"Lucy Come Home," by Dave and Neta Jackson is the story of a young girl - and an old woman. The young girl and the old woman are actually the same person, because chapters in the book alternate between telling the stories of first a young girl in Depression- and then WWII-era America, and then an old, homeless lady in modern day Chicago.
How did that young girl become the old, homeless woman? At the beginning of the book, Lucinda - who alternately goes by both 'Lucy' and 'Cindy' in the book - is the child of extremely poor migrant workers during the Depression. The family is poor, but they are actually somewhat happy because they really love one another and the mother does her best to care for the family, even providing the occasional treat.
There is a bad character on the periphery of the family, and there is foreshadowing that lets you know that something bad is going to happen to Lucinda. Actually, it bothered me that I could tell that Lucinda was headed for some kind of disaster, because she was such a likable character.
Disaster strikes and her new boyfriend, Bo, is there with her when it hits. Bo and Lucinda are forced to run. She is separated from her loving family, and eventually becomes Lucy the homeless woman on the streets of Chicago.
But, Lucy had a loving family. As migrant workers, however, they had no permanent address, and so would be hard to trace. Read this book to see what happens at the end!
My opinion of the story is that it had it had a really creative plot, full of interesting twists and turns. The characters - other than 'the bad guys' on the edge of the story - are very lovable people. Lucy is actually very honorable, faithfully holding onto something that belongs to someone else over about a 60 year period. I would recommend this book as an enjoyable, quick read about a lady of great and interesting character!
Lovely review! It certainly inspired me to pick up a copy in the near future and bury myself within its covers and read more. It sounds like a brilliant story am intrigued by how the plot jumps from past to present.
ReplyDeleteKathy
http://gigglingtruckerswife.blogspot.com
Thanks, Kathy! I know...I wonder whether it would be difficult to write something like that, where the perspective switched back and forth...seems like it would...
DeleteAppreciate you coming by!
Great post! This sounds like a very good book indeed, the authors are new to me so thanks very much for the review!
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting! I think that you will enjoy the book...I saw that you signed up as a blog Follower too - Thanks :D
DeleteSounds like it may have an interesting story, but it's not the type of book I like to read. Might give it a shot if my friend downloads it to her kindle, though.
ReplyDeleteI am always looking for a good read...
ReplyDeleteThanks, Michelle! I will be over to your place later :)
DeleteThis sounds like a good, quick read, Libby. I'm bookmarking this to pick up it up sometime soon. Thanks for pointing me in the direction of the book.
ReplyDeleteHi Corinne - I think you would like this one!
DeleteThanks for sharing your review. I will add this into my list of book to read.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Journey; write back and tell us if you like it :)
ReplyDeleteLucy Tucker has lived an interesting and quite varied life. Growing up during the dust bowl, and living as a migrant worker with her family when she was a teenager, serves as a unique background to marrying a carny and living traveling from amusement park to amusement part with her husband for several years. But much of Lucy's adult life has been spent on the streets. The book jumps between Lucy's present life, in which is she living on the streets or in the Manna House shelter, and her younger years, starting in the 1940s with her family, until the two story lines meet.
ReplyDeleteI found myself wanting the earlier story line to progress faster so I could understand more of where Lucy had come from and why she was the way she was when you see her on the streets or in the shelter, while the present day story line made me think about the life and hardships of those who live on the streets. This book has some connections to some of the Jackson's other books, being set in the same area of Chicago for part of it.