The Lightning Thief
(Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1)
by Rick Riordan
genre: young adult, Mythology
Summary from Goodreads
Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can’t seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse—Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy’s mom finds out, she knows it’s time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he’ll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends—one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena—Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods.
Review
Why I Chose the Book
I wanted to introduce my nephew to audio books. I listen to them in the car and I wanted one that I was positive would not deviate into an inappropriate scene. After realizing how long it would take to finish it at 30 mins per week, i went ahead and listened to the full thing. I liked the movie after all.
Initial Thoughts
I was a little frustrated by how slow people were at catching on. I don’t blame Percy. While it’s easy to judge, knowing more than the characters, there were at least 3 times that Percy used water magic. I’m assuming most demigods can’t do that. Thank goodness for Artemis’ daughter because I was getting impatient.
Final Thoughts
It was a little frustrating being ahead of the characters. Sure, it’s young adult, but there have been plenty of YA books that didn’t have that problem. Aside from that, I enjoyed it. At least two of my friends are much further into the series and are still enjoying it. I’ll admit, I like the twist on mythology, bringing it into the modern world.
There were some major plot points that either I forgot, or weren’t in the movie. I’ll have to go back and watch it to be sure. It’s a cute YA book but there was nothing to make it more than three stars. I ended on a very neutral note. Didn’t love it, didn’t hate it.
Recommendation
If you like YA or mythology, go for it. It’s an interesting twist. If neither of those appeal to you, then pass.
Rating
3 out of 5 stars.
To see what other books we’ve reviewed, check out our book reviews page.
Ermilia 