My Name is Lucy Barton
ABOUT
THE BOOK
Lucy is recovering from an operation in a New York hospital when she wakes to find her estranged mother sitting by her bed. They have not seen one another in years. As they talk Lucy finds herself recalling her troubled rural childhood and how it was she eventually arrived in the big city, got married and had children. But this unexpected visit leaves her doubting the life she’s made: wondering what is lost and what has yet to be found.
NOMINATING LIBRARY COMMENTS
A short and simple novel with a lasting impact on the reader. The author tells a story both beautiful and haunting, revealed piecemeal through the memories and conversations of a mother and her adult daughter. A book of high literary merit and simple charms.
This book is about people who love imperfectly, as we all do. The author has managed to weave a story that spans decades and generations, while still gripping our attention without letting go. Reading this will make you sad but it’s worth the tears.
This is a deceptively simple novel that uses it’s sparseness to ensure each word and sentence are weighted to provide a taut, compelling novel.