The Handbook for Lightning Strike Survivors by Michele Young-Stone : A

Title: The Handbook for Lightning Strike Survivors

Author: Michele Young-Stone

Genre: Realistic Fiction (YA)

Publication: April 13th, 2010 by Shaye Areheart Books

Pages: 384

Ages: 14+

Grade: A

Damaged people inhabit this debut novel: people who have been struck by lightning as well as those who have lost loved ones from death, divorce, drinking, or duplicity. Young-Stone tells parallel stories that hurdle storm after storm headlong into one another.

One follows the bullied Buckley R. Pitank, who watches as his beloved mother's life is buffeted by her mean-spirited mother and a fraud of an evangelical preacher. Just when she escapes and finds love, and Buckley sees the possibility of happiness, she is fatally struck by lightning.

The other is the story of Becca Burke, a lightning strike survivor whose drunk mother and philandering father have a hard time believing that she has been repeatedly hit by lightning. As Buckley and Becca grow up, Buckley writes The Handbook for Lightning Strike Survivors, excerpts of which begin each chapter, and Becca becomes a painter. What happens when they do finally meet is inevitable.

Young-Stone is a very fine writer who has created a host of endearing losers—young, old, literate, and simple, all full of longing. What she does best is portray the incredulousness of the unlucky.

General: Let me begin by saying, this book turned out to be not at all what I expected, but I still loved it. I was amazed to learn that Michele Young-Stone herself, the author, was struck by lightning. It's an interesting novel for a long list of reasons, but this makes it all the more interesting.

No summary can even come close to capturing the great depth of this novel. The book has so many layers of pain and joy and energy and emotion that no piece of writing can even begin to describe it; I guess you just have to read it for yourself. There is also such an enormous cast of characters and an extensive plot, it too is impossible to summarize in a mere few sentences.

I immediately fell in love with Michele Young-Stone's style of writing. The plot was extraordinarily well-thought-out, and the characters, every single one of them, were thoroughly developed and honest. As you read her book, Young-Stone not only tells you the story, she introduces you into a whole new world. I felt like I just floated right through this book as I read, just drifting into the storyline peacefully and dreamily. Once I started, I felt no need to stop. There was no repetition, no "being bored with it". It's a refreshing experience to read a debut author who has true talent; and it's an even more refreshing experience to read an author like Michele Young-Stone who seems to be too good for the word "talented".

Characters:  The book includes a crazy amount of characters, but it mostly revolves around two young people, Becca and Buckley. In the beginning of the story, the two don't know each other, but both have had their lives turned around by the trauma of the natural phenomenon of a lightning strike. In addition to this trauma, they each have their own traumas at home. Becca has a sad, alcoholic mother and a cheating father. Buckley lives with his loving but broken mother. It's truly an experience to read about these characters and to learn about them and get to know them. There's so much pain in the novel and it becomes easy to sympathize with and feel sorry for the characters. Becca feels as though she's forced to "walk on eggshells" in her own home, and Buckley is afraid to be happy because he fears bad things will happen if he does because of the pain he's experienced in his early life.

Plot: I'll be truthful. After all this gushing about the novel, I do have a few small complaints. The beginning of the book moves very slowly. It takes a LONG TIME for the plot to fully develop. Because of this, many readers might lose interest before the plot even fully develops. There's such an enormous cast of characters, it can get a little confusing; and though very skillfully written, there are so many twists and turns in the plot to remember and think about that, as the reader, you can get to feeling like the book's skipping around. But if you give it time, the book evolves into a deep, enthralling, fascinating, FABULOUS book.


Scores

Plot: 18/20
Characters: 19/20
Ending: 18/20
Cover: 16/20
Style: 20/20
Overall: 91/100

Grade: A

Hold Still by Nina LaCour : B

Title: Hold Still
Author: Nina LaCour
Genre: Realistic Fiction (YA)
Publication: October 15th, 2009 by Dutton Juvenile
Pages: 304
Ages: 13+
Grade: B

An arresting story about starting over after a friend's suicide, froma breakthrough new voice in YA fiction



dear caitlin, there are so many things that i want so badly to tell you but i just can't.

Devastating, hopeful, hopeless, playful . . . in words and illustrations, Ingrid left behind a painful farewell in her journal for Caitlin. Now Caitlin is left alone, by loss and by choice, struggling to find renewed hope in the wake of her best friend's suicide. With the help of family and newfound friends, Caitlin will encounter first love, broaden her horizons, and start to realize that true friendship didn't die with Ingrid. And the journal which once seemed only to chronicle Ingrid's descent into depression, becomes the tool by which Caitlin once again reaches out to all those who loved Ingrid—and Caitlin herself

General: This book was recommended to me by a friend shortly after it came out. I forgot about it, though. Later when I was in the library I saw it on the shelf in the "new" section and picked it up because I thought the cover was cool. When I started reading it, I instantly recognized it as the book that was recommended to me. I totally loved it; it's definitely on my list of favorite books. LaCour's writing style is, I can honestly say, unique. And that's refreshing. Not often do you find authors like her. Her writing is complex, but simple. Painful, but it gives you a sense of joy. Crazy. I love it. At the end of the book, it had me teary and crying. She's just...great.

I must admit, when I first began it, it was very slow. Not much happened and there was a lot of description. I considered putting it down, but I remembered how much my friend had raved about it so I stuck it through. I'm definitely glad I did. It was absolutely astonishing (though perhaps a little cliche) and powerful. It described the brand new, changed life of a teenager whose world has been turned upside-down by tragedy in such a heartbreakingly raw way.

I loved how the whole book was separated into parts by season. It did a great job of chronicling the first year of healing for Caitlin. I also loved the little illustrations and doodles throughout the whole book. It did a lot for the mood of the story.

Plot: Like I mentioned, the beginning is slow, but it's totally worth it to keep reading. The plot is definitely not the most original one I've ever read. It has its cliches. But it also has its moments of surprise and amazement. The whole plot unravels in the beginning as a story of pain and regret. The protagonist, Caitlin, has just survived the suicide of her best friend, Ingrid. She wonders what she could have done differently to save Ingrid. She's overcome with pain as she tries to prove that she feels none. Soon Caitlin finds Ingrid's journal she kept up until the last day of her life. Through the journal, the mystery of Ingrid's suicide unfurls, Caitlin finds closure, and she discovers healing. Through a mix of flashbacks, journal entries, and Caitlin's own thoughts, we gain insight into who Ingrid used to be, and what their friendship was like.

The book, of course, included romance. I could usually mention that it seemed to move astonishingly fast...except it was just too adorable to criticize. It was one of the most touching romances I think I've ever read. So it didn't bother me at all that things moved so quickly.

Characters: Again, in my opinion some relationships (primarily the one between Caitlin and Taylor) moved a little too quickly.  Others (such as the one between Caitlin and a girl from school) move agonizngly slowly, though probably on purpose. The characters absoutely jumped off the page and whispered in your ear. It was amazing how well you could feel the raw emotions they were feeling. Some minor characters seemed a little cliched. But again, it was written so well, and they were so realistic and true, you hardly noticed or cared (unless, of course, you dug really deeply into it to write a review).

Overall, fabulous book. I HIGHLY recommend it. My copy I borrowed from the library. Hopefully soon I can add it to my personal collection.

Scores:

Plot: 14/20
Characters: 16/20
Style: 20/20
Ending: 18/20
Cover: 19/20
Overall: 87/100