Struck By Lightning: The Carson Phillips Journal
3 journalers for this copy...
Bought from the Pilot truckstop in Kramer Junction, CA on April 23, 2015.
There aren't a lot of choices at the Pilot truckstop. This looked like something I could listen to on a trip and maybe it wouldn't be too bad. I won't say it was outright bad, but it didn't add anything to the YA canon, I'll say.
I give credit to the ambitious Chris Colfer, a rising young star on the stage and screen, for adding "writer" to his list. But don't get to relying on it, Chris. But what the hell, what do I know?
A high school student, Carson Phillips feels like a fish out of water. A brilliant fish in a sea of stereotypes: high school jock, cheerleader, stoner, you get the idea. He rants about his position as editor of the school newspaper, where he is unable to get anyone on his so-called staff to write anything about anything, ever. Perhaps this says more about you than about them, Carson, but he never entertains that idea, nor, I suspect, does Colfer. He has dreams about getting into Northwestern University and becoming a hotshot investigative journalist. To that end, he has applied for early admission and impatiently digs through the mail every day.
Carson's mother is no help. She prefers to lie on the couch every day, bemoaning the fact that she got stuck in nowheresville when she, too, had had dreams. So it's up to Carson to make things happen. When his guidance counselor suggests that the college might want more than the usual editor,debate captain, high grades submission, that perhaps if he edited a literary magazine as well, Carson finds a way to do this. In spite of the fact that most of his fellow students dislike him. With some reason, I might add.
He finds dirt on his classmates and uses it. Is it enough? I won't reveal the end, as it is a little unexpected.
Versions of this story have been done to death, but usually with greater humanity and warmth. I can't imagine liking Carson because he simply has nothing good to say about just about anyone. He begrudgingly becomes fond of Mallory, who for some reason has stuck by him in spite of her lack of interest in what he does and his lack of interest in what she does. She seems a kind sort, earnest and no threat.
I didn't find Colfer's reading particularly good either. He is an actor so I expected better. I suspect that in this case the film was better than the book, because 1) the book was derived from the screenplay and 2) actors add another dimension to words on a page.
All that said it is probably a perfectly suitable YA story for a teen.
I give credit to the ambitious Chris Colfer, a rising young star on the stage and screen, for adding "writer" to his list. But don't get to relying on it, Chris. But what the hell, what do I know?
A high school student, Carson Phillips feels like a fish out of water. A brilliant fish in a sea of stereotypes: high school jock, cheerleader, stoner, you get the idea. He rants about his position as editor of the school newspaper, where he is unable to get anyone on his so-called staff to write anything about anything, ever. Perhaps this says more about you than about them, Carson, but he never entertains that idea, nor, I suspect, does Colfer. He has dreams about getting into Northwestern University and becoming a hotshot investigative journalist. To that end, he has applied for early admission and impatiently digs through the mail every day.
Carson's mother is no help. She prefers to lie on the couch every day, bemoaning the fact that she got stuck in nowheresville when she, too, had had dreams. So it's up to Carson to make things happen. When his guidance counselor suggests that the college might want more than the usual editor,debate captain, high grades submission, that perhaps if he edited a literary magazine as well, Carson finds a way to do this. In spite of the fact that most of his fellow students dislike him. With some reason, I might add.
He finds dirt on his classmates and uses it. Is it enough? I won't reveal the end, as it is a little unexpected.
Versions of this story have been done to death, but usually with greater humanity and warmth. I can't imagine liking Carson because he simply has nothing good to say about just about anyone. He begrudgingly becomes fond of Mallory, who for some reason has stuck by him in spite of her lack of interest in what he does and his lack of interest in what she does. She seems a kind sort, earnest and no threat.
I didn't find Colfer's reading particularly good either. He is an actor so I expected better. I suspect that in this case the film was better than the book, because 1) the book was derived from the screenplay and 2) actors add another dimension to words on a page.
All that said it is probably a perfectly suitable YA story for a teen.
Reserved for iwillrejoice's audio book box.
Sent as trade to a fellow member of iwillrejoice's audiobook virtual bookbox.
Takes me right back to high school! I guess all kids that age believe they're clever and smart beyond equal.
I love audiobooks read by the author because you get to experience the material exactly as the author hears it in their own head. This one, however, I think I may have liked a bit better on paper so I could go back, re-read, and laugh at some of the really cute and snarky lines again.
I love audiobooks read by the author because you get to experience the material exactly as the author hears it in their own head. This one, however, I think I may have liked a bit better on paper so I could go back, re-read, and laugh at some of the really cute and snarky lines again.
Released into BigJohnLefty's Another Audiobookbox, now administered by devon212.
This came in the audio book box.
