A review by molly_hn
Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout

emotional inspiring reflective relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I read this book in a day. My mother told me I would and I adamantly refused to believe her. But I did! This novel is a gorgeous reflection on ageing, on marriage and divorce, on mother-daughter relationships, on trauma, on inter generational trauma and overcoming it, on why we are drawn to the people we are drawn to, male ego development and the loss of thrust, introspection… it’s simply gorgeous. If you have ever been witness to complicated parental relationships, this book will speak to your soul. The realism is perfect and the grit is intentionally held back due to the first-person narration. The author holds what we might hold if we were speaking, she allows memory to lead and the prose is written in a stream of consciousness form, with rambles, with uncertainty and with lots of trailing edges. This may be annoying to some but I found myself craving Lucy’s voice far after finishing. It cements the character’s voice into your mind. I have not read any of the other novels in the series. I adored this book.
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