Caitlin is spending the summer on the windswept island that is her home. She is caught between girlhood and maturity, and feels utterly isolated from the rest of the world. Then she meets Lucas, who is the embodiment of freedom and honesty. She is instantly drawn to him. But Caitlin must also grapple with the darker forces that seem to be confronting her family. Lucas himself further complicates matters when he is hunted for an awful crime that Caitlin herself becomes involved in.
The Cover: There are a few different covers for this book (which I only discovered when getting the picture for this review) and I'm so glad that my sister had this version. (I 'borrowed' it from her about half a year ago). It's not the best, but I absolutely love its simplicity. It really reflects the simplicity of Lucas himself. Plus, the blue is a very nice colour - kind of like the sea.
The Characters: In my mind, there are two groups of characters in this book. There's the Evil Meanies (this is only my opinion, mind), which consist of Jamie Tait and Sara Toms mainly, who are just smarmy and spiteful and I do not like them one little bit. The second group consists of the Goodies; mainly Lucas and Caitlin. But Lucas really should be in a group of his own. He is just simple and honest. These are my favourite qualities about any character, and it serves as a fantastic contrast to the over the top complexity of all the other characters. Caitlin is so much like me it's insane. Loves the beach? Check. Fascinated by Lucas? Check. She's also intelligent, but she never comes across as false. It really is like reading someone talking about a part of their lives.
The Setting: Lucas is set on the island of Hale, which is joined to the mainland by a long causeway/road thing called the Stand. There are a lot of settings on the island that the book goes into, my favourites being the beach (for obvious reasons), the mudflats (which are really important to the story) and beyond the mudflats. I won't say more about that one because it might spoil it. The setting is also brilliant because it really aids the hysteria as it grows. You know how typically people from tiny towns and/or small islands are really distrustful of other people? Well, this perfectly captured in this book.
The Overall Story: I love it. I love it. I love it. It's heartbreaking. I read this in a day and afterwards I was honestly gobsmacked and furious at the world. It grabbed me and pulled me into its world and I got so invested in the story, in Caitlin and Lucas, that I honestly didn't know what to do with myself after the last page. The most remarkable thing about it, I think, is that there is no doubt that Caitlin is in love with Lucas. No doubt whatsoever. But there's no declarations of this love, there isn't any physical contact (I think the most she gets is a kiss on the cheek), she doesn't even say it in her thoughts. It's like the book is screaming 'SHE LOVES HIM'. Which makes all of it so much sadder.
Definitely 5 out of 5 for me.
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