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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
My least favorite of Strout's books (less disquieting than the others), but I love her cadence.
As a pastor’s daughter growing up in a few different small towns, this definitely hit home for me in many ways.
emotional
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
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
All the elements of Elizabeth Strout's quiet yet masterful writing are present in this novel, but I did not connect well with the main character (a recently widowed small town evangelical minister in the 1950s)...3.5, rounded up. It looks like I'm ending my Year 2024 in Books with a whimper and not a bang!
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Grief, War
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual content
Minor: Racism
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I love Strout’s writing - this was the 7th novel of hers that I’ve read out of the 10 she’s written. While beautiful and heartbreaking, this is lower on my author ranking of her work.
Tyler Caskey is the minister in a small town in Maine. He’s recently lost his wife and is struggling to raise their two girls by himself. His congregation and the town are gossiping about him and his family, making Tyler question his community.
Strout writes quiet desperation so well and I did really care for Tyler. I think the struggle I had with this book is personal - I am not religious in any way, and so much of this novel is about Tyler questioning what he always thought he knew about God. This didn’t resonate as much for me as his family issues. But I still love Strout’s writing and am glad I read this one.
✨Content Warnings: Death of a Parent, Mental Illness, Suicidal Thoughts, Terminal Illness, Adult/Minor Relationship, Racism, Sexual Assault, Abortion, Antisemitism
Tyler Caskey is the minister in a small town in Maine. He’s recently lost his wife and is struggling to raise their two girls by himself. His congregation and the town are gossiping about him and his family, making Tyler question his community.
Strout writes quiet desperation so well and I did really care for Tyler. I think the struggle I had with this book is personal - I am not religious in any way, and so much of this novel is about Tyler questioning what he always thought he knew about God. This didn’t resonate as much for me as his family issues. But I still love Strout’s writing and am glad I read this one.
✨Content Warnings: Death of a Parent, Mental Illness, Suicidal Thoughts, Terminal Illness, Adult/Minor Relationship, Racism, Sexual Assault, Abortion, Antisemitism
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated