Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
Book Review By Erin Collazo Miller, About.com Guide
The Bottom Line
Olive Kitteridge by
Elizabeth Strout is described as "a novel in stories." Each story is
moving and well-written on its own. Taken together, it is clear why this book
won Elizabeth Strout the Pulitzer Prize.
Pros
- Well written, but not a difficult read.
- Strout produces empathy for characters and situations that are
usually judged harshly.
- Each story is good on its own, but all together the book is very
satisfying.
Cons
- The overall tone of the book is sad.
Description
- 'Olive Kitteridge' by Elizabeth Strout was published in 2007.
- Publisher: Random House
- 288 Pages
Guide
Review - 'Olive Kitteridge' by Elizabeth Strout
Most of the thirteen stories in Olive Kitteridge are told in
different voices, although Olive shows up as narrator more than once. In some
stories, Olive Kitteridge is the main character. In others, she just makes a
cameo. By the end of the novel, though, you will have walked through many years
of Olive's life, and be intimately acquainted with Olive and the town of
Crosby, Maine.
The beautiful thing about Olive Kitteridge is
the way it touches on deep truths about life and love through stories about
everyday events. The overall tone of the book is melancholy, and Olive is a
deeply flawed and not entirely likable character. That Strout got me to feel
sympathy for Olive even though I am sure I would not want to meet her shows
what a skilled writer she is. Indeed, Strout deals with the disappointments and
trade offs people make in life; however, this compilation of sad stories is not
without hope.
I recommend Olive Kitteridge for book clubs or
individuals looking for a good read. It is literary without being cumbersome.
It is also satisfying, as a busy reader, to be able to finish a story in one
sitting while knowing I'll get more of the characters next time around.
http://bestsellers.about.com/od/shortstorycollections/gr/olive_kitteridge.htm
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