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Lucy

a Novel
crankylibrarian
Oct 19, 2010crankylibrarian rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
The classic feral child story with a twist, an enfant sauvage not only raised by beasts, but genetically one of them. While fleeing an uprising in the Congo, primatologist Jenny Lowe rescues Lucy, the 14 year old daughter of fellow researcher David Stone. Although she senses there is something odd about the girl, it is not until after their return to the United States that Jenny realizes the truth: Lucy is a human/ape hybrid, produced by Dr Stone in a desperate attempt to preserve the best of humanity and his beloved bonobo apes. Determined to protect the girl, Jenny adopts her and tries to give her a "normal" suburban American life, but of course darker forces prevail. I had a few quibbles with this book. Lucy is almost too good to be true: brilliant and beautiful, she warbles Italian opera while butterflies light on her hand; spontaneously recites Kipling and Shakespeare; even cleans the kitchen without being asked! The villains on the other hand are all the usual suspects: religious wackos, faceless government bureaucrats, and pontificating politicos. Yet the core relationships, between Jenny and Lucy and their fiercely loyal extended family, are deeply moving. Gonzales deftly portrays Jenny's growing maternal attachment for Lucy, a love that transcends genetic barriers. Jenny never questions her commitment to Lucy, despite enormous pressure and danger. Gonzales also offers a wondrous window into Lucy's mind: notably her awareness of "the Stream", the ceaseless flow of nonverbal information through which all animals (except adult humans) communicate. One of the funniest, yet most moving passages describes Lucy's first day at an American high school, as she drinks in the potent adolescent "Stream" she sadly notes that becoming a human adult will mean losing this gift. Startlingly original and beautiful.