Lucy

Jamaica Kincaid

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1990

Book Brief

Jamaica Kincaid

Lucy

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1990

Book Details

Pages

176

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

New York City • 1960s

Publication Year

1990

Audience

Adult

Super Short Summary

Lucy by Jamaica Kincaid follows Lucy Potter, a 19-year-old from the West Indies who moves to the USA in 1969 to work as a nanny for a wealthy white couple, Mariah and Lewis. Lucy grapples with homesickness, cultural alienation, and her fraught relationship with her mother. Despite her efforts to rebel against her past, Lucy finds herself unfulfilled and struggling to form her own identity. The book addresses themes of sexual relationships, infidelity, and emotional trauma.

Contemplative

Melancholic

Bittersweet

Emotional

Mysterious

Reviews & Readership

Review Roundup

Lucy by Jamaica Kincaid offers a poignant exploration of identity, colonialism, and personal growth through the eyes of a young Caribbean woman in the US. Critics praise its lyrical prose and emotional depth but note that its nonlinear narrative can be challenging. Overall, it’s lauded for its insightful portrayal of the immigrant experience and complex characters.

Who Should Read Lucy?

A reader who would enjoy Lucy by Jamaica Kincaid is likely drawn to coming-of-age stories and narratives centered on themes of identity, colonialism, and self-discovery. Fans of Zadie Smith's White Teeth or Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah will appreciate Kincaid's lyrical prose and complex, introspective characters.

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