the lightning thief
by rick riordan
★★★★★
dates read: 12/8/22 - 12/10/22
"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."
the percy jackson book series will always hold a special place in my heart.
re-reading the lightning thief as an adult made me feel so nostalgic, reminding me of the younger version of myself who would cling to every single word as if they’d magically fall from the page and disappear.
there were so many moments in this book where i audibly laughed out loud and such occasions have gotten rarer and rarer the older i get. there is a piece of my innocence that will always be intertwined with percy jackson no matter how many days, months, or years pass. reading the percy jackson series and then the heroes of olympus as a child, it felt like we grew up with each other despite the fictional cast of characters.
the lightning thief and the rest of this series teaches you about chosen family, friendship, the recklessness of gods or people in power in a way that is digestible and accessible while still being entertaining for such a young audience. the implementation of mythology only makes it that much better.
while this isn't the most in depth review of this book, for the amount of adventure and excitement i experienced in my childhood, i owe rick riordan a lot.
“Even strength must bow to wisdom sometimes.”
