Lucy Cloud

by Anne Lévesque

In 1960s Inverness, Cape Breton, the coal mines have closed and family farms stand abandoned as men and families must find other ways to survive. Curly MacLeod, the last of the old-time horse traders, must cultivate a new clientele to support his wife Annabel and their adopted son Blaise—the back-to-the-landers who are moving to the area. The religious Annabel is less open to change. When hippies Eric and Jenny Petcoff buy the farm next door, she worries about their influence on the now teenage Blaise. And Blaise is influenced—which sets in motion a chain of events that sends tremors of even greater change through his family. Central to the developing history of the MacLeod family is his daughter Lucy, a shy and altruistic girl who grows up in Ontario but spends summers in Cape Breton with her grandparents. Her roots there are strong, but Lucy's life is full of the strange and the wonderful. With her mystic skill, where will her true calling take her?

Filled with engaging characters, with their unique and lively Cape Breton voices, Lucy Cloud follows the fortunes and heartaches of a family with secrets and the intense longing to live fully. Anne Lévesque delivers an authentic tale of a time and a place, where people must be strong and inventive to make a good life.

Genres: Fiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2016

Reviews

[Jim Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprisingly good read. It centres around a family in Cape Breton Island and Lucy doesn't make an appearance for some time, but when she does, the rest of the book turns on her axis. At times humourous and insightful, Lucy Cloud is a gem of an East Coast book.

[CarolG · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always feel a sense of pride about books written by Canadians and that take place in Canada as was the case with Lucy Cloud. When I was young I had a friend whose mother came from Newfoundland and this book really brought back memories of her because she talked like some of the characters in the book, just a stream of consciousness and hyphenated sentences so that you never knew if we were talking about a neighbour or a soap opera. It took me a little while to get into the rhythm of the book but once I did, I enjoyed it and really cared about what happened to the characters. The cast of characters listed near the beginning was very helpful. There were some events or facts alluded to that I would've liked fleshed out a bit more, like whatever happened to Eric's "lover" and more information on Lucy's biological father, but I suppose the book couldn't go on forever. This book reminded me of a compilation of short stories in some ways although each one is connected to one or more of the other stories in some way. I'd recommend the book to a friend.

[Dana Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

My boyfriend picked this book out for me when we were at our local Chapters because I was too indesicive. I'm so glad he did! This was a wonderful read! This is a multi-generational story of a Cape Breton family, that in addition to other things, deals with families forced to leave the island. At times it reminded me of Alister MacLeod's No Great Mischief.

[Lee Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Confession: I edited this book.

Another confession, Anne Levesque is a terrific writer and didn't need any help.

A wonderful, witty, closely observed, intimate novel, that's deeply poetic without an ounce of pretension.

[Deb Belisle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading the paperback edition, back in 2017, of 'Lucy Cloud', elicited warm and familiar feelings within me, not unlike the comforting, simple joy of slipping on a favourite old cardigan sweater on a chilly autumn day. My unbiased opinion of Anne Lévesque's beautifully lyrical debut novel (Anne happens to be a lifelong friend of mine from Northern Ontario who now resides in Inverness) is one I have no doubt you'll share. Lucy Cloud is an easy-to-read story, based on rural life in Cape Breton, comprised of a compelling cast of characters, but notably revolving around the lives, over several decades, of matriarch Annabelle, her son Blaise and his daughter Lucy.
Lévesque's gentle, poetic prose and descriptive narrative takes you effortlessly into the heart of Acadian culture. Although a fictitious tale, this lovely book includes references to numerous existing towns, villages and annual events throughout Ontario and Cape Breton; one such example is Sudbury's legendary Northern Lights Festival Boreal, where Blaise meets his future wife Wendy.
Chock full of funny stories, touching anecdotes and uniquely eastern Canadian traditions, Lucy Cloud is reminiscent of that wonderful, cosy, down-home sensibility, evocative of loving family, community ties and trials and tribulations of small town, everyday life. I fervently recommend you read the captivating Lucy Cloud; it is truly a veritable charm!
Happy Reading! ~ Deb Belisle (May, 2017 Reader's Nook, The Capreol Express)

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book! My aunt handed it to me, and I am so grateful. Levesque captures the voice of the island, the struggles of being cut off from the world, humanity and harshness of tight-knit communities, and the resilience of survival. This is a forever keeper for me.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as a gift, never having heard of it or the author. Loved loved loved it. Multi generational Cape Breton story telling at it's best

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gem of a book that captures the vernacular of Cape Breton. I loved the characters and what an ending!

[Valli Ostrowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved, loved, loved this book.