Lightning People

WOW!! A MUST READ.

I was intrigued when I read the synopsis of this book and decided to pre order a copy. I had high expectations and not only did this book meet those expectations, it exceeded them! Lightning People is by far the best book I've read all year. Lightning People could be called a New York novel but that would be doing it a disservice as it's so much bigger than that. It's an epic, plot driven, character piece that grips you from beginning to end. The central characters - Del, Madi, Joseph, Raj and William - will haunt you for weeks after you finish reading. I still can't help but think of them each day. In fact, I miss them! The plot continuosly twists and turns. It's one of those books that are impossible to put down. It's about paranoia, love, loss, friendship, rattlesnakes, multiculturalism, marriage, green cards, murder.....and that's just part one! I was surprised to see that this was Christopher Bollen's first novel. He really knows how to craft complex characters and place. I live in Tampa and for one week I was completely transported and engulfed by the gritty and seductive streets of New York City. Not only is Bollen a sophisticated writer, he is obviously a great observer of people and life. I really think he has communicated something important about the human condition with this book. I'm excited to see what he does next. It's rare to find a book that is so entertaining and edifying. A MUST READ!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

I'm not so sure?

I kept waiting for this book to get better. Maybe I'm out of touch or
maybe I just wasn't getting what the author was trying to convey but if you read this book, be prepared to get depressed. To say that almost all
of the characters in this book are "undirected" is a gift to Bollen. They lie, cheat and steal and even murder with no real consequences other than the frustration of the fruitlessness of their miserable lives. There are no heroes and everyone is incredibly flawed. A bad story well written.

Best book this year

Hard to put down. Great characters, with great depth, that you really care about. Bollen's a great writer, hard to believe this is his first novel. I can't wait to see what he does next.

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