Author: Sara Zarr
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
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Synopsis for Book:
Lucy Beck-Moreau once had a promising future as a concert pianist. The right people knew her name, her performances were booked months in advance, and her future seemed certain.
That was all before she turned fourteen.
Now, at sixteen, it's over. A death, and a betrayal, led her to walk away. That leaves her talented ten-year-old brother, Gus, to shoulder the full weight of the Beck-Moreau family expectations. Then Gus gets a new piano teacher who is young, kind, and interested in helping Lucy rekindle her love of piano -- on her own terms. But when you're used to performing for sold-out audiences and world-famous critics, can you ever learn to play just for yourself?
National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr takes readers inside one girl's struggle to reclaim her love of music and herself. To find joy again, even when things don't go according to plan. Because life isn't a performance, and everyone deserves the chance to make a few mistakes along the way.
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My Thoughts:
Music is one of life's essentials. At least it is for me. I cannot bear to go through my day without hearing a tune, whether it be country, instrumental, classical, Christian, what have you. Because I took piano for ten years, I believe that is a big reason why I love music so much.
It is also why I gravitated towards The Lucy Variations. I loved the synopsis of it--I'm all about finding joy in something again. I loved the composer talk, and the musical terms, and I loved being taken back to my lesson days with Joan Wierenga, my awesome piano teacher.
Sadly, that is as far as my enjoyment went.
I wanted to like The Lucy Variations. I really and truly did. However, when I despise the protagonist, it will make reading difficult. And Lucy...I found her to be a brat. Initially, I liked her, but as the book progressed, I wanted to slap her silly. A big reason for that was that she came across as a typical teenager. She was flippant and frankly, I rarely found her likable.
The biggest issue though was as I read, I was expecting her to have an affair with her brother's piano teacher. Trust me, they came close several times. If it had not been for the twist at the end, I would have said it would happen, despite the fact that he was married. Or, if Lucy hadn't carried on with him, she would have with one of her teachers. Seriously. I read The Lucy Variations waiting for her teenage self to do something stupid.
The theme of the book: doing something for one's self. As it related to music, I could understand it. I never wanted to be a concert pianist; I did not want to lose my love for the instrument. Contrast that with Lucy, who was driven by those around her, yet a circumstance arose that caused her to walk away.....But the music had never died within her. Her priorities shifted. I did like that. It is identifiable to many people, especially those with ambitions.
Can I recommend it? Hmm.....for those who like teen books....maybe. However, I think there are other books better worth one's time.
But it did inspire me to go put on my Gershwin songs again. So that is something =)
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