In Greek mythology, families are a mess: Oedipus sleeps with his mother and kills his father; Cronus eats his children and Medea kills hers; and Hera threw her son away because he was too ugly. Generally speaking, family members aren't too nice to each other.
The Lost Hero also has lots of family trouble. Gods almost always abandon their mortal lovers, so all the demigods have issues with their divine parents—and that's not even counting Leo's guilt over his mortal mom's death and Piper's desperate efforts to get her mortal dad to pay attention to her.
Still, as in most respects, The Lost Hero here is more cheerful than the Greek myths. Jason and his sister reunite and end up with a close relationship. Piper and her dad love each other and eventually their relationship improves. And Camp Half-Blood itself is a kind of family, with all the half-brothers and half-sisters living in cabins together—a place where misfits can fit in. Plus nobody eats each other.
Questions About Family
- Is Jason who he is because of who his dad was? How much does family determine destiny in the novel?
- Is Tristan a better or worse parent than the gods? How is his relationship with Piper similar to Leo's relationship with his dad?
- Is Hera's relationship with Thalia and Jason similar to a mother's relationship with her children? Why or why not?