One of my favorite books growing up and it still holds up every re-read. A great start to the series, it introduces our characters and the world in a really full and exciting way. You know from the first line what you are getting into, but not in a predictable way. Seeing Percy grow in this book and develop great friendships along the way is so fun to read, no matter how old you are. I love the pacing of this book, it never slogs but doesn't skip over important details. Overall, I always have and always will recommend this book and series.