Review: The Lucy Variations by Sara Zarr

Title: The Lucy Variations
Author: Sara Zarr
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Publication date: May 7, 2013

Genre(s): Young Adult (Contemporary)

Source: Publisher (HBG Canada)

Format: ARC

Pages: 320

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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?

After reading How to Save a Life, I became a fan of Sara Zarr's writing. Sara Zarr writes contemporary novels, but they are usually more on the "realistic fiction" side. Lucy is not your typical teenager. She had her future all planned out as a professional pianist. She was home-schooled, a full time pianist, and there was extreme pressure on her. There was a certain incident that made Lucy want to leave it all behind. Now that the pressure isn't on her anymore, it's all on her younger brother, Gus. Sara Zarr portrayed a perfectionist family spot on. This book was more about the family pressure that many teenagers go through, instead of the romance in most contemporary novels.

Lucy was a very interesting character to read about. A lot of teenagers who go through that stuff would probably be able to relate to her very well. I liked that she wasn't the type who would just let other be in control of what she wants to do. I liked how she took matters into her own hands, and that she made her own decision despite the consequences. One day, Gus's tutor suffers a heart attack and dies. Lucy's grandfather starts searching for a new one piano teacher, and that's when they decide to hire Will. Lucy then starts developing a relationship with him, and not that type of relationship, but more of that teacher/friend relationship with a cute teacher. There's not much to say about the story without spoiling it, but it just revolves around family problems and the pressure that some parents put on their children.

Overall, The Lucy Variations took a different direction into contemporary novels. It was refreshing to read a book that is talking about family, rather that the typical romance. Though I have to admit, maybe adding a little bit romance would have been nice. Anyhow, I really enjoyed reading this, and would recommend it to anyone who would look past the "no romance" aspect of the book. Once again, Sara Zarr did not disappoint me, and I will definitely be looking forward to her next book.

Other books by Sara Zarr:

How to Save a Life