The lucy variations
It can be a depressing thing to believe, at sixteen, that your best years are behind you. Especially when the people closest to you seem to agree. 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.
Sara Zarr takes readers inside the exclusive world of privileged San Francisco families, top junior music competitions, and intense mentorships. The Lucy Variations is a story of one girl’s struggle to reclaim her love of music, and herself. It’s about finding joy again, even when things don’t go according to plan. Because life isn’t a performance, and everyone deserves the chance to make a few mistakes along the way.
Honors
A Publishers Weekly Best Book
A Kirkus Best Book
An ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults book
Junior Library Guild Selection
Kids’ Indie Next Pick
SELECT QUOTES
“…an elegant novel.” – The New York Times
★ “Zarr doesn’t waste a word in this superb study of a young musical prodigy trying to reclaim her life." – Publishers Weekly, starred review
★ ” Zarr does what she does best. ... she really, truly gets inside her characters’ minds and shows us what makes them complex human beings—their faults, fears, and hopes.” – Booklist, starred review
★ “Exploring relationships is where Zarr soars... This strong coming-of-age story about music, passion, and the search for identity will appeal to longtime fans of Zarr’s work and newcomers alike.” – School Library Journal, starred review
★ “The combination of sympathetic main character and unusual social and cultural world makes this satisfying coming-of-age story stand out.” – Kirkus, starred review
“…the novel’s strength is Zarr’s unflinching attention to the gray areas on Lucy’s life, where adults are fallible, decisions are reversible, and passions can guide you forward or lead you astray. The result is both a satisfying coming-of-age story and a thoughtful treatise on art, identity, and personal fulfillment.” – The Horn Book
“The ever-capable Zarr creates an utterly believable family in the Beck-Moreaus, with layers of function and dysfunction melding into one another. – The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books