What is the basic theme of The Trials of Apollo?

The basic theme in Rick Riordan's The Trials of Apollo concerns the change in perspective that the main character undergoes. The novel begins as the god Apollo finds himself sent down from Olympus to Earth in the body of a teenager as a punishment from his father, Zeus. He has to accomplish several missions in order to return back "home" as a god. Apollo is selfish, narcissistic (though not unkind, sometimes), and ill-equipped to deal...

The basic theme in Rick Riordan's The Trials of Apollo concerns the change in perspective that the main character undergoes. The novel begins as the god Apollo finds himself sent down from Olympus to Earth in the body of a teenager as a punishment from his father, Zeus. He has to accomplish several missions in order to return back "home" as a god. Apollo is selfish, narcissistic (though not unkind, sometimes), and ill-equipped to deal with the limitations of a human (and mortal!) body and mind. Much like a person in good health might find it difficult to relate to someone with a disability, Apollo the god cannot relate to mortals or demigods and the challenges they face. Lester, as Apollo is now called, spends a lot of his time processing the predicament he is in and comparing his current capabilities to the godly powers he used to have. Now he has to give up his comfort and risk his life for someone else—something he used to expect the demigods, including his own children, to do for his benefit. Eventually, though with great difficulty, he develops empathy for others, and his relationships are no longer guided by pure self-love, all because he was forced to step into someone else's shoes. Seeing the world through the eyes of Lester changes Apollo's perspective—and we, the readers, can appreciate the lessons he has learned the hard way.