Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Speeding Bullet by Neal Shusterman

Nick Herrera is a below-average high school kid, but he isn't happy about this. He knows he could be something special if he could just find a way to break through whatever it is that is holding him back. One afternoon, while waiting for a subway train, he finds a way to break through from mediocrity to notoriety. Nick notices a young girl fall off the subway platform and onto the tracks. It is as if time stands still for him long enough to jump down and save her. But there is not enough time for him to get back up and he gets run over by the train. Luckily (miraculously, some might say) he survives with minor injuries. From that time, it seems as if he is destined to play the role of the hero; he is always in the right place, at the right time. He gets the attention of the media, the Mayer and one of the richest girls in New York City. It seems that Nick can do no wrong, but is this really a special power he has tapped into, or is it all in his mind?

This is a pretty interesting book. It poses the question what does it mean to be special. Nick becomes special by a freak accident, but through this, he meets other kids who are special because of their abilities or their families. Nick gets a chance to find out whether or not standing out from the crowd can really make you happy.

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