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bookishmillennial's review against another edition
funny
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial
This was so lovely. I appreciated this middle grade historical fictional story about Lucy, who is sent to a lighthouse island on the Great Lakes with the Martins after her last caretaker passes away. Her father passed away a few years ago searching for a necklace and her mother, years before then.
It’s 1912, and Lucy is now 11 years old and navigating being an orphan, but trying her best to fit in with the Martins, as she has no one left. She has six new siblings (and not all of them are thrilled she is there!) and unfortuantely, her bed is in the girls’ room’s closet (there is very limited space in this lighthouse, this is not out of neglect or spite, simply a space issue). Lucy is spirited, confident, and loves telling tales; she refers to herself as "The Princess" or "The Small Waif Girl" at certain times in the story (we're given third-person POV of Lucy), and it is delightful to follow her narrative. You can absolutely argue it is a coping mechanism amidst so much change, but I think she is posited as someone who has always enjoyed tall tales, and exploring new worlds in her imagination!
The plot, besides the Martins ensuring they are doing everything up to code so they are not re-assigned to a different lighthouse, is Lucy's motivation for adventure! She is focused on finding the treasure her dad was searching for years ago (a necklace that once belonged to a local family nearby but was lost!) but she has a deep phobia of being on a boat/on the water. In the boat ride over, she has a panic attack (what I interpreted it as, but I could be wrong!) and obviously this is a major problem if she wants to go on this quest!
Overall, I found Lucy’s story to be bittersweet, tender and truly so easy to zoom through. The writing flowed well, and I was so appreciative of reading the perspective of a French-Ojibwe child and other indigenous characters. This book centers around themes of belonging, chosen family, and bravery during hard times. It also illuminated such fascinating lighthouse history on the Great Lakes that I wasn’t aware of! I highly recommend this book, and will be looking out for Johnson's work in the future!
The author is a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.
This was so lovely. I appreciated this middle grade historical fictional story about Lucy, who is sent to a lighthouse island on the Great Lakes with the Martins after her last caretaker passes away. Her father passed away a few years ago searching for a necklace and her mother, years before then.
It’s 1912, and Lucy is now 11 years old and navigating being an orphan, but trying her best to fit in with the Martins, as she has no one left. She has six new siblings (and not all of them are thrilled she is there!) and unfortuantely, her bed is in the girls’ room’s closet (there is very limited space in this lighthouse, this is not out of neglect or spite, simply a space issue). Lucy is spirited, confident, and loves telling tales; she refers to herself as "The Princess" or "The Small Waif Girl" at certain times in the story (we're given third-person POV of Lucy), and it is delightful to follow her narrative. You can absolutely argue it is a coping mechanism amidst so much change, but I think she is posited as someone who has always enjoyed tall tales, and exploring new worlds in her imagination!
The plot, besides the Martins ensuring they are doing everything up to code so they are not re-assigned to a different lighthouse, is Lucy's motivation for adventure! She is focused on finding the treasure her dad was searching for years ago (a necklace that once belonged to a local family nearby but was lost!) but she has a deep phobia of being on a boat/on the water. In the boat ride over, she has a panic attack (what I interpreted it as, but I could be wrong!) and obviously this is a major problem if she wants to go on this quest!
Overall, I found Lucy’s story to be bittersweet, tender and truly so easy to zoom through. The writing flowed well, and I was so appreciative of reading the perspective of a French-Ojibwe child and other indigenous characters. This book centers around themes of belonging, chosen family, and bravery during hard times. It also illuminated such fascinating lighthouse history on the Great Lakes that I wasn’t aware of! I highly recommend this book, and will be looking out for Johnson's work in the future!
The author is a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent and Grief
laurenabayne's review against another edition
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The best historical fiction books focus on something rarely discussed in history classes. Lighthouse keeping in 1912 on the Great Lakes? Definitely something I have never encountered.
