Jake

this is my first time reading this series in full and i decided to read in chronological order rather than publication order, simply because that's how my box set was numbered. i'm glad i started with this one because it gave me a lot of interesting things to think about that were origins of the iconic story of the lion the witch and the wardrobe that we all know and love. great quick read!

I grew up on this series and came back to it while in a reading slump as a way to have a quick read to keep up with my yearly goal. Rick Riordan's intelligent writing stands the test of time 18 years later. Percy's sarcastic 12 year old voice is still relatable to me as a 22 year old. The book continues to be as clever as it is adventurous and I think anyone who enjoys reading YA would enjoy this book. The ability that Riordan has to adapt the classic myths we know and love and put them through a modern lense is unmatched in my opinion.

The last maybe 75 pages made it worth the read and were my favorite part of the book. I felt such a deep connection to the characters by the end of it and was heartbroken even though we all know what is coming. A very well written YA novel and I am always so happy to read about queer love.

I am not really a fan of slow burn novels and this didn't feel like a book that should have been a slow burn since it all happens over the course of a day and there is a significant urgency that needed to be had for this particular situation. That being said, it made the pay off of romance that had been building very rewarding. I wish the romance had happened way earlier though. The writing wasn't sensational but was done well especially for the target audience.

Never have I ever been so impacted by a piece of art. I am a queer person who loves to consume art but very rarely do i feel impacted by something to the point of being misty eyed. This book had me absolutely sobbing in the best and worst way. I grew up loving Greek Mythology by way of the Percy Jackson series so this was right up my alley. If you're looking for a queer story to leave you heartbroken but also warm and fuzzy and will make you cry happy and sad tears this is for you.