The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
MG Fantasy. 377 Pages. 4 Stars
Synopsis:
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.
My Review:
Alright. I’ve now read this book three times. I LOVE Middle Grade and I LOVE Greek mythology. This series should be a no brainer, right?!
The first time I read it was in the NC summer heat on a porch swing. Didn’t hate it, but didn’t love it either. The second time I thought maybe the summer heat just zapped my energy, but it still felt so slow to me. I liked the characters and the plot was neat, but I just didn’t love the pacing or the writing. I got so bored!
Then the new t.v. series came out and I was like, sure. I’ll watch that. I liked the story. And the show took all the pacing issues out that I had, so of course, sucker me decided I’d try reading the book again. As someone who works in MG publishing, I really should read this series. It’s a giant in the industry. It’s been formative for so many kids. And I really do like the premise! So, I’m committing to reading the original series, starting yet again with Book One.
And ya know what? The audiobook was better, in my opinion, than the physical book. The plot, while interesting, is still paced kind of slowly, but at this point, I know the story pretty well so I was able to enjoy the audio version without having to focus on tracking what all was going on as if it were new. Honestly, I found listening to the audio helped me stay more engaged, which is super weird and the opposite of normal for me. So, I’m going to try listening to the rest of the series in audio, hoping that helps with the slow pacing issue that turned me off ever finishing the series before.
Because I am genuinely intrigued by this world, these characters, and the pickles they find themselves in. I like Percy! He’s got a solidly good heart. And I love how much he loves his mother. I love how much Sally Jackson cares for and protects him and I appreciate her struggle to do what’s best for him and raise him the best she knows how. Annabeth as the daughter of Athena is such a neat character. I love her wit and problem-solving skills. I love Percy’s sass. And Grover is a loyal friend. This is such a fun trio. The complex politics of the gods and how these kids get caught (sometimes willingly) in the crosshairs is a really, really neat story.
I’ve always wanted to love this story and, ironically, I’m hoping the new t.v. show can finally spur me to finishing the books.
Content: MG story – no foul language, some barely implied crush that may bud into a romance later, and some fantasy violence. We do have some cool takes on some traditional Greek mythological characters and stories – which the originals are full of all kinds of violence and content – that are done at an appropriate for kids level. The story does have creatures like the furies and undead in Hades, so make your own call before diving in if that’s an issue for you, your family, or your reader. I’d probably recommend this for 12+
More
The first book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series is The Lightning Thief (4 Stars)
Book 2 is The Sea of Monsters
Book 3 is The Titan’s Curse
Book 4 is The Battle of the Labrynth
Book 5 is The Last Olympian
I haven’t read the rest of the series yet, but these should be read in order. Check out the links for more information on Goodreads!
On GraceBought
If you liked this book, you may also like these other MG titles:
Wonder, The Magician’s Nephew, The Giver, The Memory Spinner, Inkheart, Keeper of the Lost Cities, The False Prince, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Jack Zulu and the Waylander’s Key, or The Hobbit
or try one of these world-rich YA titles: