We all have a book or series that captures us in our formative years and stays with us forever. Most of my favorites were handed to me by my elementary school librarians, Vaughan and Rosine. But there’s one series that shaped my childhood and adolescence unlike any other: Percy Jackson & the Olympians by Rick Riordan. These action-packed novels full of humor, heart, and a healthy dose of history/mythology were staples of my youth. My well-worn paperbacks, with their broken spines and ripped covers, are a testament to the fact that I used to re-read this series (and, eventually, its sequel, The Heroes of Olympus) every single year.
Maybe my attachment to Riordan’s YA fantasy was fated (after all, I do share a birthday with Percy). Whatever the reason, these books have remained close to my heart, even into adulthood. Given that the 20th anniversary of the first novel’s publishing just passed, I thought I would retrace my experience with the Percy Jackson series and try to figure out once and for all why they have stuck with me all these years.
Trigger Warning: This article contains brief references to domestic abuse. Please exercise personal care while reading.
I Saw the Movie First (Sorry)
I know, I know, heresy. I went to the movie theater a lot in the year 2010, and it just so happened that one of those tickets was to Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. Now, any book purist (myself included) will be quick to tell you that this movie is nowhere close in spirit to Rick Riordan’s vision. For one thing, they aged up the characters about five extra years. But for the sake of positivity, I will put my long-winded rant about this movie aside. If nothing else, it did at least make me want to read the books. So I suppose I can thank it for that.
I will, however, take this time to sing the praises of the Disney+ show, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, which, thanks to having Riordan at the helm, is absolutely splendid. And if you’re anything like me, you’re refreshing the Internet every five seconds to see if they’ve leaked any more season two details.
How My Unhealthy Obsession Turned Sincere
Riordan has many strengths as a writer, chief among which are his wit and his ability to craft rich, well-rounded characters. Yet, of all things, one of the most lasting aspects of the series, for me, is Percy’s relationship with his mother, Sally.
Sally Jackson is Percy’s rock, and his reliance on her reminded me of my relationship with my own mother. Due to my neglectful father, my mother operated as a single parent, but she always did her best to build me up and encourage me to face every challenge I came across. Like Percy, my mother’s influence was key to helping me grow into a steady, loving adult. In Percy’s eyes, Sally is bigger and fiercer than any Greek god could ever be — a sentiment that I find incredibly relatable.
A recurring theme in the Percy Jackson series is the absence and indifference of the characters’ godly parents. Though it took me until adolescence to recognize my father’s abuse for what it was, I still felt an immediate kinship with these fictional demigods when I first read the book at ten years old. It is still one of the only times I have read a book about children from broken homes where they are presented as inherently strong for what they have overcome, while still empathizing with their loneliness. It’s comforting to believe that your experiences, no matter how painful, do not have to define who you are. Percy could have been a bitter teen, but his mother and his friends empower him to be his best self, regardless of the pain that tries to hold him back.
If it’s been a while since you revisited a favorite book from your youth, consider giving it a try. I reread Percy Jackson & the Olympians and The Heroes of Olympus a few years ago, and this time, my experience was richer than ever before. I still laughed at the silly, teenage humor, but my increased awareness of the more subtle themes transformed my readthrough. Thank you, Rick Riordan, for creating such a momentous story.
Click here for another look into the legacy of the Percy Jackson series.
If you’re a fan of twisted mythology, check out our Myth Retellings bookshelf on Bookshop.
