January 21, 2012

Review: Struck by Jennifer Bosworth

Struck by Jennifer Bosworth
Hardcover; 373 pages
Expected Publication: May 8, 2012 by Farrar, Strous and Giroux

 Mia Price is a lightning addict. She’s survived countless strikes, but her craving to connect to the energy in storms endangers her life and the lives of those around her.
Los Angeles, where lightning rarely strikes, is one of the few places Mia feels safe from her addiction. But when an earthquake devastates the city, her haven is transformed into a minefield of chaos and danger. The beaches become massive tent cities. Downtown is a crumbling wasteland, where a traveling party moves to a different empty building each night, the revelers drawn to the destruction by a force they cannot deny. Two warring cults rise to power, and both see Mia as the key to their opposing doomsday prophecies. They believe she has a connection to the freak electrical storm that caused the quake, and to the far more devastating storm that is yet to come.
Mia wants to trust the enigmatic and alluring Jeremy when he promises to protect her, but she fears he isn’t who he claims to be. In the end, the passion and power that brought them together could be their downfall. When the final disaster strikes, Mia must risk unleashing the full horror of her strength to save the people she loves, or lose everything.


Going into Struck, I had some concerns that the religious aspect would be too much for me. Coming from a non-believer, I’m not sure how someone of extreme faith would perceive Struck. I guess time will tell. I personally thought the religious aspect was brilliant, and reflected humanity accurately.

Everything about Struck is unique. I think the originality is enough to grab any reader, at least momentarily, whether the rest of the story works for them or not. The concept of a girl being addicted to being struck by lightning is certainly nothing I have ever encountered before. It was interesting getting inside of Mia’s head and seeing what made her crave such an off the wall thing. Without the fantasy aspect, none of it would be believable, and I think the fantasy was done in a subtle way that wasn’t too much, or too little. The world in which Struck takes place is definitely fascinating.

Unfortunately, the world-building is really the only aspect of this novel that worked for me well enough to say I really liked it. I thought the characterization was lacking a bit (with the exception of a few convincing secondary characters), and the romance didn’t have much development. Not only was it instant, but it doesn’t really come up until well into the story, which made it that much more frustrating. (I would have been fine with this, had their relationship not played such a crucial role in the outcome of the story.) Jeremy was a character that I didn’t feel I really got to know, so it was difficult to care about their relationship at all, let alone root for them.


Overall, Struck is a compelling and unique debut. I’ll be looking out for whatever Bosworth comes up with next.
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10 comments:

  1. Thanks for the great review. I added this to my TBR list as soon as I heard about it, and I have been really looking forward to it. This is the first review I have seen on it, so it really help to give me a little insight on what to expect from it. It sounds like a book I will enjoy.

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    1. I had my issues with it but it's a definite page turner. Hope it meets your expectations! :D

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  2. Omg I can't wait to read this! I'm dying for originality in all these seemingly similar books in YA lately. I also love that cover which is pure awesomesauce! I've only seen one or 2 reviews before this one and so far they've all been positive! :D

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    1. I hope you like it! And hopefully more than I did, lol. :)

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  3. I liked Struck. I just wasn't big on the characters. My review will be posted soon.

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    1. I agree. I didn't think they had much depth and the main character was just--gah. But definitely loved the world in which it takes place.

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  4. tnx 4 the review
    it's on my wishlist

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  5. Thanks for the review! It's been on my TBR wishlist as well, but I haven't read any reviews on it yet. It's sounding good, but not "great," but a girl can hope, right?

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  6. Great review!! This book has been on my TBR list for awhile now!

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  7. Thanks for this review. I have been going back and forth on whether or not I want to read this book and I think you just pushed me over to the "to read" side of my own inner debate. So thank you again for easing that inner battle.

    Jaime Lynn- jeepgirl529@yahoo.com

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