Lucky

De: Jane Smiley

Narrado por: Stina Nielsen

From the best-selling writer, a soaring, soulful novel about a folk musician who rises to fame across our changing times

Before Jodie Rattler became a star, she was a girl growing up in St. Louis. One day in 1955, when she was just six years old, her uncle Drew took her to the racetrack, where she got lucky—and the roll of two-dollar bills she won has never since left her side. Jodie thrived in the warmth of her extended family, and then—through a combination of hard work and serendipity—she started a singing career, which catapulted her from St. Louis to New York City, from the English countryside to the tropical beaches of St. Thomas, from Cleveland to Los Angeles and back again.

Jodie comes of age in recording studios, backstage, and on tour, and tries to hold her own in the wake of Janis Joplin, Joan Baez, Judy Collins, and Joni Mitchell. Yet it feels as if something is missing. Could it be true love? Or is she looking for what she already has? Rich with the atmosphere of a rapidly changing cultural landscape, shot through with longing and exuberance, romance and rock ’n’ roll, Lucky is a story of chance and grit and the glitter of real talent, a colorful portrait of one woman’s journey in search of herself.

©2024 Jane Smiley (P)2024 Recorded Books

How boring it was

Felt the main character had no personality.
The story was a lot of name dropping and unconvincing

Jane, you can do better.

this book is like that friend you like but they can't tell you a story without adding every detail about every meal they ate, dress they wore, and retelling every conversation. After 8 hours I gave up waiting for the story arc. At least this book serves the purpose of helping me fall asleep.

Lucky

Even if I didn’t live most of my life in St. Louis, Jane Smiley’s “Lucky” would have really hit a chord with me. As the main character, Jodie, grows and realizes some of her personality “flaws”, it reminded me of some I’ve shared with her. I loved the book!

However . . . The epilogue hit me as “what the heck?” I personally wish she would have left it at the last chapter.

Poor character development and superficial

The story isn’t well developed or meaningful. There is far too much discussion of boring food American food than anything else. I kept listening because I kept thinking that the book would have something of merit, but blah! At one point, the protagonist happens upon Virginia Wolfe’s house, realizing she hasn’t read her, she buys To the Lighthouse. I thought the book might have added some depth, but no. We learn what she ate instead of what she read. Stupid worthless book.

What’s the point?

This book is a long narrative of a folk song writer. Nothing happens, keeps droning on and on.

I felt like I was eavesdropping on a therapy session and not in a good way?

See above. Way too self serving.
Too bad I have really enjoyed some of her past books.

Not one of Smiley's best

This was one of the most boring books I've read, and certainly my least favorite by Jane Smiley. Even the twist at the end did not make up for the monotony of the rest of this too long fictional memoir.

The story and characters… Jane Smiley’s special talents.

The reader was excellent and perfect for the story. The ending surprised me as I was not expecting the political view, but overall, the book was fabulous.