Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief, from Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #1)

Hi, there! AFY, today your blogger is on fire, as all my posts are going live – thank you, February new books ¬¬”

Anyway, we are not here to talk about my failed posting schedule, but to talk about the first book in the Percy Jackson series (is there someone on the world who calls it “the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series”? Like, all fanciness and all? I can’t even picture saying it out loud on the title, haha!), The Lightening Thief 😀 To my shame, I only read this series for the first time last January (I mean 2015 and not last month, haha!). Needless to say that it changed my heart and now I’m a believer. This was one of the books I wish to re-read this year and I can’t wait to squeeze the rest of the series into the other months ❤

the natural light that I got on this pic makes it look like it’s blured… Sorry, haha!

The Story

I feel a bit silly re-telling a story that everybody knew way before me, but here we go

Percy is a 12-year-old boy without much luck in his life. No matter how hard he tries, disasters seem to follow him anywhere, making the weirdest things happen – and getting him expelled of five schools in a roll. To top everything, he is dyslexic, has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and the worst stepfather of the whole world: Smelly Gabe. And trust me, you don’t want to know the reason behind this lovely nickname.

Until a trip to the beach with his mom, Percy thought his life weird and unlucky, but manageable. But a hurricane totally out of season and a big monster show Percy that things can always get worse. Without any choice, he ends up on the Half-Blood Camp with his best friend Grover – that, by the way, reveals himself as a satyr.

Now, besides being really unlucky, dyslexic and attention deficient, Percy also has to deal with the existence of real (and very angry) Greek gods that are more than willing to use him and the other children at the camp as they please for their own schemes. Percy time has arrived and his life depends on completing divine tasks.

The thing is… Can Percy focus on the gods’ will?

 

The Analysis

Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader 🙂

When I was younger and this series exploded in the world, I remember reading a synopsis that was so crappy that led me into believing that this was a stupid series. Then the movies came out and I was “sure” It was crap. Sorry if you enjoyed the movies, haha! Then last summer came (again, 2015, not last month) and I was at a friend’s place – yeah, I’m talking about you, Jen! – and she pestered me so much that I said “FINE, I WILL GIVE PERCY JACKSON A GO, NOW SHUT UP”. Or something like that. Her memory is better, she can tell our stories better than me, haha! Anyway, long story short, I was madly in love with Percy Jackson and devoured all five books in a week’s space. And then felt like life didn’t matter anymore because there was no more than five books. You know, same old, same old with us book lovers.

On my first read, I gave it four stars. I’m officially raising it to five stars now 🙂

The narrative is first person styled from Percy’s point of view only. On the beginning of my first read, it bothered me a little. On my re-read, I think it works. Percy is just like us – you know, our 12-year-old selves – and this makes it so easy for the reader to connect with him. He grew up believing that Greek gods were just random characters from another culture and suddenly has to deal with the living things. Also, the narrative style makes the story funny and light, even on its worse moments.

The plot is complex and full of twists, as there are so many elements to fit into the book. I loved how well Riordan executed it. Percy Jackson is one of the most well written series that I ever read, the kind that you just can’t find a flaw, a lose end, a forgotten character. Seriously, there is nothing to hold against it, haha!

Rick Riordan facing society

Percy is the perfect 12-year-old, in qualities and flaws. It is amazing! Even being 20 when I first read this book, I highly identified with him. Percy is random, observant, kinda lazy, funny and gets real mad when he is accused of doing something he clearly didn’t. (Btw, that was one of Jen’s arguments: “you will love him because he is just like you!”. Damn, she was right! But don’t tell her that, she’ll get cocky.) And he has the natural curiosity of children towards anything he doesn’t know, which is really helpful for the reader that is so new on the real Greek gods world as himself is.

All Riordan’s characters are very well constructed and developed. I call favorites with Annabeth, because she is not a helpless female in the team, Luke, because he is beautiful and skillful and has another secret trait that really attracts me but it would be a huger spoiler to tell, Hades, because he is the best god #justsaying, and Percy’s mom. Okay, but Grover and Quíron in the list. Ugh, I love Percy Jackson’s world!

Naturally, I have to comment on the semi-dystopian world that Riordan created: awesome stuff.

Seriously, I have nothing to add to what has been already said. He re-created the Greek gods in such a fashion that is hard to imagine them any different now. It absorbers you and suddenly you’re convinced that you’re a victim of the Mist and that’s why you can’t see the true monster nature of your Math teacher. As I said, I’m a believer, haha!

Overall, I think that everyone that hasn’t already should just pick up this series and give it a go. Forget all about the crappy (sorry) movies and just allow uncle Rick to carry you around ❤

Thank you for reading and thank you Jen, who so vehemently insisted that I should give this series a go ❤ I can’t wait for the next series that you will push through my guts recommend me 😀 And please don’t forget I love you, so there is no need for slapping me after you read this review.