Hey all! Tonight, I’m part of the tour for Looking For Lucie by Amanda Addison. Thanks to all the gang at The Write Reads for allowing me to tag along and the gifted book for me to write this honest review.
Looking for Lucie is a contemporary YA novel that explores identity, self-discovery, and newfound friendship as an 18-year-old girl sets out to uncover her ethnic heritage and family history.
“Where are you really from?”
It’s a question every brown girl in a white-washed town is familiar with, and one that Lucie has never been able to answer. All she knows is that her mother is white, she’s never met her father, and she looks nothing like the rest of her family. She can’t even talk about it because everyone says it shouldn’t matter!
Well, it matters to Lucie and-with her new friend Nav, who knows exactly who he is-she’s determined to find some answers.
What do you do when your entire existence is a question with no answer?
You do a DNA test.
My Review
It is a heartwarming story of an eighteen year old girl attempting to find out who she really is. Lucie is different from her family. They are white while she isn’t. Her mum has never spoken of her biological father, which leaves Lucie searching for answers. A DNA kit is bought, and there starts her journey.
As a mother, I felt for Lucie, straight away. The questions of her identity touched me, and I absolutely invested in her from then. It was lovely to see her friendship with Nav blossom. He has strengths that help in Lucie’s quest so much. As the story unfolds, we learn about Lucie’s past and Nav’s, too. I did love the sound of this book, and it proved I was right to want to read it.
The fact that the author tackles very important and sensitive issues head on, is great. If kids had access to more books such as Looking For Lucie, they may just understand more. Compassion and education are key in this harsh world we live today, and books such as this are excellent!
GoodReads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/204929266-looking-for-lucie
Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Looking-Lucie-Amanda-Addison/dp/1911107682/
Author Bio
Amanda Addison is an award-winning author of books for adults and children. Her writing has been translated into German, Greek, Italian and Ukrainian. Her picture book, Boundless Sky, was nominated for The CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medal, and her YA novel, Looking for Lucie, was listed for the Searchlight Writing Novel Opening Award. A graduate of Chelsea school of Art, her writing and artwork are inspired by travel, textiles, and the natural world. Amanda holds an MA in Writing the Visual and lectures in Art & Design and has also led workshops in Creative Writing at the National Centre for Writing. Amanda lives in Norfolk, UK, with her family.
Her writing includes flash fiction, short stories, picture books and novels. She explores themes of home and belonging, and enjoys using the juxtaposition of rural and city life. Her characters are often artists or scientists, as their curiosity about the world around them are two sides to the same coin, and the exploration of art and science can give us meaning and purpose in life with its infinite avenues of discovery. Amanda’s debut YA novel, Looking for Lucie, Neem Tree Press 2024, explores the above. It is a contemporary story of identity, self-discovery, and newfound friendship. Lucie, an 18-year-old art student sets out to uncover her ethnic heritage and family history with her new scientist friend Nav. Together they unravel family secrets.
Amanda believes in the power of stories as a window on the world, and a mirror to better see ourselves and is passionate about stories which are empowering and inclusive. When not writing she can be found swimming in the North Sea or running in the countryside, and that is when she gets some of her best ideas!
sharonbeyondthebooks.uk 