A review by geraldinerowe
Saving Lucia by Anna Vaught

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Saving Lucia is challenging and fascinating in equal parts. Challenging mainly because it is written in a somewhat Joycian style (the eponymous Lucia is James Joyce's daughter) with touches of Beckett and others thrown in for good measure. I appreciate that device, but the inclusion of speech marks would've halved the time it took me to read this short book. I'm still not entirely sure what it was trying to say. Who is to say who is mad and who is not? The appalling treatment of women throughout the history of psychiatric medicine? That the cure can cause the illness? Whatever its message, the whole is a fascinating flight of fancy (of both the author and the two main characters) based on real people and events. I can recommend reading the afterword for an interesting insight into the author's research.