Readers get to learn about this unknown pocket of history through Lucy, an orphan who comes to live with the Martin family in their lighthouse on Harmony Island in Michigan. She has a fear of water due to her sailor father's death by drowning, but she learns to brave the lake in her quests to find a treasure, learn more about her new home, and save her newfound family. Like Lucy, the Martin family are French-Ojibwe, and the parents take care to teach their children about their culture (a dictionary at the back is very helpful for readers - this is a prime example of OwnVoices representation and Indigenous joy).
There are so many things that shine (pun intended) in this book. While there are a LOT of players in the story, each feels distinct and has their own distinctive journey in learning how to live with Lucy. The switch in narration when Lucy "becomes" one of the characters in her head (such as the Small Waif Girl and the Princess) is fresh and showcases a realistic response to stressful situations. All of the kids are written as kids (even the parentified ones). The overarching lessons of bravery and belonging will be ones that any child can relate to, even if they know nothing about this era of history.
The main reason why I gave this four stars is because the chapters are very long (at least on Kindle). The side exploration for the necklace, which I think would really entice middle grade readers, is resolved fairly quickly. I totally get that Johnson wanted to focus more on the journey of belonging, but kids often want more trials and peril in searching for treasure. I'll note as well that the map on Kindle was very broken up, but I'm sure the print copy is much better.
So glad the title of this book sucked me in!
Thank you, of course, to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. My students who love historical fiction will eat this one UP!
Readers get to learn about this unknown pocket of history through Lucy, an orphan who comes to live with the Martin family in their lighthouse on Harmony Island in Michigan. She has a fear of water due to her sailor father's death by drowning, but she learns to brave the lake in her quests to find a treasure, learn more about her new home, and save her newfound family. Like Lucy, the Martin family are French-Ojibwe, and the parents take care to teach their children about their culture (a dictionary at the back is very helpful for readers - this is a prime example of OwnVoices representation and Indigenous joy).
There are so many things that shine (pun intended) in this book. While there are a LOT of players in the story, each feels distinct and has their own distinctive journey in learning how to live with Lucy. The switch in narration when Lucy "becomes" one of the characters in her head (such as the Small Waif Girl and the Princess) is fresh and showcases a realistic response to stressful situations. All of the kids are written as kids (even the parentified ones). The overarching lessons of bravery and belonging will be ones that any child can relate to, even if they know nothing about this era of history.
The main reason why I gave this four stars is because the chapters are very long (at least on Kindle). The side exploration for the necklace, which I think would really entice middle grade readers, is resolved fairly quickly. I totally get that Johnson wanted to focus more on the journey of belonging, but kids often want more trials and peril in searching for treasure. I'll note as well that the map on Kindle was very broken up, but I'm sure the print copy is much better.
So glad the title of this book sucked me in!
Thank you, of course, to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. My students who love historical fiction will eat this one UP!
oliviapaige3's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
srivalli's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
4 Stars
One Liner: Heartwarming
1912, Michigan
Lucy is an eleven-year-old spirited French-Ojibwe orphan sent to live on the tiny Harmony Island with the large Martins family. She misses her papa (a sailor) and hopes to find the legendary ruby necklace he wanted to find but couldn’t.
Living on an island is hard when Lucy is afraid of water). Moreover, adjusting to the new life with the Anishinaabe family, the lighthouse keepers, isn’t easy. But no one could say Lucy can’t handle hard.
If only things were a little easier. Maybe a bit of effort is exactly what’s needed.
The story comes in Lucy’s third-person POV.
My Thoughts:
A book with a lighthouse, a title with alliteration, and an intriguing premise- do I need more to grab this one? Of course not.
The book starts with Lucy eavesdropping on a conversation. We get a glimpse into her character and begin to understand her delicate position. The poor girl lost her parents and guardian and is now thrust into an unknown family, that too, a large one.
