Did you ever see The Simpsons episode where Marge and Homer are at the fair and Homer is eating a deep fried t-shirt? Marge turns to him and says, Just because you can doesn't mean you should." That was my first thought upon discovering how Lucy came to be. I wouldn't mind having a triceratops roaming my back 40, but when it comes to cloning, gene splicing, breeding outside the species I think that is where I ethically draw the line. Too bad Dr. Stone had not thought of this before his experiment with the bonobos. Depsite all that happened there is no reason that Lucy should not have been treated like the human being that she was. It just goes to show you what some radical fundamentalists extremists will do just to prove a point. I don't see where the book was religion bashing as some have pointed out. The book told some cold hard truths about certain types of people. It's not bashing, its facts.

So what were my thoughts on other parts of the book? Well..this is where it gets hairy. I liked the book, I liked the story, and most everything else. My problem was with the writing of the characters. It seemed the author wrote them all the same. None of them seemed to have a different voice from the other. I think the worst was Jenny. To me she was the most unbelievable character, but through no fault other that the author. The way she spoke, the way she reacted, and how she carried herself seemed strange and robotic like. This is why I gave the book 3 out of 5 stars.

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I thought this book was very riveting. I read it late into the night, unwilling to put it down. The characters in the book are well developed and the story line feels believable. You find yourself cheering for Lucy through her struggles.

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Jenny seems to be a bit naive about bringing Lucy into mainstream America. She basically just dumps her in school without introducing her to civilization. She wants to be her mom but, apparently, because of her age and lack of family she just doesn't understand how to be that. Lucy is a child who has never had any experience with humans besides her father and Jenny and only uses her animal instincts to decide how to survive. It could have been extended more into the family experience but all in all it's a pretty good story. The description of how and why she came to America is very good.. probably one of the better and more believable parts of the story.

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Reviewed by Lynn Crow for TeensReadToo.com

When local warfare drives Jenny from her research post in the jungle and causes the death of a fellow scientist, she doesn't think twice about bringing his teenaged daughter with her to safety. But when they return to civilization, Jenny can't help feeling there's something odd about Lucy.

Her reactions to the sights and sounds of city life, and her amazing strength, seem to stem from more than just jungle life. As she reads Lucy's father's journals, she discovers a shocking secret. Lucy was born to an ape her father conducted breeding experiments with. She is only half human.

Though Jenny is willing to accept Lucy as the intelligent, compassionate girl she is, others are not so open-minded. As the secret comes out, she, Lucy, and their friends must fight the media, the government, and the military for Lucy's right to life and to freedom.

LUCY starts with a fascinating premise - what would happen to a girl who wasn't entirely human? Lucy's adjustments to city life and school ring true and her struggle to protect herself and those she loves will have readers turning pages as fast as they can. The ethical issues raised are all too pertinent in today's world of genetic experimentation. Though it ends somewhat abruptly, the story is well worth the ride.

Recommended for readers who enjoy thinking about deeper issues even as they're gripped by a thriller.

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