Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief Review by Cameron McGill
Today I, Cameron McGill, will be reviewing Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief. Before I get started, I would like to point out that I am very biased and basically any book series of the fantasy genre besides Harry Potter I'll happily read so I'm probably giving this book more credit than I should. Before I say what I liked about this book, I'm going to be nit picky and criticize it. But before I start I would like to quickly inform you that this review has a lot of spoilers so if that bothers you should stop reading. Now that all of that is all out of the way, I am going to begin criticizing the book. So, here is the only major problem that I have with the book: the story stops at some points and after a while it gets old. Let me explain. Sometimes, the narrator (Percy) will put an idea on pause by ending a paragraph and just says something small and obvious. Now, I'm being very nit picky here because for the most part it works pretty well but there were a few times where it took away from the story's flow so I decided to mention it.
Now that I have given the book some criticism, I am going to say what I liked about the book. The first thing that I like about this book is the characters. The characters that have a major role in the story all seem unique and it is easy to tell the author really put some thought into them. Another thing about the characters that I thought was impressive was their development throughout the book. They don't just stay the same throughout the book but they also don't completely change. The second thing about this book that I really like is the plot. I thought that Percy delivering a lightning bolt to Hades in exchange for his mother was a unique concept. Something that the author did well that could have messed up the plot of the book if it was done poorly was balancing out the number of scenes filled with action and the number of scenes that are a bit slower and filled with character development.
Another thing I like about the book is the settings and how odd they are compared to the settings of most books of its genre. One of my favorite settings in the book is the Lotus Hotel and Casino. When Percy reaches the hotel, his only hope is to rest but eventually he is tempted to see what the hotel has for entertainment and is quickly entranced by all of activities and stays there for longer than intended without realizing it. When he finally figures out that he has wasted a horrible amount of time he almost fails to complete his mission on time. I think the reason I like this setting as much as I do is because of how odd and unique it is. I have never read or heard of a book where a hotel nearly stops the main characters from succeeding (Except for the Shining).
The last major part of the book that I enjoyed was the action. I like these scenes because they aren't horribly gory which really only works in horror but they aren't too vague meaning the reader gets a perfect amount of details regarding what the characters are experiencing. The creatures that attack them aren't unheard of and they are kind of predictable but other than that the scenes work pretty well. So for my final verdict, I give this book a 9/10.
Now that I have given the book some criticism, I am going to say what I liked about the book. The first thing that I like about this book is the characters. The characters that have a major role in the story all seem unique and it is easy to tell the author really put some thought into them. Another thing about the characters that I thought was impressive was their development throughout the book. They don't just stay the same throughout the book but they also don't completely change. The second thing about this book that I really like is the plot. I thought that Percy delivering a lightning bolt to Hades in exchange for his mother was a unique concept. Something that the author did well that could have messed up the plot of the book if it was done poorly was balancing out the number of scenes filled with action and the number of scenes that are a bit slower and filled with character development.
Another thing I like about the book is the settings and how odd they are compared to the settings of most books of its genre. One of my favorite settings in the book is the Lotus Hotel and Casino. When Percy reaches the hotel, his only hope is to rest but eventually he is tempted to see what the hotel has for entertainment and is quickly entranced by all of activities and stays there for longer than intended without realizing it. When he finally figures out that he has wasted a horrible amount of time he almost fails to complete his mission on time. I think the reason I like this setting as much as I do is because of how odd and unique it is. I have never read or heard of a book where a hotel nearly stops the main characters from succeeding (Except for the Shining).
The last major part of the book that I enjoyed was the action. I like these scenes because they aren't horribly gory which really only works in horror but they aren't too vague meaning the reader gets a perfect amount of details regarding what the characters are experiencing. The creatures that attack them aren't unheard of and they are kind of predictable but other than that the scenes work pretty well. So for my final verdict, I give this book a 9/10.
I liked the conversational tone of in your review, and that you gave a heads up for spoilers before spilling any beans. I remember reading The Lightning Thief several years ago and can say that the action was definitely one of the best parts about Rick Riordan's writing in general. I also agree that you get tired of the book and Percy's snarky personality at some points. I think one of the things the author does best is blend the world of mythology with the normal world in his books. As an elementary schooler reading this, I also definitely appreciated the fact that action wasn't too graphic and gory. Nice job on this review.
ReplyDeleteI think your review really does The Lightning Thief justice. You mentioned all my favorite parts of it (the characters, the settings, the details, and the balance of action). I don't really agree with you about the story getting old--it definitely starts to drag in later books, though. I think because it is the first book in the series, the story seems fresh and stays exciting. But I still like your review and it makes me relive some of the excitement I felt while reading The Lightning Thief!
ReplyDeleteI liked how you summarized while giving a spoiler alert. I do remember reading Percy Jackson, and your review is pretty much how I felt about it back then, too! The not overly-gory action was definitely the best part, however, I didn't really get tired of Percy's snide comments throughout the book. I thought it added a bit of self-awareness to Percy's character about the predictability, perhaps cliches, of the novel.
ReplyDeleteHaving read The Lightning Thief back in elementary school, and from what little I remember, I would say you have captured the essence of Rick Riordan's novel really well. I also appreciate your spoiler warning at the beginning in order to ward off the minority who haven't read this read this series. Furthermore, your compare and contrast of certain aspects of The Lightning Thief was refreshing as I can recall sharing many of the same feelings you did. In all, I would say you have done an excellent job both providing a summary and informational review of The Lightning Thief!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the style of this review where you provided the reader with some negatives that you noticed so that anyone who might have the same opinion about the negatives you mentioned can take them into consideration while deciding whether or not to read the book. The way this review describes the book also makes it easier for the reader to decide if they want to check it out because it describes the way that the plot moves and some interesting parts and in particular, you mentioned action which could attract a reader who may have been deterred by the mythology and fantasy aspects of the book.
ReplyDeleteThis was a pretty good review. I liked that you laid out reasons and examples for things you talked about, without getting too specific so even with the spoilers it would still be am interesting read. I don't really agree with you saying that the narrator's comments get old. I actually think they spice up the book and keep it interesting. Having read the Lightning Thief before, I see where all you points came from and agree with most of them. Loved the review!
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