Lucky

Lucky by Jane Smiley will largely be a hit or miss novel for most readers, plus a few who will simply dislike the realistic dystopian epilogue because it tracks too close to their beliefs.

I know some will lament the lack of what they call action in the novel, I have to assume because internal strife and worries, caring for dying relatives, and the day-to-day ups and downs don't count to them. Must be nice to have never spent a day where you do so much mental and emotional work that you're exhausted, since anyone who has will know that that certainly qualifies as action. But if you want car chases and gunplay, then yes, this is not an action-packed novel.

There are several ways to read this novel, some only becoming apparent when you show more finish (so I guess that is more a way to understand it than read it). It is a character study that looks at everything from being an outsider to being "lucky." What makes an outsider, and what makes someone think of themselves, internally, as an outsider? How does one tell one's own story, how does one tell someone else's story, and how should we think about the differences? Or, on a much more basic level, you can simply read the novel as a way to experience another person's life, much as we do with all fiction and a lot of nonfiction.

I read it mostly in that simpler manner, taking mental side trips when scenes or phrases would make me think about something more "big picture." It wasn't until the epilogue that I came face-to-face with what is definitely the "bigger picture." For me, it was not just a twist but a way to bridge the personal (how I largely read it) and the societal. To think about the relative importance of overly prioritizing the personal, especially when making decisions about the societal, and what some of the possible ramifications could be.

I would recommend this to readers who enjoy being with a character for an entire lifetime, who considers life itself as being full of action, and, of course, times of minimal action. Especially those who want a book to make them both consider the character's perspective while also making you reflect on your own life decisions. If this doesn't sound appealing to you, then definitely choose something else.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley. show less

This deceptively simple novel about Jodie Rattler, a moderately successful singer-songwriter in the era of the three J's (Joni, Judy, Joan) of the '60s and 70s, is placid on the surface. A love song to home and family, Jodie is the daughter of a striving Broadway chorus girl from St. Louis who becomes pregnant by a married man and returns home with a two year old. Jodie's aunts, uncles, and cousins and their comfortable homes, neighborhoods, and relationships create a soft landing for them, though the mother is haunted by what she lost and by mental illness. Jodie's melodious voice is recognized in elementary school choir and her songwriting skills develop in college; she plays in bands and writes a few hit songs, and her favorite uncle show more parlays her generous royalty payments into enough wealth to buy her several homes and temporary residency in Europe. She meets Martin, with whom she is perfectly compatible, but whose upper-class British future expectations do not mesh well with Jodie's lack of ambition, and she leaves him, an act that will resonate through her life. She returns to St. Louis, takes care of her mother and aging family, goes out on the road for concerts and music festivals (including one memorable duet with Lyle Lovett), and teaches herself how to become part of a close group of local women. What should have ended in a gentle slide into advanced age shockingly becomes the opposite in a stunning epilogue. The novel, as everything Smiley has written, becomes part of the fabric of the reader's permanent memory. show less

Lucky by Jane Smiley is a polarizing literary novel which covers decades in the life of a folk musician. It is recommended; highly for the right reader.

Jodie Rattler grew up in St. Louis with her mother and near her extended family. She first discovered she was lucky in 1955 when she was six years old and her uncle Drew took her to the racetrack. A roll of two-dollar bills were the physical representation of that luck and she keeps them near her and hidden for years. Jodie always had a love of music along with her family. When she is studying at Penn State in the 1969, her singing career takes off after one of her songs becomes a surprise hit. She does well in royalties and even better after her uncle Drew handles the investment of her show more windfall. This allows her to travel and even spend time abroad.

Many successful musicians of the time periods involved are mentioned throughout the novel. It is sort of a musical coming of age novel through the 70's and 80's (and on) pop culture, but the plot also focuses on Jodie's relationship with her family. There are a lot of lyrics for the songs Jodie writes included in the narrative and the impetus for the lyrics is part of the story. The actual quality/credibility of the lyrics is debatable. Along the way there are several times Jodie sees a high school classmate she refers to only as the "gawky girl." (It is later clearly revealed that the gawky girl is a stand-in for Smiley.) Jodie does settle down back in St. Louis to care for her mother and grandparents.

