Set in New York City, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief follows 14 year-old Percy and his friends, Grover and Annabeth, on an adventure full of twists and turns. Although Percy is the son of Poseidon, God of the Sea, he has a mom that isn’t a god, which makes him a half-breed. Although he has the power to breathe underwater and manipulate water elements, he is limited by his human form. While living in a camp among other demigod offspring, Percy is accused of stealing Zeus’s lightning bolt from Mount Olympus. Not only does he face a series of personal repercussions if the lightning bolt isn’t given back to the God of the Sky, but there will be a war between the Gods. While on his way to camp, Hades, God of the Underworld, takes Percy’s mother hostage and says he will give her back in return for the lightning bolt. Percy and his friends then embark on a mission to the Underworld not only to get his mother back, but to stop a potentially world-ending war between the Olympians.

What I Liked:

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief is by no means a boring story. At any given point, I was on the edge of my seat thanks to its action-packed pages. The constant humor, conflicts, and adventures make it difficult to put down. Thankfully, there are five books in the Percy Jackson series! Author Rick Riorden does a great job of giving each character a role full of dimension. I specifically liked how there is not just one main character, but rather each character contributes to the plot in a unique way.

What I Disliked:

It’s hard for me to dissect negative aspects of the book because it was a great read. However, I disliked how the reader doesn’t get a full background on how Poseidon and Percy’s mom met as well as context about Percy’s upbringing. I feel this information would have been helpful as a reader as we could understand the events leading to the beginning of the book.

Recommend to people who:

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a book full of adventure and conflicts. I would also recommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning more about Greek mythology. While some books fail to lure you in and keep you entertained, this book accomplishes both, making it a page-turning tale that is hard to forget.

Check out Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief at NBPL!