Posted by After being struck by lightning at eight, Lucy Callahan’s brain has been rewired, making her a math genius. Now 12 and ready for college, her grandmother says she has to spend one more year in a public school before enrolling in college.
Lucy has been homeschooled since her accident, and doesn’t want to go back, knowing people will see how different she is. But when she’s partnered up with Windy and Levi for a school project, she meets someone who doesn’t care how different she is – a dog named Cutie Pi, who has brain cancer and could be sent to a shelter that will kill her. Unable to take Pi in, she needs to find a way to get him adopted.
What I liked most about this book was that the characters were so life-like. They had qualities and personalities that stood out and it made the book feel so much more authentic. The story was written in first person in Lucy’s point of view, which helped me see through her eyes, and sympathize with her more.
This book made me question what really makes a good friend. Even for Lucy it’s hard to calculate. She is used to being reclusive, so being thrust into social interactions every day for school is really strange. Lucy wonders a lot about how to really make friends, and how you know when you’ve reached the friend stage. I don’t know the secret to friendship, either; and this book let me wonder about what a friend is.
This book reminded me of El Deafo, because both main characters learn how being unique is what you should celebrate. If you like coming-of-age stories, Lightning Girl is for you.
Four out of four roses!
Elena Reads and Reviews 