Shannon's Reviews > In Lucia's Eyes

My previous read (The House at Riverton) was a good premise moderately executed, while this book is beautifully executed and thought provoking. After ordering In Lucia's Eyes online, I was somewhat concerned to receive it and see that it was a translation from the original in Dutch. While it took a little while to get into this book, I pretty easily became accustomed to the language and the narrator's present day narrative alongside her looks back to her youth. It is not what I would describe as an easy read, but it's certainly worth reading.

I particularly enjoyed Lucia's conversations and musings with her mentor and found it somewhat painful to read about the way her newfound knowledge and social skills separated her from her parents. The passage where she and her tutor discuss the value of knowledge and its worth even when it brings pain is well-written and leaves the reader asking what role knowledge plays in his/her own life.

Throughout this book, Lucia muses on reason versus emotion and the mastery of mind over circumstances. The scene near the end when Lucia realizes what has brought her happiness made me think about sources of happiness now and whether I fully hold on to the happiness I have access to on a daily basis.

What a good read!