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Reviewed by Katelyn Hensel for Readers' Favorite
This is a wonderful story. You can’t really help but be interested when the opening chapter is the death of a piano teacher on Lucy and Gus’s living room floor. What follows is a beautiful story of a girl growing up, and growing into the person that she is meant to be. Sara Zarr truly knows how to dive into the mind of a teenage girl. You may not like what exists in this particular teenager's heart or mind, but it is extremely realistic and shows off just what a wonderful writer Sara truly is.
The recording was excellent. I’m a big fan of when authors narrate their own stories. They know exactly how they want things pronounced and exactly what kind of flow or tone that they want to inject into each scene. Another thing that was absolutely wonderful was the use of background music. In a story that dances like fingers on a piano, it was almost necessary to include classical music throughout the book. The music added a greatness to an already wonderful work.
The main story line revolves around Lucy, a piano prodigy at 15, who leaves the stage forever (?) after the death of her grandmother and the traumatic events surrounding it. Fast forward eight months. Lucy's family, once supporting her in her own musical endeavors, have moved focus to her younger brother Gus. Lucy doesn't care, that means less pressure for her and the freedom to start thinking for herself. But Lucy didn't realize that she was giving it up forever, and now Gus's new piano teacher is encouraging her to follow her heart. She chooses to do so, for better or worse, and that is what makes The Lucy Variations one of the most special and meaningful Young Adult books that I have come across in ages.
