Struck by Lightning, The Carson Phillips Journal

Struck By Lightning

Struck By Lightning: The Carson Phillips Journal follows the story of outcast high school senior Carson Phillips who blackmails the most popular students in his school into contributing to his literary journal to bolster his college application; his goal in life is to get into Northwestern and eventually become the editor of The New Yorker.

At once laugh-out-loud funny, deliciously dark, and remarkably smart, Struck By Lightning unearths the dirt that lies just below the surface of high school.

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Struck by Lightning : The Carson Philip Journal

Author : Chris Colfer

Published : 20 November 2012

Publisher : Little Brown Books for Young Readers

Pages : 272 

Meet Carson Phillips, a high school senior that ran a writing club (i forgot the exact club name). He is bitter, witty, cynical, goal oriented and brilliant. His superiority is above his peers or everyone in the little town name Clover. 

But his uniqueness made him at the bottom of food chain. Even they didn't bullied him physically, but every one in the school pretty much ignore him or even better, annoyed by him.

He lives with his single mother since 10 years old. His Father run away since then and only met him twice along his life. That made his mother devastated, no days left without drinking activities. The one and only human being he loved was his Grand mother. A dementia woman that live in nursing home not far from Carson's school. Whenever Carson came to visit his Grandma (which everyday), his grandmother unable to recognize him.

Those reasons, all the messed in his life, made him so focused on his goal to leave Clover, continue his study at Northwestern and pursuing career as senior editor of New York Times. His goal is vivid and clear, nothing can break him for his goal. while every one in high school living in the moment, Carson living in the future. 

Carson has applied Northwestern earlier the year. He also believe that his application was first to be accepted by Northwestern to show how strive he is with his goal. His grades are perfect, he is president of writing club, he run a school newspaper which he covered almost all of the writing sections.

But he worried for his future, he ask a teacher to call Northwestern to query how his application status. Turns out, the teacher said to him that his application is pretty much 'old school', Carson need to gear up, enhance his application and attach literary journal that write by other students in school.

It would be easy job if Carson have a lot of friend or at least team that support him. But he has no one and that's made him very creative and evil. 

Along with his subordinate, Malerie, he is plotting operation to blackmail every popular student in school to write for him. And the exciting story of this book just started.

Did I said before that Carson is witty? Yes, he is God of Witty and Cynical that made him hilariously funny and smart. Every time he is trying to start black humor, every one below his IQ won't understand and that made him get a detention every time (ugh sounds familiar- high five for Carson). It's like Carson is a boy with smart woman wittiness. 

" “When one thing takes another away, what do we call that?” she asked my class. 

“Homicide!” I called out. 

The most interesting part about this book, that made him different with other Highschool Classic Drama is how Carson cope his in-similarity by fighting the society. He is not 100% pure and good person (that made him different with other heroine) but he didn't do very bad thing that made him go to jail. 

Carson is good person by heart, but his loneliness and sadness overcome him, push him to be more creative. Even at the final part of the book, Carson tried to have a good talking with his 'enemies'. 

This book is very light and not dark at all. I heard that Chris Colfer write it based on the screenplay. So this book came afrer the movie, and the movie is a lot better. But I haven't watched it and my opinion this book is entertaining like i read Crazy Rich Asians at the first time.

But the major flaw in this book is the ending. I strongly disagree and disappoint with that such ending. Even the part when he was trying to encourage his 'enemies' is a very Hollywood touch. I prefer alternate ending that should be written longer and fullhearted. 

Anyway, it's good read and worth to read during sunday afternoon tea. 

“High School. Society’s bright idea to put all their aggressive, naive youth into one environment to torment and emotionally scar each other for life.”