Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan // Book Review

I may be 20 years too late to be reading this series, but I’m also the type of person who believes books can be read by anyone. I’m so glad I picked up Percy Jackson for the first time ever. It’s slowly becoming my new favorite series and I hope to read more from them in the future. But let’s talk about the first book because this is where it all begins.

Here’s More about The Lightning Thief

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.

My Thoughts

I don’t read much middle grade, so I’m never sure what to expect. The stories I’ve read in the past are the ones I grew up with (A Wrinkle in Time, The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter), but I was a little too old for these books and so they went unread for very long.

I have to say, I’m impressed. And it’s my own ignorance that I didn’t know how good Percy Jackson was and how I would love this story just as much as I was a teenager reading books. I know these books aren’t necessarily written with me in mind, but I still enjoyed it. This is one of those stories that when you’re a kid, you’ll imagine yourself hoping to be a demigod. You’ll hope that in some way your family was close to a god or goddess and that you carry a tiny bit of that blood in your body.

I absolutely loved the usage of Greek mythology. I’ve been recently learning more about the Greek myths and seeing those bits and pieces played through the story so expertly made me very excited to keep reading. Of course, it’s all the main players like Zeus and Poseidon and Hades, but then there’s the three fates, Medusa, centaurs and satyrs, magical swords, and so much more. It’s rich and immersive and even if you don’t know too much about Greek mythology, you’ll be able to follow along.

I also love that Percy is just a fish out of water. Without any knowledge of who he is or even what god his father is, he kind of jumps in and hopes for the best. I do think things are a bit easy for him, but at the same time the situations he finds himself in are more than what any kid at that age could handle. If anything, Percy feels more mature with a good understanding of what’s happening. He didn’t even seem too freaked out by the fact that he’s a demigod. His friends were also such interesting people with fully developed personalities that differ from Percy’s, so you get some comic relief and the occasional serious talk.

And the adventure they go on was not for the faint of heart. Honestly, I don’t even think I would be okay with some of the situations Percy and his friends find themselves in. I love that their friendship is dynamic and they all bring something to a fight. Where Percy might lack, Annabelle can join in and the other way around.

Overall, this is a fun story filled with friendships, hard journeys, and some very real truths. The twist at the end also made me very excited to see how the rest of the series goes and I’ve already put book 2 on hold at the library. I cannot wait to see what happens to Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

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