The writing is excellent and I was really enjoying this story of a woman's life. Sure, as a character Jodi can be a little self-involved and the plot does move slowly in parts, but there is also a nostalgic element to the narrative as it list musicians for years past that is appealing.

What totally changes everything is the abrupt change in structure, tone, and voice in the final epilogue. How do you rate a book that abruptly changes directions to a stupefying ending? I keep stalling on writing a review, flipping back and forth on how I feel, and that is not a satisfying reading experience so I need to go with a neutral rating. Thanks to Knopf Doubleday for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2024/04/lucky.html show less

Jodie Rattler grew up with a single mother in St. Louis, a city she loves and to which she continues to return. Influenced by her family’s interest in music and the folk singers and other musicians of the 1960s, her talent brings her to the fringes of success, providing enough income to support her. Always independent but with strong family ties, she makes conscious choices how she will live her life. As she passes through the stages of her life, she reflects back, determining whether they were the right alternatives for her.

Well written by Pulitzer Prize winner Jane Smiley, this will appeal to fans of literary fiction, although I fear some readers may tire of the constant musical references and Jodie’s wanderings around England. show more For people of a certain age and fans of the folk rock genre, this is a nostalgic read recounting the songs and singers of the 60s, as well historical events dating from the early 60s. There are some very poignant and insightful observations of the various stages of women’s lives and the options open to them.

I don’t like to write spoilers. Suffice to say that there is a turn at the end of the novel that will cause some to say “brava” and others to say “what the…..?”. Read the book to see in which camp you will be.

Thanks to @NetGalley and @aaknopf for the DRC. show less

To be honest, in order to be a writer you have to be an avid spy

from Lucky by Jane Smiley
Jodie Rattler tells her life story, how lucky she has been. Her pregnant, unwed mother wanted her. Her uncle took her to the racetrack and she won $82 lucky dollars that she never parts with. By chance, she saw the college she knew she wanted to attend. She walked away from the love of her life to claim her own career and life. She made enough money as a singer/songwriter to never have to worry.

Jodie grows up, takes lovers, sings her music, buys a cabin in the woods and a house in her hometown of St. Louis, learns how to connect with family and make friends, experiences the end of life of her grandparents and mother.

Jodie talks about the events and show more times of my own life: the Cuban Missile Crisis bookended by climate change angst; “Sing Along with Mitch” and folk music; 77 Sunset Strip; concerns about rising American fascism.

It is a full life, simply presented.

But the novel isn’t what it seems. And in the Epilogue, Jamie Ring reveals the identity of the ‘gawky girl’ who haunts her life like a ghost, and we learn something about art and how writers transform life into fiction, and questions the very concept of luck.

Thanks to the publisher for a free book. show less

Thanks to #NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this ARC.

The title of this not only should be Lucky but “Traveling Musician,” even though she didn't travel as a musician most of the time but did write songs when she was in high school and when she got older and traveled around Europe, she wrote a lot too. She was in a few bands too as a substitute. She really didn't have a job per se but settled in NY and made videos for MTV and stayed active in the music scene it seems. I loved the setting of the 60s because of the music and artists she loved back then and I so do I. ides her writing songs and performing with bands once in a while. She never seemed to be doing anything permanently besides writing songs and getting people show more once in a while to record her music even at 47 old and singing at small concerts and gigs.

The book was first person and it was set in the present but looked back at her life. I loved the family aspect of it with her aunts and uncles living in St. Louis where she ended up mostly and her mom.

The epilogue was set in the way future it seems and it was definitely interesting. show less

If you liked The Age of Grief, Horse Heaven, Moo, the Greenlanders, or any other combination of Smiley’s novels, read through to the last part. You will be delighted.