Struck

April 23, 2012
The Los Angeles of Bosworth’s post-apocalyptic vision is doubly damned. First, the city is brought down by a massive earthquake. Then, as the story opens four weeks later, the countdown to the real apocalypse has begun. The rubble is contested by the Followers of Prophet, a quasi-Christian end-times movement that rules the airwaves, and the Seekers, a cult that brands its members and follows the prophecies of a gypsy. Caught between is 17-year-old Mia Price, a self-described “lightning addict” who has survived innumerable direct strikes and craves more. She carries what the Seekers call “the Spark” and is seen by both sides as the key to the approaching cataclysm. Somewhere in the mix, there’s Jeremy, a stalker and maybe worse, who is also the only person asking nothing of Mia except to stay out of the fray. Bosworth’s debut catches attention with vivid descriptions and a snazzy premise that speak to her screenwriting background. But the supporting characters are, by and large, two-dimensional, and the book’s forward momentum is halted by Mia’s inaction and emotional paralysis. Ages 12–up. Agent: Jamie Weiss Chilton, Andrea Brown Literary Agency.

June 1, 2012

Gr 10 Up-Mia Price has been struck by lightning countless times; she actually enjoys the experience. Her repeated brushes with electricity have given her powers that she neither understands nor knows how to use. The teen moves to Los Angeles not long before the largest earthquake in recent history nearly destroys the city, leaving it in chaos. Mia, her brother, and their mother, who is suffering from Acute Stress Disorder, are fortunate to live in an area where the houses still stand. In the aftermath of the disaster, a man who calls himself Prophet is using fear and religion to try to control the city by claiming to have a direct line to God. When Mia and her brother finally return to school, she meets the Seekers, another faction vying for power. Both the Seekers and the Prophet's Followers are trying to get Mia to join them, and she wants nothing to do with either group. Her life is further complicated by the arrival of hottie Jeremy, who is mysterious, psychic, and may or may not be on Mia's side. As the story builds toward a final battle, Mia struggles to find her place in this new world. With a complex plot, several intriguing characters, and a believable future L.A., this novel should earn a spot on supernatural romance shelves. Drinking, drug use, and Mia's sexual exploration make it most suitable for mature readers.-Angela J. Reynolds, Annapolis Valley Regional Library, Bridgetown, NS, Canada

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