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A review by orionmerlin
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Characters: 7/10
Percy’s a fun protagonist—snarky, relatable, and actually interesting. Annabeth and Grover pull their weight, adding some much-needed variety. But let’s be real: some of these characters feel like they were sketched out five minutes before deadline. There’s charm here, but depth? Not always. I wanted to care more, but some of them just didn’t give me a reason to.
Percy’s a fun protagonist—snarky, relatable, and actually interesting. Annabeth and Grover pull their weight, adding some much-needed variety. But let’s be real: some of these characters feel like they were sketched out five minutes before deadline. There’s charm here, but depth? Not always. I wanted to care more, but some of them just didn’t give me a reason to.
Atmosphere/Setting: 6/10
Modern world meets Greek mythology? Love the concept. The execution? Eh, sometimes it works, sometimes it’s just…there. Some locations pop, but others feel like a generic movie set. I wanted to be fully immersed, but instead, I found myself squinting and thinking, Is this all we get? A few key scenes had energy, but others felt like someone forgot to turn the volume up.
Modern world meets Greek mythology? Love the concept. The execution? Eh, sometimes it works, sometimes it’s just…there. Some locations pop, but others feel like a generic movie set. I wanted to be fully immersed, but instead, I found myself squinting and thinking, Is this all we get? A few key scenes had energy, but others felt like someone forgot to turn the volume up.
Writing Style: 6.5/10
Percy’s humor carries a lot of weight here, and thank the gods for that, because otherwise, the writing is…fine. Functional. Basic. It’s smooth and easy to read, but there’s nothing particularly jaw-dropping about it. If you’re here for deep, poetic prose, keep walking. If you like a casual, quippy tone, you’ll have fun—but don’t expect literary brilliance.
Percy’s humor carries a lot of weight here, and thank the gods for that, because otherwise, the writing is…fine. Functional. Basic. It’s smooth and easy to read, but there’s nothing particularly jaw-dropping about it. If you’re here for deep, poetic prose, keep walking. If you like a casual, quippy tone, you’ll have fun—but don’t expect literary brilliance.
Plot: 6/10
It’s a solid adventure, but let’s not pretend it’s reinventing the wheel. Predictable? Oh yeah. Some moments got my attention, but others felt like I’d seen them a dozen times before. The twists are there, but they aren’t exactly shocking. There’s nothing bad about it, but it doesn’t leave you staring at the ceiling in awe, either.
It’s a solid adventure, but let’s not pretend it’s reinventing the wheel. Predictable? Oh yeah. Some moments got my attention, but others felt like I’d seen them a dozen times before. The twists are there, but they aren’t exactly shocking. There’s nothing bad about it, but it doesn’t leave you staring at the ceiling in awe, either.
Intrigue: 6.5/10
I was interested. Mostly. Some parts had me flipping pages; others had me checking my phone. The stakes are clear, the action moves at a decent pace, but did I feel compelled to keep reading? Not really. It entertained me, but it didn’t own me. I was happy to take breaks.
I was interested. Mostly. Some parts had me flipping pages; others had me checking my phone. The stakes are clear, the action moves at a decent pace, but did I feel compelled to keep reading? Not really. It entertained me, but it didn’t own me. I was happy to take breaks.
Logic/Relationships: 7/10
The world-building holds together well enough, and the relationships make sense. But sometimes it felt like Riordan just wanted me to roll with things without explaining them too much. The friendships are believable, though nothing made me feel deeply invested. The logic is there, but the emotional punch? Meh.
The world-building holds together well enough, and the relationships make sense. But sometimes it felt like Riordan just wanted me to roll with things without explaining them too much. The friendships are believable, though nothing made me feel deeply invested. The logic is there, but the emotional punch? Meh.
Enjoyment: 6/10
Did I have fun? Sure. Did I love every moment? Not really. Some parts were genuinely great, others felt like filler. It’s a decent read, but one I could easily set down and forget about for a week without feeling the need to rush back. Not bad, just not amazing.
Did I have fun? Sure. Did I love every moment? Not really. Some parts were genuinely great, others felt like filler. It’s a decent read, but one I could easily set down and forget about for a week without feeling the need to rush back. Not bad, just not amazing.