Lucas: A Story of Love and Hate

Rating:
Summary: Absolutly Wonderful!!!
Review: "Lucas" by Kevin Brooks is a surprisingly honest and pure story which reflects the emotions of love, hate, friendship, and rivalry. It is a story of a fifteen year old girl named Caitlyn McCann who has to go through the roller coaster of emotions that every teenager must endure, especially after she meets the mysterious "gypsy boy" named Lucas. When she finds out that he's not what her town fears, in fact he is completely the opposite, she can't help but be drawn to his isolated ways and finds herself seeking him out and protecting him. The gritty material that this novel is comprised of is surprisingly powerful and deals with real life situations such as rape, drugs, alcohol, and even suicide.
This book appeals to all teenagers and is great for sixth grade and up. Although it has a few explicit scenes Kevin Brooks does a fabulous job that really conveys his point that you must dig deeper to find a real person and not to jump to conclusions. As teenagers all throughout the book do tend to stumble upon these pitfalls they immediately either find a rebound or in the end "learn" from it.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this unpredictable book that is some ways I could relate to, such as when Caitlyn felt for Lucas in that friend in need sort of way but could not express it. In other ways I learned and understood what it is to keep secrets and deal with ignorant people who in the end had it coming, such as Jamie Tait and Angel Dean. I learned from Lucas, who remains the 'good guy' and even Jamie Tait, who is the popular boy but the repeat offender in Caitlyn's opinion. Lucas who is always docile and calm teaches me to turn the other cheek, whereas Jamie is always drunk and obnoxious teaches me to think about others, which he failed to do throughout the entire story.
This was a page turner that left you yearning for more even though it also left a sense of completion, and to tell the truth would be best left without a sequel or afterword. Kevin Brooks really outdid himself when coming up with each and every character making sure he addressed them from head to toe right down the the very stitches in their clothing, I actually felt that I really knew each character and after reading this story I knew that anyone could benefit from reading it.

Rating:
Summary: Simple words, elegant descriptions.
Review: Caitlin and her family don't quite fit in with island life. She is idealistic and quiet, and her father spends his time writing avant-garde teen novels that, to quote Caitlin, "don't make a lot of money." The only one who sort of fits in is her brother, who has spent most of his time home from college out of the house. Caitlin's summer life on the island promises to be a game of avoiding the town's scummy college-age self-proclaimed gift to women and trying to figure out what to do about her best friend, who is hanging out with people Caitlin finds unsavory.

The moment she sees Lucas, though, she knows things will be different. Lucas has no last name, no history, no friends, and no family --- but he is gentle and thoughtful, and Caitlin knows she can trust him. Not everyone on the island is as open-minded, however, and when Lucas is accused of a terrible crime, Caitlin is thrown into a kind of witch-hunt that will leave her changed forever.

If you have ever looked back on a sad event in your life and wished you could do it all over, this is the book for you. As Caitlin shows that the only way to make sense of tragic happenings is to sometimes look back, think about them and write them down, we as readers want to shake the ignorant island residents and cheer for Lucas and Caitlin's relationship. There is no pretentious language in this book, which is what makes it so great. The simple words, elegant descriptions, and an ending that is sad and hopeful at the same time stay with you long after the book is finished.

--- Reviewed by Carlie Kraft


Rating:
Summary: This is a book you will never want to put down!
Review: I bought this book yesterday,December 26,2003, and I finished reading it today. I didn't want to put it down... and ,if you like a good fictional story every now and then, you won't want to stop reading it either! I now after reading this book want a "Lucas" for myself! I think the author of this book, Kevin Brooks, should have nothing to worry about. I'll always have a place on my shelves among my " American books" for this authors books! The title of this book really is a true one. It really was about love and hate. The characters seemed to be right in the room with me as I read their story!

Rating:
Summary: Tearjerker!
Review: I first came across this book because of the title. Then i started reading the inside cover and i was in shock! My best friend also named Caitlin was in love with a guy named Lucas! so i picked it up and i bought it, telling my friend about what a coincidence the names were. Of course, the plot didn't follow my friends real life, but i was suprised at how it caught my attention. I became enamored with Lucas and Caitlin. I hated Jamie Tait with all of my heart and I couldn't believe that Caitlin's best friend, Bill, would go and hang out with people like Robbie and Angel. I read the book in a day and i couldn't put it down. Yes, it was a little slow paced, but it all added up in the end. I even cried, and i barely ever cry over books or movies. I couldn't believe that Kevin Brooks wrote such an amaing book that i couldn't put it down, and i found myself stuck in England with Caitlin and Lucas for a whole day. I defiantly recomend this book to anyone who loves to read!!

