Y’all, I am attracted to a bright orange cover. Hello eye candy. So, of course when The Voyage Of Lucy P. Simmons by Barbara Mariconda was up for grabs on Vine, I immediately snatched it up. ESPECIALLY because I love middle grade books with a nautical theme and for the most part, I thought The Voyage Of Lucy P. Simmons delivered on my nautical expectations.
The Voyage Of Lucy P. Simmons opens with a tragedy. Lucy and her parents are out for a bit of a pleasure cruise, when the sky turns dark and all of a sudden, a storm is brewing. While the ship is tossing, Lucy’s parents notice a man is out on the water and drowing, so they try to save him. Unfortunately, Lucy blacks out and when she wakes up, she is in her bed and discovers that her parents are dead. Even worse, her long lost Uncle Victor and his wife appear from out of nowhere for the reading of the will — and they are hoping to hit paydirt. When it’s discovered that Lucy is the sole heir and that her Uncle does NOT have guardianship of her, her relatives begin scheming for a way to get rid of Lucy and lay their hands upon her inheritance, which includes the huge mansion she lives in.
Lucy P. Simmons is a wonderful character to read about. The Voyage Of Lucy P. Simmons is written in first person which really helped to endear Lucy to me. The girl goes through so much trauma, from losing her parents to scheming relatives. I could not help but root for her the whole time. She’s an easy character to cheer for, especially because during signs of trouble, instead of moping Lucy digs in her heels and does the best she can to find an active solution.
Much of The Voyage Of Lucy P. Simmons takes place in the mansion which Lucy’s father always referred to as his ‘ship on shore’. You’ll want to note that when you read this book because it’s a wonderful piece of foreshadowing. Mariconda does a superb job describing the sea and the salty smells as well as the magic of the mansion. She really provides a sense of place in her words which absolutely enhanced my enjoyment of this middle grade book. I think that if you like books with a strong nautical theme, if you like the words to make you feel as though you are on the ocean, you will like this book.
Barbara Mariconda’s writing style is sure to appeal to reluctant readers. Her words move along at a pretty quick clip. The book never gets overly descriptive or bogged down with flowery prose. The writing is very no frills, but this makes it so the plot is center stage and the main focus. Impatient readers will probably really enjoy this book. However, one weakness of The Voyage Of Lucy P. Simmons is that there are a lot of loose ends that do not end up resolved by the end and this might annoy some readers.
The magic used within The Voyage Of Lucy P. Simmons is quite subtle. There are magical musical instruments. Various bits furniture within the house are enchanted. However, it’s not as in your face with the magic as Tuesdays At The Castle by Jessica Day George, also a great book. I went into this expecting the house to take a more active role like the castle, but it did not. I would say do not go into this book expecting to be dazzled by the magic because it’s more of an undertone than an overtone.
For the most part, I would recommend The Voyage Of Lucy P. Simmons by Barbara Mariconda to readers who love middle grade books with a fantastical element. If you like books that are set by the sea, scheming characters, and headstrong young ladies, then you will enjoy The Voyage Of Lucy P. Simmons.
Disclosure: Received for review via Amazon Vine
Other reviews of The Voyage Of Lucy P. Simmons:
Book Nut – “On the one hand, this book works as a straight-up orphan story.”
YAkety YAks – “I have absolutely no interest in joining their voyage”
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You had me big time until you mentioned all those loose ends…hmmmmm.
Still, a MG with a strong sense of place and great descriptions is hard to pass up.
Yeah there are a lot of loose ends and it’s kind of obvious that there is going to be a sequel, but I would have liked it better rather given it 5 stars if it was more self contained.
I’m adding this one to my list! I love MG books, and this is one I’ve not heard of until now. Great review and thank you for the rec!
This one sounds like it’s right up my alley. Love middle grade, love magic, love headstrong characters. Thanks for sharing!
I love MG books and the magical cover stands out to me, as well as the heroine’s name of course 🙂 Too bad it’s not a standalone so that the loose ends could be tied up. Thanks for introducing this book, I’m looking forward to checking it out sometime!
Wait…the parents just die at the beginning and Lucy doesn’t with no explanation? :/
This still sounds pretty intriguing, in spite of the loose ends you mentioned. I do love book that have a nautical theme, since I don’t read too many of them these days!
Love fast-paced and intriguing middle grade novels. Interesting concept behind this one and I’m always on the lookout for books that might appeal to my very reluctant readers!
Okay! this gotta to to my to-read list now!
It sounds delightful and the cover is total eyecandy! 😀
Thanks for the review. 😀