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deedireads's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/reads/.
TL;DR REVIEW:
My Name Is Lucy Barton is everything you hope for in an Elizabeth Strout novel: warm and simple on the surface, but layered with emotion and nuance underneath.
For you if: You like character-driven books with quietly impactful prose.
FULL REVIEW:
Elizabeth Strout is one of those authors on my list — I read and loved Olive Kitteridge, and I know I’ll love more of her backlist, but I just haven’t gotten there. Well, having the third book in this Amgash series (Oh William!) on this year’s Booker Prize shortlist was the kick in the pants I needed to get started! And, of course, I loved this one too.
My Name Is Lucy Barton is a slim, fun-structured novel narrated by (as you might guess) the main character, Lucy Barton. She’s looking back to the period of time when she was in the hospital recovering from surgery and her mother came to sit by her bedside. It was essentially the only interaction she had with her mother in her adult life, ever since she left her family’s cycle of extreme poverty and abuse to go to college on a scholarship and then moved to New York to become a writer.
I don’t know how Elizabeth Strout manages to write characters that feel 100% fully formed from the first sentence they speak, but it’s really amazing. And her writing is always warm and simple on the surface, but layered with emotion and nuance underneath. She’s cozy and moving at the same time. This book is no different; the depth of Lucy’s relationships not only with her mother but also her ex-husband, her children, her brother and father, and even her West Village neighbors are rich with joy, pain, and humanity. She also deftly tackles the complexities and conflicting emotions of changing class, breaking free from a familial cycle of poverty.
This is a super fast read — less than 4 hours on audio at 1x, but it’s worth it. If you loved Olive Kitteridge, you’ll love this. But it’s also different enough that I think you might love it even if Olive wasn’t your jam. I’m very much looking forward to reading more from Amgash!
TL;DR REVIEW:
My Name Is Lucy Barton is everything you hope for in an Elizabeth Strout novel: warm and simple on the surface, but layered with emotion and nuance underneath.
For you if: You like character-driven books with quietly impactful prose.
FULL REVIEW:
Elizabeth Strout is one of those authors on my list — I read and loved Olive Kitteridge, and I know I’ll love more of her backlist, but I just haven’t gotten there. Well, having the third book in this Amgash series (Oh William!) on this year’s Booker Prize shortlist was the kick in the pants I needed to get started! And, of course, I loved this one too.
My Name Is Lucy Barton is a slim, fun-structured novel narrated by (as you might guess) the main character, Lucy Barton. She’s looking back to the period of time when she was in the hospital recovering from surgery and her mother came to sit by her bedside. It was essentially the only interaction she had with her mother in her adult life, ever since she left her family’s cycle of extreme poverty and abuse to go to college on a scholarship and then moved to New York to become a writer.
I don’t know how Elizabeth Strout manages to write characters that feel 100% fully formed from the first sentence they speak, but it’s really amazing. And her writing is always warm and simple on the surface, but layered with emotion and nuance underneath. She’s cozy and moving at the same time. This book is no different; the depth of Lucy’s relationships not only with her mother but also her ex-husband, her children, her brother and father, and even her West Village neighbors are rich with joy, pain, and humanity. She also deftly tackles the complexities and conflicting emotions of changing class, breaking free from a familial cycle of poverty.
This is a super fast read — less than 4 hours on audio at 1x, but it’s worth it. If you loved Olive Kitteridge, you’ll love this. But it’s also different enough that I think you might love it even if Olive wasn’t your jam. I’m very much looking forward to reading more from Amgash!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Death of parent, Medical content, and Child abuse
Minor: Bullying
sjanke2's review
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Infidelity, Antisemitism, Bullying, Death of parent, Grief, Homophobia, Medical content, and Confinement
aezlo's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Child abuse, Classism, Bullying, Death of parent, and Medical content
johndomc's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
It unfolds satisfyingly, a little bit at a time. And the tenderness Lucy has for her mother!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Death of parent, and Confinement
Moderate: Child abuse and Medical content
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