Title: The Lightening Thief [Percy Jackson and the Olympians 1]
Author: Rick Riordan
Genre: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Mythology
Length: 377
Rating: 3.5 rounded up to 4 Star
Series Review: 1, 2, 3, 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5
Description/Synopsis:
Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school… again. And that’s the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy’s Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he’s angered a few of them. Zeus’ master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.
Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus’ stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.
Review – MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS
Liked this book more than I thought I would.
I fell in love with the writing style of this book so quickly. Its a really easy read and simple to follow along with. Some of the phrases that happen are just so awesome, I highlighted a number of them as I was reading along. One of my favourites is:
I had become one with the plumbing.
And of course:
“…For I am the might Echidna!”
I stared at her. All I could think to say was “Isn’t that some kind of anteater?”
She howled, her reptilian face turning brown and green with rage. “I hate it when people say that! I hate Australia! Naming that ridiculous animal after me…”
I got a good giggle from that one since I am from Aus and Echidna’s are adorable.
All of that being said though I did have my issues with the writing. I had to keep reminding myself just how old these kids were suppose to be. Perhaps its because I don’t spend a lot of time with younger people, but they all seemed to be acting way older than they should have been to me. I will chalk some of this up to the fact they are part god and most have had really dodgy lives, but still. I also worked out things and saw them coming a bit too easily. But I suppose I can forgive this since its middle grade. I am really not used to reading middle grade.
I didn’t feel very attached to any of the characters. I both liked and didn’t like the way the gods were represented in a modernised kind of way. I think it touched a little too close to home for me since my beliefs run along those lines. However, I did find the fact that they kind of followed where ever western society was most thriving at the time in amongst mortals kind of thing an interesting thought, even if I wasn’t fully on board with it. So in this book of course it was in America.
So yes, I enjoyed this book well enough I just think I have to get used to reading more middle grade books so I know what to kind of expect from the depth of the story. I would suggest this book to pretty much anyone who likes fantasy, I think it looks like a series that at least deserves a chance.
Till Next Time…
