Reviews tagging 'Death'

Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout

12 reviews

anniebraves's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

After My Name is Lucy Barton my favourite in the series snd significantly more plot driven compared to the other books in the series. The first novel I’ve read that addresses the pandemic.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic and Death

geraldinerowe's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective relaxing sad 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

5.0

I've read all of the Lucy Barton books and while I've loved them while reading them, they've ultimately left me unsatisfied as they don't seem to have any particular direction. Not so Lucy by the Sea. I hope (and assume) another chapter is on the way as this book has left me worried about her. Elizabeth Strout is an absolute master at developing character. Everyone she writes about is complex, with both flaws and redeeming features. And that is the overriding theme of this book. It's not just about Lucy learning to live with her sometimes selfish and thoughtless, but often loving, ex-husband. It's also, in a similar vein, understanding those who have opposing views to her on Covid and President Trump.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Infidelity

Minor: Police brutality, Eating disorder, Death, and Cancer

phoevincent's review

emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Cancer, Infertility, and Miscarriage

hannahcstocks's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Dysphoria, Miscarriage, Eating disorder, Medical content, Pandemic/Epidemic, Confinement, Pregnancy, Grief, and Infidelity

Moderate: Medical trauma

Minor: Racism, Police brutality, Body shaming, Classism, and Fatphobia

toph444's review

emotional reflective

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse

Moderate: Death and Death of parent

deedireads's review

emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/reads/.

TL;DR REVIEW:

Lucy By the Sea is another cozy, resonant novel by Elizabeth Strout. While I didn’t love it as much as I’d hoped, watching Lucy process the pandemic does feel almost therapeutic for we who lived it.

For you if: You love Elizabeth Strout novels (and have read the other Amgash books).

FULL REVIEW:

Lucy By the Sea is the fourth book in Elizabeth Strout’s Amgash series, which features the beloved protagonist Lucy Barton. I’ve heard from many people that this is their favorite Amgash book. While I still think Anything Is Possible was my favorite, Lucy By the Sea delivers yet another of Strout’s signature quiet, resonant reading experiences.

This one follows Lucy and William through the COVID-19 lockdown; William convinces Lucy to leave NYC for a seaside cottage in Maine, and we re-experience all the anxiety and turmoil from those early pandemic days alongside them. I was afraid this would feel triggering, but for me at least, I found that watching Lucy process these feelings was surprisingly therapeutic. And of course, this is Elizabeth Strout, so the book is also about relationships, growth, and the emotions that make us human. I particularly loved getting to know her daughters so much better. (Also, there is a small crossover with Olive Kitteridge, which was fun.)

While I did enjoy this one, I think I may have read it too soon after Oh William! to truly love it. Without getting into spoilers, SEA did feel like it reversed some of the choices Strout made in WILLIAM, to its detriment in my opinion. Lucy’s extreme dependence on anyone but herself also started to get to me. But at the same time, she’s such a kind person experiencing relatable things, and Strout writes relationships and interiority so well, that Lucy has also started to feel like a friend.

If Strout writes more Amgash books, I’ll gladly read them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Infidelity, and Grief

Moderate: Miscarriage and Infertility

Minor: Eating disorder

erica_cb's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Miscarriage

Minor: Car accident, Classism, Emotional abuse, Death, and Body shaming

isaarusilor's review

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Police brutality, Infidelity, Infertility, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, and Miscarriage

maiahhtratchh's review

reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

0.25

I’m trying to find a constructive way to put into place my feelings of this book but I just can’t. The characters are so insufferable and blatantly narcissistic. There are just some perspectives that are not necessary and add noise to complicated modern issues. Having old aged white people of sufficient means looking into the political issues of 2020/2021 is not necessary (they are typically the voices that dominate conversations anyways). Especially when they blatantly sympathize with Nazis and romanticize cops (and cop violence). The characters are toxic, their relationships are toxic and this story doesn’t make me “see the other side” as much as it makes me see that ignorance is the biggest danger to our political landscape.

she writes a novel romanticizing a Trump-supporting cop who murders someone and gets away with it then states how she loves the cop she wrote… like it’s very upsetting to read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Racism, Infertility, Toxic relationship, Death, Gaslighting, Grief, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Hate crime

Trump supporter sympathizing; cop sympathizing; cop violence; nazi sympathizing

feebles640's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death, Death of parent, and Classism

Moderate: Dementia, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Cancer, Child abuse, Infertility, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Police brutality, and Racism

Minor: Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Addiction, and Alcoholism

The book covers 2020/2021 and discusses current events in America at that time (covid 19, black lives matter, Trump, attack on capital)