Paperback: 368 pages Publisher: Chicken House; Reissue edition (6 Mar 2006) Genre: Young Adult Source: Library
RATING 
My Thoughts - Where has this book been all my life? I am still just in complete awe of this book, but more-so "Lucas" himself. I don't know if you have read Stargirl but if I were to describe Lucas, the first comparison that comes to mind is: Stargirl Simply because they share such similar traits in my opinion. Both are very mysterious and have an "Out of this world" presence. The way I felt when I finished Stargirl was the exact way I felt the moment, I finished Lucas. Speechless and filled with unanswered questions.
"I still don't understand what happened, I don't think I ever will. I suppose in a way, it was the start of everything; the beginning of the end"
LUCAS is the story of a 15 year old girl called Cait who is trying to find herself. She is growing up, but feels as though everyone treats her as a child. She is at that age where you are still learning about yourself, experimenting, exploring and trying to figure out who you really are. We all go through it at some point. However, not all, if any will go through the experience that Cait will, an experience that will change her perspective on life, forever.
The story begins with Cate MacCann reminiscing on the summer she first met a boy named Lucas. As soon as I read those first few pages, I could tell that the book was only going to get harder to read, Cait' story is not a happy one, but it is one which teaches you a thing or two.
It's the moment that Cait first sets eyes on Lucas, that she knows something as changed. Maybe it's the fact that there is something unsettling, but special about him that she can't help but notice. Or maybe it's his blue eyes that she can't seem to turn away from.
Lucas is a survivor, probably best described as a drifter; but that is where any knowledge of him ends. Like I mentioned he is very mysterious, and that perhaps is a part of his allure, beside his strength and bravery that is. No one can seem to make sense of this young boy. Raised questions often are; who is he and where is he from? People always need a reason, most definitely when it comes to something they don't like. People at times, sadly, don't like what they can't seem to make sense of, it scares them. So they do the one thing that they can, spread rumours, and set out to do their worst.
Lucas is just a boy, a boy that even now is spinning in my head; I can't seem to make sense of him. There is this feeling though, that maybe like Stargirl he simply isn't a character that is to be attempted to figure out. Maybe as a reader I should just accept that he is not someone I can ever completely understand. For a reader though it's like telling me I might as well not know my characters. That's tough to do, it's tough to accept, but I accepted it out of respect for Stargirl, I think I can do that for Lucas. Maybe for the second time only, I will let him be. I have a feeling that he would want that.
Cait is a girl who I greatly admire; it takes a lot of courage for a 15 year old girl to go against a town and her own family for something she believes in. In this case being Lucas. This novel faces a lot of issues in today's society being; Discrimination, bullying, stereotype and most of all flawed people.
I ached for Lucas, for this boy who did nothing wrong, but was treated horribly all the same. What he goes though makes you look at us as humans as a whole with disgust and shame. The author makes you acknowledge that this is what we are capable of, and really... it doesn't take much for this happen over and over again, not much at all, and that scares me. This novel shows us first-hand how judgemental, fickle, and hateful people can really be without any real reason at all.
Lucas is a character who is very hard to explain. He seems out of this world, but mature beyond his years. He is soft spoken, calm and collected and minds his own business. It was clear from the very beginning for me that he never had any intention in harming anyone. It almost seems as though the things that were going to happen to him were inevitable, because people were so hell bent on getting rid of him. Even his good-doings are maliciously twisted and thrown against him. It is almost as though, he never really stood a chance. Then in the middle of it all is this equally strong and determined young girl, who hardly knows this boy but is fighting for what she feels is right; placing herself in the firing line, she is taking a great risk: a risk which is more than worth it for Lucas in her opinion.
I often got the feeling that people like Lucas are to special to stick around, they have a mission of some kind, attempt it or finish it and then are gone. Perhaps we are not worthy of them, and that scares people, it makes them afraid; maybe that is why they all turned on him, because inside they recognised that to. At times I questioned if he was even human. I was so confused and troubled about him that it frustrated me at times. I had come across something like this when I read Stargirl and felt a similar emotion when it came to his novel "Black Rabbit Summer" regarding the character Raymond who comes to mind frequently even now. I am no good at endings that leave to many unanswered questions, and both of his novels did exactly that.
The saddest thing of all in my opinion is perhaps the moment Cait and Lucas are just getting to know each other, and start to become much more aware of what they are feeling, and suddenly everything is cut short. Leaving you angry, upset and unwilling to accept what just happened. You feel their pain, their helplessness and alongside them you ask "Did they even stand a chance"?
So little is revealed about him, even little is explained. Near the end you have to take it with a pinch of salt otherwise this story will haunt you for a long time, it's hard to just accept and never know, but, that is why years after first discovering this author as a child, his work still lingers and stays relevant to me and rated very highly among authors who I also grew up with and still adore, such as; Melvin Burgess, David Almond, Anne Fine, Bali Rai and Christopher Pike.
Overall, LUCAS makes you appreciate the smaller things in life, but also makes you aware of society as a whole, and gives you the lesson; just as quick as they can build you up, they can turn on you. Thought-provoking and gritty LUCAS is a novel that will not leave you for a very long time. Definitely a highlight for me; book-wise of 2009, and one that stood out and strongly held it's own.
"That's what happens. You just get on with it. There are no endings."
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