In the old days, I would have expected to be recognized as soon as I arrived in a town… But as Lester Papadopoulos, I did not warrant such treatment. I looked nothing like my former glorious self. The idea that the Indianans might recognize me despite my tangled hair, acne, and flab was both insulting and terrifying. What if they erected a statue of me in my present form - a giant golden Lester in the center of their city? The other gods would never let me hear the end of it!”
-- Apollo (chapter 1)

Importance: While this quote establishes how Apollo was treated during his years as a god, it also shows how drastically his transformation was. The shift from beloved god to a typical, powerless teenager is stark, but also a little bleak. Despite Apollo’s clear ego and lofty expectations of those around him, the reader understands his struggles. And while...