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tracey1981's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Note: There were times where the author’s descriptions of some characters and/or the characters’ descriptions of one another were quite fatphobic and/or ableist. I do believe those characters would have said or thought those things, especially 16+ years ago when this book is set, but it still detracted enough from this otherwise excellent book to be worth mentioning.
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Eating disorder, and Body shaming
Moderate: Ableism, Fatphobia, and Chronic illness
raybudbury's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Gun violence, Misogyny, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Death, Death of parent, Body shaming, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, and Grief
chanancrompton's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Eating disorder, Death, and Suicidal thoughts
c_dmckinney's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.75
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Grief, Islamophobia, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, Infidelity, Gun violence, Terminal illness, Eating disorder, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Racism, Terminal illness, Alcohol, Death, Death of parent, Mental illness, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Medical content, Child death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Cancer, Alcoholism, Dementia, Eating disorder, and Islamophobia
Minor: Chronic illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and Xenophobia
agnesg's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Animal death
Minor: Car accident
emileod4974's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Moderate: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Eating disorder
bookishbeccahale's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts and Emotional abuse
imds's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Gun violence, Homophobia, Suicide, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Physical abuse
Minor: Antisemitism and Islamophobia
miss_fish's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Eating disorder, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief
deedireads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
TL;DR REVIEW:
I’m late to the game with both Elizabeth Strout and Olive Kitteridge, but I’m so glad I finally arrived! What beautifully rendered characters. I loved it.
For you if: You like linked short stories.
FULL REVIEW:
“Had they known at these moments to be quietly joyful? Most likely not. People mostly did not know enough when they were living life that they were living it.”
I’d been meaning to read Olive Kitteridgefor a good long time, because I love linked short stories and of course it’s a modern classic. Finally, my friend Bernie forced it to the top of my TBR, and I’m so glad! This book is full of really beautifully rendered characters, tender moments, hope and heartbreak.
The stories could almost be chapters, as they move more or less linearly in time and give us a progressive amount of information about Olive (a strong-willed, brusque, no-holds-barred kind of woman) and her life. But they’re not quite chapters, because they hop and bop between main characters; they’re not all about Olive herself.
Elizabeth Strout’s magic is in creating her characters very quickly and efficiently; the dialogue, details — everything — come together into sharp, lifelike relief and BOOM there goes your poor little heart, fallen for another one of them. Olive isn’t really even a nice person, and you still love her, quickly and fiercely.
Strangely as I read, this book reminded me of The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo. They don’t have a ton in common at first glance — linked stories vs a 500-page family saga — but they both look closely (and heartbreakingly) at what happens to marriage in old age and navigating tricky adult child/parent relationships. (Also the patriarch is named Henry in both books, lol.)
Graphic: Eating disorder, Grief, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Toxic relationship