The Odds of Lightning by Jocelyn Davies
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The Odds of Lightning follows the journey of four friends who have fallen out of touch with one another find themselves on a roof during a thunderstorm – and that’s when everything changes.
The lightning amplified feelings they each had about themselves in a unique way.
The nervous and shy Tiny who always felt overlooked became invisible. The self-conscious Will who changed himself to fit in, was changed outwardly into an entirely different person. The dramatic Luella who hid behind unending words that didn’t actually say much, became numb unable to feel physical things at all. And Nathaniel, who idolized his brother and felt he needed to follow in his footsteps became extraordinary, a superhero.
Did the lightning react to their fears or secret wishes? It took how they felt on the inside and manifested itself on the outside. Each character is unique and has a different bad fear plaguing them: of being hurt, of losing themselves, of being ignored and invisible, and of never being good enough. This diversity of fears and personalities hopefully allows readers to connect with at least one of the characters. I didn’t personally relate strongly to any, but I could see why others would.
Nathaniel never felt he was worthy of following his brother’s footsteps, or good enough to do so, yet he felt that he owed his brother. That is a very relate-able story line that I feel like a lot of people have experienced when they have an older sibling.
If you’re familiar with New York City the story takes you on a journey filled with classic places and landmarks. Even if you’re not, the City is described and brought to life well enough that it blossoms in your mind block by block.
To see if they manage to face their fears and become true to themselves, succumb to their inner demons or something else – you’ll need to read this quick and enjoyable book for yourself. It was cute and it ended with a promise. It is magical realism and while there was some romance in the story, it takes a back seat to the journey the characters embark on as they learn about themselves.
Kyera's Library 
Leave a Reply