Lucy’s Uncommon Companion

Zuzana Karasova
Choice Publishing (2009)
ISBN 9781907107092
Reviewed by Victoria Gonzalez for Reader Views (01/10)

 

This is a very special book that I have had the privilege to read. It is very different and one of the most unique and interesting books I have read in a long time. While reading, it felt as if I had entered someone’s dream and was observing the entire dream sequence for several nights. The description of the book does not do it justice; if you can appreciate the sometimes amusing translation into English, you will enjoy this book. Lucy is a very curious child, and after recovering from an accident, she goes on to lead a fairly ordinary life, going to art school and meeting friends; however, these seemingly ordinary events read more like a fantastic adventure than anything less interesting. Zuzana is a skilled writer, and despite the weakness of the translation, you can see that the novel in its original form would have been very good. The characters Lucy and her caretaker have a lot of depth, and it is very interesting to see Lucy through her caretaker’s eyes at different points in the novel to see how Lucy is becoming more mature. It is fitting when Lucy meets an equally interesting person as her and finds love with him. Nan, Lucy’s love interest, is a fascinating character. He has a secret that could mean the end of his and Lucy’s relationship.

Zuzana is a good author, and her characters are very captivating. My favorite part of the novel, which also illustrates Zuzana’s skill at writing, is when Nan and Lucy are walking in the garden (try to look past the translation inaccuracies), “’Don’t you know that the mythical bird Phoenix was born in flame and ended in flame?’ he asked, turning to her… Saying this, Nan got slowly up and pulled her into a hug. They began to walk together along a natural path worn to the ground by a solitary walker. When Lucy and Nan arrived to a tree… it was a Dryandra, a most favourite tree of the Phoenix bird… She closed her eyes and she saw the Phoenix sitting in the tree… Then she opened them again and found the mythical bird caught in her eyes.” “Lucy’s Uncommon Companion” is full of fantastic, dream-like scenes like this and it is exciting to read.

This really is a fantastic and very interesting novel and I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in history (the novel begins with Edison’s invention of the light bulb, and there are a few other historical references throughout the story) or romance, and dreams. The description of the book that was given is a little strange, probably due to the translation, but don’t let that deter you from reading this book. “Lucy’s Uncommon Companion” by Zuzana Karasova is very extraordinary and you will not regret it.

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