Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning

Danette Haworth’s debut novel, Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning (2008), features the voice of Violet Raines, a plucky 11-year-old heading to junior high in a few short months. Along with her best friends, Lottie and Eddie, Violet happily whiles-away her summer days with simple amusements: exploring nearby swamps, hanging out in tree caves, and getting Brainfreeze frozen desserts. Then Melissa Gold moves to town, and Violet’s comfortable world begins to unravel.

For Violet Raines, life in rural Mitchell Hammock is good. She lives with her mom in a small house on the same street as her best friend, Lottie Townsend. Every Sunday, they go to church, and afterward, Violet joins Lottie’s big family for a fish fry at their house. At age 11, Violet has no interest in make-up or boys but does have a passion for words. She routinely reads the newspaper’s “Todays Word” feature and clips out her favorites, like “taradiddle,” “magniloquent,” and “serendipity.”

Violet has another longtime friend, Eddie, who shares her penchant for outdoor adventures. Together, they hide in hollow cypress trunks, poke around in the woods, and scout the river for a huge alligator they call Albert. While Violet is a fearless explorer, the river’s flimsy bridge tests her mettle. However, she’s quick to explain, “When Eddie B. dared me to walk the net bridge over the Elijah Hatchett River where we’d seen an alligator […], I wasn’t scared–I just didn’t feel like doing it then.”



One Sunday morning, shortly after the church service begins, an unfamiliar family dressed in “city clothes” walks through the door. The pastor introduces them as Brad and Megan Gold and their daughter, Melissa. Although the same age as Violet and Lottie, Melissa has a glamour beyond her years, and Lottie slips a note to Vanessa that reads, “Don’t you think she’s pretty? She looks like a model! […] Let’s try to meet her after church!”

Violet is less than dazzled by Melissa’s appearance, but, when church is over, she introduces herself along with Lottie to the new girl. The Golds have just moved from Detroit, a city that, from a Mitchel Hammock perspective, seems exotic and thrilling. Melissa blithely informs them it’s “the murder capital of the United States” and close to Canada, too. She graciously accepts their invitation to join the fish fry later that day.

While Lottie is star-struck by Melissa, Violet considers her too frilly and fastidious. Moreover, Violet jealously guards her friendship with Lottie, and Melissa’s cosmopolitan allure clearly threatens her hold on Lottie’s attention. So it is that Violet cannot resist offending Melissa’s delicate sensibilities at the fish fry. She invites the unwitting Melissa to look in a bucket, and, upon seeing the fish heads inside, Melissa darts away and vomits.



There is more lightning activity in Florida than in any other state, which is fine with Violet, who likes the thrill of a good electrical storm. One afternoon, while lightning begins to flash and Violet watches from her porch swing, Eddie appears. After she scolds him for walking outside in the storm, “the air whooshes up like a big vacuum in the sky. I glance at Eddie […] but before I can open my mouth, a single bolt […] flares over the woods across the street and at the same time BOOM! Like an earthquake.” Violet and Eddie agree that the lightning struck somewhere, and she prophesizes, “Something big is going to happen, I just know it.”

Feeling sheepish about the fish-bucket episode, Violet goes to Melissa’s house to apologize. Melissa shows Violet her bedroom, and now it’s Violet’s turn to gasp with surprise: “It looks like a royal chamber. Everything’s pink and purple and soft looking, like a dream.” There is even a TV. Pointing out her collection of magazines, Melissa explains that she closely follows the lives of Hollywood celebrities and writes letters to them. She plans to be a star herself one day.

To Violet, the outdoors is more appealing than frilly pink rooms, but Lottie is drawn to Melissa’s expertise in the ways of young womanhood. Lottie and Melissa start spending a lot of time together, experimenting with make-up, watching soap operas, and even trying out training bras. As Violet grows increasingly resentful, she and Melissa settle into a habit of exchanging snide remarks, which often center on Eddie. Violet has always viewed Eddie as simply her co-explorer of all things outdoors, but Melissa, who has her eye on him, taunts Violet with allusions to romance.



An approaching storm rumbles as Violet enjoys some Melissa-free time with Lottie, baking pies in the Townsend family’s kitchen. Tension rises between them, however, when Lottie admits she plans to watch Paris Heights that afternoon with Melissa. Convinced Lottie just wants to leave for Melissa’s house, Violet ignores her call to turn off the oven for fear of a lightning strike. Within moments, “static rushes across” Violet’s arms and scalp, “then light races down the kitchen wall and flares out the oven.”

With their house burned to the ground, Lottie and her sisters move into the Golds’ spacious home. Violet is miserable. Not only has she lost Lottie to Melissa, but she also feels responsible for the fire. Melissa only makes matters worse by daring Violet to kiss Eddie as they all sit together eating Brainfreezes. Angry and humiliated, Violet plants a kiss on Eddie, then turns triumphantly to Melissa, declaring there was nothing special about it at all. Eddie runs off, and Violet suddenly regrets her words.

Desperate to make amends for the fire, Violet sends a letter to the local newspaper detailing the Townsends’ financial plight and requesting donations for the homeless family. Much to everyone’s surprise and joy, Home Sweet Home–“They’re the people who help rebuild houses for people in need”–volunteers to “fix everything.” Violet credits Melissa’s celebrity letter-writing campaign for the idea to write to the newspaper, and Melissa, smiling, announces she is starting a collection of local celebrity autographs and wants Violet’s to be the first. As she signs her name for Melissa, Violet fancies it a “peace treaty” between them.



Hoping to mend their friendship, Violet approaches Eddie, but he bolts into the woods and across the net bridge. Violet follows, running to the middle of the bridge before fear paralyzes her. When Eddie returns to take her hand, Violet suddenly sees him differently: “His eyes burn with their full power. God Almighty, it’s like I’ve never seen his eyes before.”

Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning received a 2012 California Young Reader Medal.