The Scar Boys

Harry is only eight years old the day bullies tie him to a tree and leave him there in a thunderstorm. The tree is struck by lightning, catches fire, and Harry’s life is forever changed. If he had trouble with bullies before this deforming event, things only get worse. When he is in middle school, he is befriended by popular Johnny, who rescues him from some bullies and suggests they start a band. They find two other guys to join them and practice and play their way through high school, until they are good enough to start playing for pay. Suddenly, the bass player drops out. When auditioning for a replacement, they find beautiful Cheyenne. This, again, changes everything for Harry.

Len Vlahos structures this wonderful novel as if it were a college application essay, and this works really well. Harry’s voice is clear and absolutely appropriate for a guy at eighteen to tell his story, and the structure allows Harry the ability to speak directly to the reader in ways that an ordinary novel structure would not. The writing and story are very strong, and this exceptional story should reach an audience far beyond the young adult segment it targets.