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Lucy in the Sky

by John Vorhaus (Goodreads Author)

3.82 of 5 stars 3.82 · rating details · 11 ratings · 7 reviews

A coming-of-age tale set in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1969, Lucy in the Sky lightly touches on such weighty issues as the meaning of life, the purpose of art and the existence of God. For those interested in answers to The Big Questions or just keen to revisit a simpler time, Lucy in the Sky promises a fun and compelling trip – and that’s trip in every sense of the word. Ge...more

Paperback, 1st Edition, 328 pages

Expected publication: April 23rd 2102 by CreateSpace (first published February 28th 2012)

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Sep 25, 2012 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-review

Lucy in the sky have a slow beginning. It was parts I didn't understand and some parts that were just confusing. So I have to admit I used some time on it. The whole first half was slow to me, but after that, things started to happen. Some action, that made my stomach freeze and funny twists. I really enjoyed the last part and I finished it within two days.

John Vorhaus's writing style was special, sometimes the book had this magical tone, that hypnotized me, but at some parts it was just random...more

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May 21, 2012 Samantha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Lucy in the Sky is a great coming of age book, and it gives some insight as to what life was like in the 1960s. Everything is mainly "mom & pop smalltown USA" kind of nonsense, but on the flip side of the coin, there is the hippie movement that is chalk full of all the stuff your mother warned you about. One day a family member that you never had met shows up out of nowhere and starts to change everything that you once knew. It shows what it would be like to be able to take an adventure of a...more

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Jul 09, 2012 Jadaloves rated it 4 of 5 stars

I’ve really hit the jackpot lately with books I’ve accepted for review. Lucy in the Sky as such an enchanting read and I felt like I was instantly transported back in time into Gene’s world, and the tumultuous political climate of the late sixties. Young Gene Steen’s voice was so authentic and so believable, I had no problems falling right into this story.

When Gene’s long lost hippie cousin Lucy arrives unexpectedly to spend the summer with his family, Gene is mesmerized by her. But he soon find...more I’ve really hit the jackpot lately with books I’ve accepted for review. Lucy in the Sky as such an enchanting read and I felt like I was instantly transported back in time into Gene’s world, and the tumultuous political climate of the late sixties. Young Gene Steen’s voice was so authentic and so believable, I had no problems falling right into this story.

When Gene’s long lost hippie cousin Lucy arrives unexpectedly to spend the summer with his family, Gene is mesmerized by her. But he soon finds that his cousin is harboring some deep secrets, and there is much more to her than he originally thought. She is not as perfect as he would like to believe, and in the midst of everything, Gene embarks on a journey that helps him discover who he is.

The suburbs of the 70′s, and the mundane everyday life of the middle class come to life in this story. It’s not often I read a book through the eyes of a teen male, but Gene’s sarcastic approach, and introspective way, made reading through his eyes such a joy. I love Lucy’s very trippy, yet enlightened manner. Though she operated very much at a higher consciousness, Lucy was a real and well-rounded character because she was still damaged, had numerous flaws, and a saddening past. Gene was extremely affected by his cousin, her thoughts, and ideas, and he felt like being around her made him cooler and better. But I feel like Gene already had greatness in him, and Lucy was just the catalyst he needed to help bring it forth.

The trouble these two find themselves embroiled in is dangerous and exciting and heart stopping at times. There were several times Lucy in the Sky induced a real adrenaline rush and made me admire and respect the bravery and persistence of Gene. While Gene was grateful that Lucy came into his life, it is my belief that Lucy is the more fortunate one out of the pair. There would have been no one else more loyal and dedicated to her well being than Gene.

Lucy in the Sky is a beautiful coming of age story featuring great atmosphere, an unpredictable plot, and lovable, memorable characters. Vorhaus did an excellent job of capturing the volatile times of the sixties, and embodied the voice of young Gene perfectly.(less)

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Jul 07, 2012 Lucy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-2012

I think I took to long to get around to writing this review. I seem to have forgotten most of the things I wanted to say…or maybe I never had much to say to begin with….?
Anyway Lucy in the Sky wasn’t really what I expected. I mean it was a coming of age novel I suppose you would say (although a lot of the coming of age seemed to include sex and drugs….although for teenagers those are pretty much a reality…whether they get them or not!). There was the element of Gene starting to think a bit more...more

