"Lucy"

Laurence Gonzales has written a novel, "Lucy," that is unlike anything I've read before and it kept my attention!  The story begins in the Congo where Jenny Lowe, a primatologist studying bonobos (pygmy chimpanzees), finds herself fleeing for her life in the midst of a civil war.  She runs to the nearest camp where another primatologist has been killed leaving his young daughter, Lucy, an orphan.  She flees with the daughter to safety and eventually takes her home to Chicago with her while a search is made for Lucy's mother by British authorities since she has British citizenship.

Jenny gathered up Lucy's father's journals as they were fleeing his camp and begins to read them and is shocked to discover that Lucy is the daughter of the primatologist and a female bonobo -- an experiment on his part.  By this time Jenny has come to love her and fears for her safety if this information were to come out.  She hides the truth from her long time friend, a doctor, as well as her mother and Lucy's friends. 

Lucy leads a fairly normal life as a teenager in Chicago and bonds with another girl at her school, Amanda, who teaches her what it's like to be a teenager in America.  Lucy's father had educated her well and, at 15, she is able to enter school as a senior.  She and Amanda make plans to go off to college but Lucy senses there is danger as she is able to plug into "The Stream."  She's saddened by the fact that humans are no longer plugged into The Stream because she is able to be in touch with the animals and sense disturbances in The Stream as well as danger. 

When Lucy develops an illness that only animals can catch, it is time for Jenny to put into place some alternative plans she's made with her friend, Donna, who works with bonobos in a zoo in another city.  Lucy senses through The Stream that danger is on its way and has to leave her newfound family and friends behind.  There are risks in fleeing and the ending to this story, while filled with sad events, comes to a very satisfying conclusion.

It also leads to some interesting questions:  Why do we have difficulty accepting that which is different?  Why do we condemn in the name of religion?  Why can't we all be plugged into The Stream?....a fascinating read.
pazt