The Lucky Place

Vincent, Zu. Lucky Place, The.
Front Street Books (see Boyds Mills), 2008, 230p, $17.95, 978-1-932425-70-3.

Front_Street_Books, Vincent, alcoholism, cancer, families, life_struggles, coping

Cassie grows up in 60’s suburbia torn between her two fathers. Sykes, the “Old Daddy” is an alcoholic gambler who once left her at the racetrack because he was too drunk to remember. Ellis, the “New Daddy” loves and raises her from the age of three after her mother divorces Sykes. Cassie loves Ellis as a father but feels guilty about it. Sykes rarely contacts Cassie and her brother and offers no support, eventually leaving their lives forever. Cassie tells the story from age three to age 12 and the author is able to show this maturing process in the writing. Cassie is the type of child that feels responsible for making everything okay, keeping her own thoughts inside. When Ellis becomes ill from cancer, Cassie takes on the burdens of her mother and the rest of the family. The story will grab readers from the start and compel them to read to the very end. The characters are real, if not always endearing and the story line is smooth and captivating. This is an emotional title that is at times quite heart wrenching. The chapters are short vignettes of Cassie's life and thoughts. The book contains mild curse words. This book will appeal to mature middle school and to high school readers, especially girls. Recommended for Tristate Books of Note.
Cassie grows up in 60’s suburbia torn between her two fathers: the one who loved her but was unable to be her father and the one who nurtured and loved her throughout her childhood. The writing is stark and engaging and the characters are real. For mature middle school and high school readers. TW