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Sep 24, 2012 Angie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Synopsis: "A coming-of-age tale set in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1969, Lucy in the Sky lightly touches on such weighty issues as the meaning of life, the purpose of art and the existence of God. For those interested in answers to The Big Questions or just keen to revisit a simpler time, Lucy in the Sky promises a fun and compelling trip – and that’s trip in every sense of the word. Gene Steen is an earnest, intelligent, truth-seeking teen stuck in the cultural wasteland of his suburban home. He w...more Synopsis: "A coming-of-age tale set in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1969, Lucy in the Sky lightly touches on such weighty issues as the meaning of life, the purpose of art and the existence of God. For those interested in answers to The Big Questions or just keen to revisit a simpler time, Lucy in the Sky promises a fun and compelling trip – and that’s trip in every sense of the word. Gene Steen is an earnest, intelligent, truth-seeking teen stuck in the cultural wasteland of his suburban home. He wants to be a hippie in the worst way, but hippies are scarce on the ground in the forlorn Midwest of Gene’s 15th year. Then, propitiously on the Summer Solstice, his life is turned upside down by the arrival of his lively, lovely, long-lost cousin Lucy. She’s hip beyond Gene’s wildest dreams and immediately takes him under her wing. Lucy teaches Gene that being a hippie isn’t about love beads and peace signs, but about the choices you make and the stands you take. Yet for all her airy insights into religion, philosophy and “the isness of it all,” Lucy harbors dark secrets – secrets that will soon put her on the run, with Gene by her side. Lucy in the Sky resonates of such classics as Summer of ’42 and Zen in the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, and invites the reader into a richly detailed vision of the ‘60s, as realized by Vorhaus’s sure-handed prose and authentic sense of place and time. With frank talk about sex and drugs, Vorhaus pulls no punches about the realities of the era, yet delivers an uplifting message about personal power and the path to enlightenment. A rewarding read for young seekers and old geezers alike."

My Review: This was a very interesting read for me, a little outside my normal reading genres. Lucy in the Sky starts out reading almost like a diary, it is written in first person, of a teenage boy during the late 60's. Gene isn't satisfied with the idea that family life in the midwest is all the world has to offer and has a tendency to question life itself, when his cousin Lucy shows up it makes him question things even more. The first half really is a coming of age type of book as we follow Gene in developing his own ideas and conclusions with some guidance from Lucy. This first half was a real slow read for me, I tend to dislike books written in first person and had a particularly difficult time connecting with the characters, maybe because it was narrated by a teen boy (something I have never been), maybe it was the hippie thought lines, or maybe it was the random thought tangents that kept distracting from the main story. Once you get about halfway through the book though, things really pick up in some very interesting unexpected twists. Lucy takes Gene on a very eye opening adventure. John Vorhaus really seems to have stuck to the reality of growing up in the time period and captured it in a novel for us all to live as well. (less)

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Jun 04, 2012 Rebecca McKinnon added it

Huh. I don't quite know what to say about this book. It wasn't quite what I expected from the blurb.

It's very well-written. The characters are fully developed. The era is portrayed expertly. I just felt like almost nothing happened. (Unless you count the near-constant sex fest.) I had a hard time getting through it.

I do know people who will love this book. And I know others who will hate it.

I think on this book, I'm going to refrain from rating. Just because I can't decide which aspects outweig...more

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Jun 10, 2012 Juju (Tales of Whimsy.com) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Just when I thought I had this story figured it out, it spun me like a game of spin the bottle. Lucy has some big secrets and Gene embarks on a dangerous life-changing journey and road trip to help her.

I really enjoyed Lucy in the Sky. It made an impression on me. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. Audio is the way to go. All that inner dialogue rocks on audio.

To read my review in full, please visit: http://www.talesofwhimsy.com/2012/06/...

Review Copyright © of Tales of Whimsy.com

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Shelves: for-review, ebook

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About John Vorhaus

John Vorhaus is known to one and all as the man who brought Radar Hoverlander – con artist extraordinaire – to life in the “sunshine noir” mystery novel, The California Roll, and its acclaimed sequel, The Albuquerque Turkey.

John is also well known as the author of The Comic Toolbox: How to be Funny Even if You're Not, and its acclaimed sequel, The Little Book of SITCOM, which continue to be defini...more

More about John Vorhaus...

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“I wonder if the truth comes off people like an aura or an odor. You don't have to know them to know them, ya know?” — 2 people liked it

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