Title: The Lucy Variations Author: Sara Zarr
Published: May 7, 2013
Genre(s): Realistic/Contemporary
Page Count: 309
Rating:
Summary from Goodreads: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?
Some authors definitely improve as they gain experience; Sara Zarr is one of them. Comparing her earlier books to later books is really astonishing, in some areas. The Lucy Variations is just strong, so much stronger and more mature than Sweethearts was. Zarr has come into her own.
There are a lot of things, maybe, that I wouldn’t normally have gone for present in this book. I’m not really a fan of “talent show” YA—books where the protagonist is a great athlete, musician, artist, etc. Too often the “talent show” takes over the space that should rightfully be occupied by character development. That wasn’t the case in The Lucy Variations. Though Lucy’s piano playing had something to do with the story, this was very much a book about discovery of self.
Lucy’s journey from beginning to end of the book was handled in a way that made it authentic. Zarr didn’t try to simplify the complex issues of personal responsibility, family dynamics, inappropriate relationships, and friendship that came into play. Lucy, as a character, made mistakes along the way. In her quest to “be herself” she hurt people who loved her, and in turn, those she loved hurt her as well. The Lucy Variations really grasps what it’s like to be a person—infallible, prone to error, but usually with good intentions.
Another thing that made me aware of Zarr’s talent was how I wasn’t annoyed by Lucy’s inappropriate relationships with her teachers. She “likes older men”, and as someone who finds student/teacher situations highly not-okay, I don’t think I would have been able to handle Lucy’s personality if it hadn’t been handled so maturely and neutrally. Zarr didn’t condemn Lucy, but neither did she seem to conclude that Lucy was in the right (very much the opposite). That approach worked very well, and I was able to view the situation as part of Lucy’s ongoing process to break away from family pressure and expectations. A form of rebellion, if you will.
Zarr’s prose is not the most earth-shattering thing I’ve read; it’s not lyrical or poetic in the way I’m often drawn to. But it is elegant and fluid; as a writer with experience, this author can express what she wants to in a way that is instantly understood and felt. The Lucy Variations is constantly bringing emotion to the fore, making Lucy’s situation more real, and easier to connect with.
The Lucy Variations is a book about family, about being yourself, about making mistakes and working to make up for them. Sara Zarr’s talent brought Lucy’s character into clear focus, and I loved the humanity this book portrayed. This is a very strong piece of fiction, and gives me a lot of hope for the author’s continued career.
