Review Detail

What is your first memory? Perhaps it's something mundane like an early birthday or your first bicycle. For Elle, her first memory is falling out of the sky.

Where the Lightning Goes by Jackary Salem is a YA fantasy novel that follows the life of Elle, after a wizard tore her soul in half and stole all her memories. Just an ordinary Tuesday, right? Elle's only remaining memory is of falling out of the sky. Which leaves plenty of the plot to answer and fill in with mystery and intrigue you will only find in a Jackary Salem novel. Escaping from her bleak home, Elle is faced with a world that has a bite worse than its bark. And the only way she hopes to survive it, is by gaining her magic. But that's easier said than done.

What I liked most about Where the Lightning Goes is that it was a never-ending unraveling mystery. Where one mystery ended another began, and so on and so forth until we were met with that dramatic plot twist, then decent end. Which often lead to me being confused as to what was actually going on. But Salem had a way of reeling me back in with their delicate lyrical writing.

Though if I were to change anything, I feel Salem needed to add just a few more hints as to what all was going on. Their mystery and intrigue often muddled the story and hurt the plot. To the point that I nearly wanted to give up and pick something else to read. But Elle kept it going. Along with the awesomeness that was Adair, Honeycutt, and Leslie of course.

Overall, this is a solid fantasy that I would recommend to anyone just starting to get into the genre that won't mind a few head turns and confusion.