Leaving Lucy Pear

By: Anna Solomon

Narrated by: Rebecca Lowman

Length: 11 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

"From the first page, I was under Anna Solomon’s spell.” (Sue Monk Kidd)

From the author of The Book of V., a novel chosen as a must-read book by TIME Magazine, InStyle, Good Housekeeping, The Millions, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and BookPage

Set in 1920s New England, the story of two women who are both mothers to the same unforgettable girl - a big, heartrending novel from award-winning writer Anna Solomon

One night in 1917 Beatrice Haven sneaks out of her uncle’s house on Cape Ann, Massachusetts, leaves her newborn baby at the foot of a pear tree, and watches as another woman claims the infant as her own. The unwed daughter of wealthy Jewish industrialists and a gifted pianist bound for Radcliffe, Bea plans to leave her shameful secret behind and make a fresh start. Ten years later, Prohibition is in full swing, post-WWI America is in the grips of rampant xenophobia, and Bea’s hopes for her future remain unfulfilled. She returns to her uncle’s house, seeking a refuge from her unhappiness. But she discovers far more when the rum-running manager of the local quarry inadvertently reunites her with Emma Murphy, the headstrong Irish Catholic woman who has been raising Bea’s abandoned child - now a bright, bold, cross-dressing girl named Lucy Pear, with secrets of her own.

In mesmerizing prose, award-winning author Anna Solomon weaves together an unforgettable group of characters as their lives collide on the New England coast. Set against one of America’s most turbulent decades, Leaving Lucy Pear delves into questions of class, freedom, and the meaning of family, establishing Anna Solomon as one of our most captivating storytellers.

“Anna Solomon writes with a poet’s reverence for language and a novelist’s ability to keep us turning the page. A gorgeous and engrossing meditation on motherhood, womanhood, and the sacrifices we make for love.” (J. Courtney Sullivan)

©2016 Anna Solomon (P)2016 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Gorgeously moving ... a dazzling exploration of the impact of roads untaken on motherhood, class, and gender.... Solomon expertly works on a large, mesmerizing canvas, with an almost dizzying array of characters, each moving the terrific drama of the book.... [She] renders each character so exquisitely complex, they could be the heroes of their own novels.... It’s impossible to stop reading, because Solomon has made us care so much for all the characters, because she’s fashioned a world so real, you can taste the salt spray and smell the heady fragrance of the ripe pears.” (The Boston Globe)

“Solomon’s strong prose and fleet pacing consistently provide the essential pleasures of a good story well told.... This is a book governed…by earnest empathy, a desire to give each character opportunities for growth and betterment, bravery and openness.” (Maggie Shipstead, The New York Times Book Review)

“Solomon is a beautiful writer, and her prose brings people and scenes achingly alive.... Her characters’ struggles with motherhood and identity would be compelling in any era.”(Entertainment Weekly)

Fabulous!

Captivating, very believeable story,
Well developed characters, could feel the setting.
Excellent, engaging , talented narrator
Definitely will recommend this audible book.

Great story and great storyteller

I loved the story itself. The way the author writes is beautiful and drew me in so easily. The words that I think of first to describe it are: full, deep, understanding... There are so many facets to this story and she writes with such understanding...I really enjoyed it. And Rebecca Lowman....I enjoyed the way she told the story so much I would like to find more of her work. She's fantastic! She makes the book come to life as you listen. Makes the characters almost personal. I hope these two work together again in the future. I highly recommend this read!

Odd.

I almost think I would have liked it better had I read it rather than listened to it. Not very likable characters. But I hate to quit a book so I kept on.

Beautiful story

I loved this book! I fell in love with the characters and enjoyed going on the journey of their lives through the story. I highly recommend.

Finding "Leaving Lucy Pear"

A gem of a book, written by Anna Solomon pared perfectly with Rebecca Lowman, my favorite narrator.
If you like your plots to be cute, tidy and wrapped up with a bow, this is not for you.
This is More: an exploration, an unfolding, redemptive story, a meandering journey ( the destination is not Disney).
There are tragic circumstances, and yet, dear reader, all is not lost.
The characters are portrayed as flawed yet not uniformly hopeless. They are individuals with choices who can grow, and yes, some do. I learned from Anna Solomon's descriptions of her historical descriptions of the times and enjoyed her writing style.

Filled my heart

This is the second book by Anna Solomon that I’ve listened to and I absolutely love the way she writes. The story was wonderful, and the performance by Rebecca Lowman couldn’t have been better. Highly recommend.

No plotline

Seven hours in and no real story. Unlikable characters. Hard to care about what's happening.