Lucy: A Novel (SparkNotes Literature Guide Series) [NOOK Book]

good book

I'm surprised there's so many negative reviews...Anyway, I thought this was a great book and I could relate to Lucy's angst. I love Kincaid's writing style, it isn't sentimental at all, and I like that.

A Young Womens Development

Lucy, by Jamica Kincaid follows the life of a young women coming into her own. Written in a first person, Lucy tell her story of experiencing a new place and how it compared with her imagination. By discussing real life issues of a young adult in her situation such as homelessness and sexuality she shows how she comes into her own. Lucy, through out the novel seems to be lost and dissapointed until she meets what seems to be her only friend Mariah. It is Mariah who influences her throught out the story, she becomes her mother figure. Mariah replaces Lucy's own real mother. For the most part Lucy, by Jamaica Kincaid was an ok novel. It did not catch my interest.I was very disappointed with Lucy and how her character turns out in the end of the book. Lucy portrayed herself as an angry, unhappy person. I could not relate to her character and found it difficult to get through the novel with much interest.

A strange and wonderful book.

Lucy by Jamaica Kincaid bothered me as I read it. But when I paused long enough to ask myself what was going on, the novel seemed to open up and reveal more of itself. Lucy, the main character was such a complex person. Some of her anti-social behavior was due to the servant status that she had, which consisted of taking care of a rich families four girls. Also Lucy was sort of transforming into an adult so that the kindness of her patron, boss was felt as patronising, the kindness semed to remind Lucy of her mother. It seemed like a continuation of the status of dependency that Lucy was trying to grow out of. Every act of kindness was seen through the lens of anger, resentment, rebellion. The novel might also be exploring colonialism. The relationshp between Third World countries and the non-Third World. Lucy may not have been ungratful. The novel explores the class relationship between the characters in a very personal way. I felt Lucy very weak and very strong when her female patrons marriage falls apart and Lucy decides that she is moving out with her female friend. The question might be for me: 'Can there be real friendship between a person in power who is very generous and a person not in power, a working class person, a person who sells their labor to make a living?' The question of racism seemed in the background, or not there at all.

Hard to choose sides

Lucy is a character that can irritate you- then you can relate to her. Kincaid is very unique writer and Lucy is the first book I've read of her's. Her behavior through out the book made me mad because she blamed others for the way she is(she thanked her mom for [Lucy] becoming a slut). At the end of the book, she finally admits to herself...

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