modern language. They are easy to understand because gods and demigods (people that are half god and half human) have their own relatable stories and personalities. In addition, they got interesting story lines that are easy to follow, and as the characters learn more about the beliefs of the ancient world, you do too. These amazing books are also very funny; therefore, it is possible for everyone to enjoy them even if they are not interested in myths, and whoever reads them learns about them whether they did it intentionally or unintentionally.
Something that is helpful about these novels is that they can show a relationship between our world today and stories that take place thousands of years ago. This makes a lot of readers understand the beliefs of the ancient world because comparing it to something we know is a great way of getting to know a lot more information than if you just read articles about the topic.
Maybe you still don’t think they are worth reading, and then you’ll ask me: Do they tell how Medusa was defeated? Or what is a Nymph (a nature spirit)? The answer is yes, you’ll find that even some of the least known gods are in there. So, I hope now you know where to look if you ever want to read these stories for yourselves, but if you don’t want to you can still watch the “Percy Jackson” movies if you like, although I personally wouldn’t recommend them because they aren’t loyal to the books.
7ºB Amelia Vallejo Duque