!!!Spoiler Warning!!! If you haven’t read this book yet, I give away some key spoilers!
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
by Rick Riordan
I read this book as part of the Goodreads Summer Reading Challenge 2019—check out how I’m doing!
Oh, this was so good!
It’s been a long time since I’ve felt the inclination to pick up a Middle Grade book, but novels like this remind me that I should do it more often!
It’s absolutely action packed, it doesn’t speak down to its audience like a lot of middle grade books do, and it’s full to the brim with facts about ancient Greek mythology which was always interesting and, as much as fantasy can allow, accurate.
I really had a super time with this one.
I am sorry you were born, child. I have brought you a hero’s fate, and a hero’s fate is never happy. It is never anything but tragic.
Percy Jackson is almost as well known as Harry Potter. It seems as though every household has at least heard of the books/films even if they’ve never read/watched them. We used to have the movie on in the background when my little niece was visiting but, as it most usual with these sorts of things, the film isn’t a patch on the book.
Young Percy has just found out he’s half-god and has escaped the clutches of several monsters to arrive at Camp Half-Blood which is basically a training ground for heroes. He makes a few friends and then is sent on a quest. He must find and return Zeus’s Master Bolt to Olympus before the gods finally lose their patience and World War III breaks out.
Along the way there are several monsters and beasts from Greek mythology to deal with, a bunch of gods who are petty and arrogant, lots of new magic things to learn, and a prophesy that will undoubtedly come true. It’s fast paced and full of wonderful moments.
A strange fire burned in my stomach. The weirdest thing was: it wasn’t fear. It was anticipation.
I loved all the characters. Percy is quick and brave—just what every twelve year old boy imagines himself to be like. His friend, Annabeth, is smart and full of great ideas. I know for a fact that she’s just what I wanted to be like when I was a little girl. And their satyr friend, Grover, is the comic relief. He’s the always-trying-his-best mess up of the group that the others courage and intelligence is measured by. It’s a good mix, and it’s works very well. These kids are also instantly likable.
The writing is never dull, and even the explanations are quick and too the point. I suppose middle graders get bored a lot easier than adults, but I really enjoyed the way the plot just jumped instantly from one moment to the next.
I don’t think, from an adult’s perspective, that there were any major surprises in store in the story. The plot twists were incredibly predictable, but still extremely satisfying. Like I said, I enjoyed everything very much.
The research was incredible. There are so many references to myths both well known—like Hercules, Ariadne or Furies—to quite rare and different like—Procrustes and Sisyphus. As someone who has studied Greek mythology quite extensively I adored all the little references! But, it’s easily as much fun when you don’t get the reference at all and it’s just a fun little bit of the story. Very well done!
Monsters don’t die, Percy. They can be killed. But they don’t die.
In the end, this book reminded me why middle grade fiction shouldn’t be dismissed as an adult reader. I came out of this wanting to read the rest of the books in the series, and isn’t that what a good book should do? Make us want to read more?
I recommend this book for every adult who has forgotten how much fun they had reading as a kid. C’mon, relive your childhood a little, Percy Jackson style!
Villain Rating
Our villain of the book is none other than Ares the god of war himself! In the book, Ares appears as a motor biker, complete with leathers and sunglasses to hide his fiery filled eyes. He tricks young Percy into carrying Zeus’s Master Bolt into Hades and expects him to die down there. When Percy doesn’t die, Ares decides to take matters into his own hands and kill him himself in a sword fight on the beach.
The problem is, it’s made very clear that Ares is sort of being brainwashed by Kronos who, if you remember your Greek myths, is the Titan father of Zeus. Ares might be quick to fight and happy to incite trouble but, in this case, it’s not entirely obvious if he’s acting under his own steam, or if he’s being controlled. He might not be a good guy, and he’s happily willing to kill a child, but if he’s not in charge of himself, is it really his fault? 6/10
Happy Reading,
Claire
Love the Villain 