Lucy is an engaging MC. She is far from perfect and often switches to different personalities as a coping mechanism. She’s a Princess one moment, an Actress the next, and a Small Waif immediately afterward. These define her means of coping with the sudden changes in the situation and her inability to handle them without feeling overwhelmed. I love how this enriches her arc throughout the book.
While the ruby necklace is important, it is not the central plot. The main theme is about Lucy finding her place in the Martins family. It’s not easy for both parties, as we can clearly see. The Martins already have six children ranging from high school to pre-nursery. Inserting an eleven-year-old longing for a family is not a stress-free task.
The setting and the lighthouse descriptions are clear enough to visualize the place but so elaborate that kids will lose interest. It helps that the island is super tiny (a smart move). There’s a map, which broke into a dozen pieces on my Kindle. Maybe it’ll look better in PDF on a computer screen. I wish we could see the drawing of the ruby necklace, too.
The Martins family, despite the large number, is easy to track. Everyone has a distinct personality, some rude, some sweet, some bored, but even they change as they get to know Lucy and accept her presence.
We are introduced to a few more characters who play minor but crucial roles in the plot’s progress.
There’s some adventure and one risky scene in the climax. It is essential to the plot and handled without feeling OTT.
The inclusion of Anishinaabemowin's words and Mrs. Martin’s determination to teach their native language to the children is so wonderful. I love it. As a pagan, I cannot stress enough the importance of this statement. Frame it, I say!
It may be fashionable these days to leave one’s heritage behind, but one day, you’ll regret not knowing the things your ancestors did.
There’s a glossary of Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe language) and French terms at the end, followed by acknowledgments. This helped understand the meanings of the words better, though most were explained within the story.
To summarize, The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry is a heartwarming, beautiful, and steady-paced book about a young girl facing her fears and finding a family to call her own. It’s also about grief, mourning, and being optimistic about life.
Thank you, NetGalley and Holiday House, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheLuminousLifeOfLucyLandry
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
verypeculiarbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
elise_randall_modica's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sask_girl's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of this lovely story! In the end, I thought this was a wonderful tale, but it took me a while to like the protagonist (which might be intentional on the author's part). A few parts seemed a tad unbelievable, but overall, it was a grand adventure, and the growth of the protagonist was fun to read. The detailed description of the setting was so vivid that it became like a character. The family was an interesting mix of characters that were so real in their flaws and their love. I really enjoyed the author's notes at the end that detailed more of the history of the people of that area. Thanks for the ARC. I can't wait to buy the book when it comes out for my family!
linuswickworth's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It's 1912, and burdened by multiple deaths, ten year old Lucy is being handed off to a new family. Lucy's father died searching for a necklace from a shipwreck, and now young Lucy is determined to finish what he started even if she has to combat her fear of the ocean to do so. She moves in with the Martins; husband, wife, and six kids - who live in a lighthouse.
Often slipping into characters of her own making, Lucy is able to gain courage to deal with things that she may otherwise struggle with. And struggle she does, since living with the Martin's is no easy feat. The other kids don't warm up to her, she keeps messing up their careful way of life, and there's the fact she's living in a lighthouse near where her father died.
I enjoyed this book, it was well written and the characters felt real. The book connects the reader to the characters and plot through the brighter-than-life main character, and use of local and familial history. There was beautiful ties to Lucy and the Martin's indigenous heritage, that allowed the characters to connect to each other outside their familial bond.
Often slipping into characters of her own making, Lucy is able to gain courage to deal with things that she may otherwise struggle with. And struggle she does, since living with the Martin's is no easy feat. The other kids don't warm up to her, she keeps messing up their careful way of life, and there's the fact she's living in a lighthouse near where her father died.
I enjoyed this book, it was well written and the characters felt real. The book connects the reader to the characters and plot through the brighter-than-life main character, and use of local and familial history. There was beautiful ties to Lucy and the Martin's indigenous heritage, that allowed the characters to connect to each other outside their familial bond.
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