Rating:
Summary: Lucas is a good rendition of teenage against
Review: I found this book on my own. I went to my local barnes and nobles and found this in the teen section. After only reading the inside cover I decided to try it. I couldnt put it down. Caitlyn is a character i could really relate to and the subtle appeal of the description of Lucas hypnotized me. This book is very well written and i find it a rare thing for an adult to write teenagers so well. The unspoken connection between Cait and Lucas was what kept my interest but the sudden surprises in the story were worth the read as well. Brooks has a great way of getting his readers to fall in love with some of his characters and i although i cried and was angry to what happens to Lucas it is one of my favorite books. I might give Martyn Pig a read just because I loved this book so much.

Rating:
Summary: An Amazing Book
Review: I got Lucas for Christmas last year, and left it lying around in my room for a month or so. When I finished almost all of the other books I'd gotten, I picked up Lucas for a long car ride, figuring I wouldn't read much of it. Well, a chapter into the book I was hooked. I finished it in a few days...it was AMAZING! I usally don't like sad books, but Lucas was bittersweet, and it made you think. At times in this book there is fast paced action that leaves you nervous when you have to close the book, and at most times I could really identify with Caitlin and her thoughts. PLEASE READ THIS BOOK!!! I reccommended it to all my friends, and I think I'm gonna make my mom read it to. :-)

Rating:
Summary: Lucas
Review: I thought it was a great book. I'm 14 and not a perosn who loved to read till i read this book im gonna get the other books of kevin brooks i think hes a great auther. i think u should read this book its heart warming and skocking its great u never know where ur goin in it and at the end it all comes together.

Rating:
Summary: very good
Review: i thought this book was really sad, i was crying by the end of the book and couldnt stop crying for the next 40 minutes, the author gives you characters you can relate to and i thought it was a touching story beginning to end

Rating:
Summary: Lucas
Review: I'd never read anything of Kevin Brooks' before but the front cover caught my eye in the library and I couldn't resist. Lucas is amazing. Brooks has a deceptively simple style that really lets you see things hoe Caitlin does. You can really relate to her and her father and brother. His descriptions are incredible clear. In parts, you can actually see the story moving in front of your eyes; your imagination reacts so well to the words. You will instantly adore Lucas, I promise. His pre-emptive skills, the way he moves, talks, thinks. If he wasn't, as Cait says "a flesh and blood boy" he could almost be magical. Almost.

There's plenty of reviews here explaining the plot so I wont do that but its got some really good issues on prejudice, morals, and basically how you might want to live your life, whch is what Cait and her brother struggle with most. At the same time it's captivating. A great read.

The only downsides of this book are the language used and the tricky situations people find themsleves in. I'm a big stickler for swear words and Brooks uses quite a few of the bigger ones, generally in the 'bad' characters. Also, due to circumstances and the prejudice against Lucas, people end up getting hurt. Without giving aweay the story I can tell you that there are some pretty violent fights involving blood and unconciousness, assault and attempted assault, mobs and a non-graphic, but still potentially distressing death. These really do add to the story but if you are particuilarly squeamish or touchy about the effect of foul language on your kids, steer away from this one. BUT if you aren't or are over about 14 (when I first read it and coped with the above issues okay) GO GET IT!! GET IT NOW, READ IT THROUGH TWICE!!! THEN LEND IT TO SOMEONE ELSE SO THEY CAN SEE HOW GOOD IT IS!!

Em


Rating:
Summary: Intriguing Story to go with Cover
Review: Lucas is about a teenage girl, Caitlin McCann, whose mother is dead and she lives with her father on an island. Her brother Dominic comes home from college and is very unloving toward Caitlin. She is at a very difficult part in her life and being harassed by an older teenage boy, Jamie Tait, doesn't help matters. She seems very self-satisfied, but deep down has a lot of confusion and questioning about herself. There are also a lot of people who disappoint her, such as her friend Bill who goes from a good girl reputation to a bad girl. Throughout the story she meets a guy named Lucas who is troubled as well, but for many different reasons. What happens with Lucas and Caitlin you will have to find out for yourself.
I really enjoyed Lucas and I thought the characters related well to real-life and the situations were also very real. They were situations that teenagers are faced with and can relate to. I like the plot of the book and it kept me interested in what was going to happen next. I would recommend this book to a lot of people.
However, I did not like the end of the book. There was a lot of good things that led up to the ending, but if I were writing the story I would make it end differently. The beginning of the book was also a little bit of a downfall to me. I believe I think this because it wasn't very interesting and compared to the rest of the book that was really interesting, the beginning seemed boring. It very quickly became interesting though, so the beginning wasn't horrible. So, if there was one thing I could change about Lucas it would definitely be the ending.