“A cross-continent road trip about two misunderstood outsiders brought together by their shared love of music, interwoven with flashbacks to the beginnings of Jane and Elijah’s love story and meteoric rise, The Lightning Bottles is a love story, a celebration of rock ‘n’ roll, and a searing portrait of the cost of fame.”
The Lightning Bottles, Marissa Stapley
I was born in 1996, which means I literally missed out on the Seattle grunge movement and the entire cultural shift it started. Reading this book felt like I’d been there from the very beginning! We follow Jane and Elijah’s journey to fame from their start as awkward teenagers in a chatroom to winning Album of the Year at the Grammys. And like any true rock and roll stars, Jane and Elijah struggle with balancing their party lifestyle and their mental, emotional, and physical health.
The story is told in two timelines. We get the entire timeline of The Lightning Bottles’ road to fame, and we also spend time with Jane, 5 years after Elijah disappeared. This twist was the most interesting part for me, and I was fully invested in Jane & Hen’s search for the truth.
Stapley’s writing is really what set this book apart for me. I’ve read a few similar books recently, and the narration always left me feeling a little disconnected. Jane’s character was so strongly developed from the first few pages, and set the tone perfectly for the rest of the book. Contrasting her with Hen was more interesting than using Elijah, and really kept my attention focused.
I’d recommend this book to anyone obsessed with the 90’s alt music scene, Courtney Love, Sinead O’Connor, or the concept of life after fame. It’s also a good option if you’re looking for something nostalgic with grit and mystery.
Thanks to Simon & Schuster for the gifted advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
Read with Fern 
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