Review: Songs for Lucy by Philip Wilson

Songs for Lucy, a poignant work of women’s fiction by Philip Wilson, conveys the heartfelt message that a death sentence doesn’t mean one should stop living.

Allison “Allie” Connelly has a bright future ahead of her: she’s Valedictorian of her graduating class at Boston Highlands University and has been accepted to Harvard Law. Best of all, she’s also been offered a summer job teaching tennis at a club in Providence, Rhode Island, allowing her to spend the summer with her widowed father.

Then the unimaginable happens. Her father is killed by a drunk driver on his way home from her graduation ceremony and at the age of twenty-three, Allie finds herself financially well-off but alone in the world, with both her mother and younger brother having died some time ago. Things become even more difficult when Allie’s diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor and is given months to live. Suddenly, she’s gone from having an infinitely bright future to not having one at all.

Songs for Lucy is a well-written tearjerker that will have even the most hardened heart reaching for a tissue on more than one occasion. Wilson makes effective use of selectively chosen words to convey setting and mood. His descriptions of Mackenzie Cove, the elegance of the Second Journey hospice and its surrounding grounds, as well as the beauty of the rugged coastline leave an indelible image, making them come alive in the reader’s mind.

The plot, however, has somewhat of a disappointing paint-by-numbers quality, which lessens the overall impact of the story. Though the novel is without a doubt a tearjerker, the story adds tragedy after tragedy, which comes close to pandering at times. Allie’s life has been surrounded by death: her father, her mother, her brother died of leukemia at the age of eight, her best friend dies, as do her dinner companions and her sister’s lover. Finally, Allie is diagnosed with her own terminal illness. As the story builds to its inevitable conclusion, it does so leaving us strangely desensitized by each new tragedy.

Additionally, while Wilson has done a fine job reminding us that one can still celebrate life when facing death, he’s also sanitized the uglier facets of illness. The author mentions in passing the oxygen tanks, wheelchairs, walkers and patients when Allie first arrives at the Second Journey hospice, but nothing further is conveyed beyond these superficial references. A brain tumor of Allie’s magnitude would have devastating effects as the disease progresses, yet we see very little of those effects, which would most certainly have an impact on her enjoying life to its fullest. In some way the message of the book is diminished because Wilson doesn’t take certain issues head on.

The cover has a Hallmark card quality, and there is some measure of escape in how Wilson has approached his subject, so it’s not always necessary to get into the gritty details to convey an important message. Allie is a compelling and sympathetic lead character, so the novel is touching and engrossing as we follow her on her path.

All in all, Songs for Lucy is written with sensitivity, delivering a positive message that’s sure to inspire, even with its storyline of illness and tragedy, which is a testament to the novel’s enduring sense of optimism and hope.