The Voyage of Lucy P. Simmons (review)

A pleasant day sailing off the New England coast with her parents turns deadly and leaves Lucy Simmons an orphan under the care of her greedy uncle Victor in 1906. Fortunately, she is able to remain in the old family home, her father’s “ship on shore,” and the enormous mansion seems to be helping Lucy on her quest to ascertain the whereabouts of her aunt, her rightful guardian, and evade the punishments of her uncle; a sparkly cloud of mist surrounds the house sometimes, often hiding Lucy from her uncle’s notice and pointing her toward hidden letters that refer to a family curse. Lucy also finds help in Marni, a kindly local woman who introduces her to the Perkins children, whose father incidentally caused the accident that killed Lucy’s parents. These disjointed storylines come together in a rather spectacular conclusion that has the house transforming into a ship and Lucy finally setting off on her titular voyage to find her aunt, but the confusing and often tedious build up to the final scene is simply not engaging enough to pull readers along. Despite their minimal connection to the main plot, the Perkins children are particularly compelling as runaways from an abusive father, and while Marni claims to be a savior of those in need, her likeness to a portrait of a siren in Lucy’s house indicates that her role may become more nefarious in subsequent installments. Indeed, since the title’s promised voyage only begins with this book’s conclusion, the groundwork for a sequel is well laid, and readers who were intrigued by the unresolved issue of Lucy’s family curse may want to accompany Lucy on her seafaring journey.