Book Review: The Lightning Thief, a childhood classic

There is little I can say about Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief that hasn't been said before. At this point it is a classic children's book in a series of classic children's books, that inspired so many young readers on their reading journey, such as myself. And while I am certainly no longer in the age bracket of Percy Jackson's target audience, even at the age of 23 the first book in Rick Riordan's series is undoubtedly still a fun read.

To those who may still be unaware, Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief follows the titular character Percy Jackson, a 12 year old boy struggling to stay in one school for too long. He always finds himself getting into trouble no matter how hard he tries. After the inciting incident of the story that gets him kicked out of yet another school, Percy discovers himself to be the son of a greek god and soon learns that it is his fate to undergo a quest to retrieve Zeus's mighty weapon, the lightning bolt. Failure may mean the start of the deadliest war the world has ever seen.

More than anything, The Lightning Thief is simply a fun book. The cast of three main characters all fit into predictable archetypes found in similar stories. There's Percy Jackson, the mouthy and confident one, Grover the easily scared one, and Annabeth the smart but stubborn one. If you've read any children's adventure story you have certainly seen them before, but this does not stop any of them from being well written, and fun characters.

They are relatable, easy to connect with and they feel their age which is surprisingly rare in children's adventure stories.

The story itself is fun but as an older reader, many of the story beats feel as though they go by too fast. I would have loved to spend just a bit longer in places such as the Lotus Hotel, or the underworld. On the other hand, the book is written for a much younger audience who may not have the patience to stay in one place for quite as long, and its certainly not a complaint I remember having as a child. All in all the story is an easy read that still feels as though it respects its readers no matter their age.

Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief does everything a children's book should do: It is easy to read, it has fun, and lively characters, and for the most part it handles topics that maybe hard for some young readers with maturity and care. If you are looking for a simple read or a new series for your kids Percy Jackson is a must.