The Odds of Lightning

Starred review from July 25, 2016
Davies (the Beautiful Dark trilogy) offers a heady story of four once-close friends finding their way back to each other during a “stormpocalypse” in New York City, the night before they take their SATs. Nathaniel is a science whiz living in the shadow of his dead older brother; Will, formerly overweight, is now a popular soccer star; Lu, a theater kid, buries her many hurts; and Tiny, Lu’s (supposed) best friend, feels insignificant to the point of invisible. During a chance encounter on a rooftop during a party, the four are struck by lightning and survive to find themselves supernaturally transformed in ways connected to their insecurities: Lu feels nothing but numbness, Will suddenly looks like his soccer co-captain, etc. In third-person chapters that flip between her characters’ past and present, Davies acutely expresses their innermost feelings, hopes, and vulnerabilities. As these four teens crisscross the city, contemplating who they really are and what makes them worthy of friendship and love, readers will be hard-pressed not to reflect on similar questions themselves. Ages 14–up. Agent: Jessica Regel, Foundry Literary + Media.

July 1, 2016
Putting a scientific cast on magical realism, the lives of four teens are changed by a bolt of lightning.Three years ago, Tiny, Lu, Will, and Nathaniel were the best of friends, but a combination of factors separated the friends, and now they're little more than acquaintances. The night before the SATs, a mega-storm approaches New York, and Will throws a party. The four of them are together for the first time in years--and as if that weren't cataclysmic enough, they are struck by lightning. When they wake up, they all have strange new powers, which, predictably enough, represent their greatest fears. This change sends them on an odyssey through a city giddy with the approaching storm, one that helps them understand the circumstances that broke up their friendship: the death of Tobias, Nathaniel's older brother and Tiny's first kiss, Will and Lu's failed attempt at dating, and more. "And out here in the city streets there was thunder and lightning and music"--which, along with some science, will help the quartet find a solution to their disorders. The third-person narration interleaves "now" with "then" sections, shifting focus to alternate among all four protagonists. The voices are well-drawn, and while their disorders are not particularly complicated, Davies captures a realness to these white teens' interactions and history. Both "then" and "now" plots combine to make an engaging work. (Friendship fiction. 14-18)

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September 1, 2016

Gr 9 Up-As a monumental thunderstorm threatens New York City, high school juniors Nathaniel, Will, Tiny, and Lu confront their pasts and attempt to make a future together. The four former best friends are thrust together the night before the SATs. Trapped on the roof of Will's home, they are the victims of a lightning strike that leaves each changed in a remarkable way. Seamless weaving of past and present gives readers glimpses into why each character has been transformed by the event. As the teens fight to return to normal in time for the SATs, friendships are rekindled and love rediscovered. Davies creates a fun adventure that will appeal to romantics who wish for a life-altering moment of their own. Nathaniel's superhuman strength and Will's uncontrolled body-morphing are examples of elements that beg readers to let go of reality and buckle up for the ride. The protagonists all realize how precious love is, whether it is for another or oneself, before they are ready to get back to normal. Jumping between present and past keeps the story fresh and fast, sucking in reluctant readers ready for a fun romance. Fans of David Levithan will appreciate the real-life struggles balanced with quirky elements. VERDICT For those who enjoy a touch of magic with their romance.-Carrie Finberg, South Park High School, PA

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