We've got your back. With the Tough-O-Meter, you'll know whether to bring extra layers or Swiss army knives as you summit the literary mountain. (10 = Toughest)
(5-6) Tree Line
As far as the plot goes, Lucy couldn't get much simpler: a Caribbean girl comes to the U.S. and has some new life experiences. The End. Okay, okay, there's a little more to it than that, but following what happens in this novel shouldn't be any problem.
What does require more brainpower on the part of us readers is the fact that Lucy spends a lot of time ruminating about the events that take place in the novel as well as some incidents in her past. In these meditations, there's a pretty good chance she's saying something thoughtful or profound. So it may be a good idea to slow down your reading of these passages so you won't miss any pearls of wisdom.
On a similar note, Kincaid's long, winding sentences can be a little tricky to follow and some of them may even require a second read (we hear you groaning in pain). It's worth doing the little bit of extra work, trust us.