Mimi's Bookcase

Synopsis: Percy Jackson is about to be kicked out of boarding school... again. And that's the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy's Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he's angered a few of them. Zeus' master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.
Now Percy and his friends have just ten days to find and return Zeus' stolen property and bring peace to a warring Mount Olympus. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the true thief: he must come to terms with the father who abandoned him; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and unravel a treachery more powerful than the gods themselves.


My Opinion: AWESOME!!
Percy Jackson and the Olympians or when Harry Potter meets the Greek mythology.
Perseus Jackson is a normal 12 years old... well at least, he appears normal. Suffering from dyslexia and ADHD, the young boy is labelled a difficult kid, having changed school 6 times in 6 years. But despite being impulsive, everything is not entirely his fault. For as long as he can remember, Percy has always witnessed strange events and he has always dismissed them until that day in the Museum when his English teacher transforms into a Fury right in front of him. Now, the boy has no choice but to learn the truth about himself and his father. Falsely accused of having stolen Zeus' lightning bolt, he is hunted by monsters. Helped by Annabeth, daughter of Athena, and Grover, the satyr, Percy only has 10 days to find the bolt and bring it back to Olympus or there will be war.

I truly loved that book. I've always liked the Greek mythology so when the movie was released I had to watch it and I enjoyed it. For all those who have watched the film but haven't read the novel, let me tell you right now that the novel is x100000 better.
I was hooked from the first few pages and kept reading until late at night.
Of course, this is not great literature but Harry Potter isn't either and that doesn't make it less enjoyable, on the contrary.
The Lighting Thief is a fast-paced, fascinating, gripping, exciting page-turner. The characters are all nicely written and engaging. The plot is really interesting and captivating. Who is the lightning thief and why did they steal it? It was so difficult to put down the book before getting some answers.

Be aware that this is a fiction so there may be discrepancies between what is written and the myths as we know them. Despite that, I thought Rick Riordan did a great job at adapting the Greek mythology to the modern world, creating such a fascinating universe.
This is the perfect book for whoever likes the myths and even for those who don't as I can't imagine them not wanting to learn more about the Greek Gods and Goddesses once they start reading.

If the rest of the series is as good as this 1st installment, Percy Jackson and the Olympians will definitely become one of my favourite children series. It may not be as elaborated as His Dark Materials but it is as enjoyable and exciting.


To summarize: Absolutely recommended if you like the genre!!!

I wonder if I should read so many YA books ^^". I blame it on the covers and the fact that there are so many of them!
I'm not sure I'll buy all of them especially Hush Hush and Fallen since I've read quite negative reviews about them despite their popularity among YA fans.
Making those entries make me realise how many books I want to read and how I'll never have the space and money. I guess I should consider buying an ebook reader even though I'm not a fan :(. Or maybe I'll find an online shop for used books with free International delivery ^^"

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Synopsis: "Lyra's life is already sufficiently interesting for a novel before she eavesdrops on a presentation by her uncle Lord Asriel to his colleagues in the Jordan College faculty, Oxford. The college, famed for its leadership in experimental theology, is funding Lord Asriel's research into the heretical possibility of the existence of worlds unlike Lyra's own, where everyone is born with a familiar animal companion, magic of a kind works, the Tartars are threatening to overrun Muscovy, and the Pope is a puritanical Protestant. Set in an England familiar and strange, Philip Pullman's lively, taut story is a must-read and re-read for fantasy lovers of all ages. The world-building is outstanding, from the subtle hints of the 1898 Tokay to odd quirks of language to the panserbjorne, while determined, clever Lyra is strongly reminiscent of Joan Aiken's Dido Twite." (From Amazon.co.uk)


My Opinion: An extraordinary and wonderful adventure.

Usually, I'm not a reader of this kind of fantasy but I decided to read it after watching the movie and let me tell you that this novel is so much better than the adaptation of it.

Set in a well-written, rich and original world, The Golden Compass is a fast-paced, fascinating, intriguing fantasy novel led by a young but mature, courageous, determined girl and her daemon.
We follow Lyra Belacqua in her quest to deliver her friend Roger and all the other kids from the "Gobblers". Along the way, she'll be helped by all kind of fantastic characters but she'll also have to face great dangers.
Lyra and all the other characters are greatly written, interesting, lovable but some are also hateful and repulsing.

All the mystery surrounding the Dust and the daemons are what set that novel apart. I devoured it looking for answers, trying to understand this world, how it works, discovering what would happen next to our heroine and her friends. Only when tiredness was too strong, was I able to put down that book.

Philip Pullman was able to write a brilliant piece that is not too complex so it can be read by kids/teenagers and not too simplistic that adults can fully enjoy it.

I can't wait to read the rest of Lyra and Pantalaimon's adventures in a quest to change their world.


To summarize: Totally recommended!!