Review (1) / Struck By Lightning

Title: Struck By Lightening
Author: Chris Colfer
Pub Date: November 2012
Publisher: Little Brown
Pages: 272

Source: I purchased this book with my own money.

About the book: Struck By Lightning: The Carson Phillips Journal follows the story of outcast high school senior Carson Phillips who blackmails the most popular students in his school into contributing to his literary journal to bolster his college application; his goal in life is to get into Northwestern and eventually become the editor of The New Yorker.

At once laugh-out-loud funny, deliciously dark, and remarkably smart, Struck By Lightning unearths the dirt that lies just below the surface of high school.

The film Stuck By Lightning is set to be released by Tribeca Film later this year and features Colfer’s own original screenplay. Colfer also stars in the film alongside Allison Janney, Christina Hendricks, Dermot Mulroney, Sarah Hyland, and Polly Bergen.

I have been anxiously awaiting this book and I bought it almost as soon as it came out. Sadly at the time that I bought it I was in a reading funk and it sort of just sat there until today. I decided that since it was not a big book that I would make the effort to read it in one sitting if possible.

Well it was possible and I managed to read it in a few hours. I have to say right off that I am a huge fan of Chris Colfer (I got to listen to him speak at BEA and met him when he signed my book. He was so sweet and nice). I read and enjoyed his first book The Land of Stories: The Wishing Spell and I am anxiously awaiting book two in that series (which as of right now I have no idea when that will be) . I think he is a fantastic story teller.

What can I say about Struck By Lightning? I loved it and it was a nice read and a great book to get back into reading with in my opinion. I can’t wait to see this when it comes out as a movie. I just hope there isn’t too much a change from the book to the screen.

Anyways Struck By Lightning is about Carson Phillips who is an outcast at his high school and he dreams about the short amount of time he has in this small town. He can’t wait to get out of there. Carson is a very smart guy and everyone knows it so that’s what makes him different from his class mates. At times he can be a total jerk and really obnoxious but that makes him who he is.

The book is basically told in a day to day life of Carson. I loved the part towards the middle of the book when he is trying to get into North Western and is told to make a literary magazine and at first no one is one board until he starts to black mail his fellow students . How will that end?

One of the things I loved about Carson was that no matter what he went through he lived for his dream of getting out of there and making it big. Not once did he loose sight of that dream like so many tend to do when they are in that kind of situation.

Which I think is the moral of the story and so many kids need to hear this…no matter what people might say or do to you, just remember you can be who you want to be don’t let others tell you differently. Be strong and hold on to that dream.

I have to say it looks really good and honestly I don’t see anyone else playing the role of Carson Phillips expect Chris. He is perfect for this role.

Does this interest you?