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A review by whatpageareyouon
My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout
3.0
I liked this a lot. I wish I didn’t have to guess at what I think it’s about though. Lucy Barton talks a lot about the truth in stories, and I especially liked her comparisons to herself and Sarah Payne, a writer she admires.
“And I think sometimes of Sarah Payne, how she could barely say her name that day when I met her in the clothing store...and I think how she spoke of the fact that we all have one story, and I don’t think I know what her story was or is. I like the books she wrote. But I can’t stop the sense that she stays away from something.”
I also think that Lucy “stays away” from her memories by constantly questioning her own authority as she retells moments from her childhood—often entailing abuse in some form that I’m not sure she entirely recognizes. She might be too sympathetic to do so. But even the title of this work suggests that Lucy is trying. While trying to rekindle her relationship with her mother, Lucy recovers from an appendix surgery during her time in the hospital—which I’m assuming is a direct reflection of Lucy needing to put energy into her mental health as well as her physical health.
While I think the brief chapters were well done, I think constantly assessing memories leaves too much room to willingly “play” with the story. In doing so, some mentioned side characters feel like filler for the sake of not giving Lucy too much characterization to the point of unbelievability. Even still, this was charming and enlightening. Sort of reads like a much more focused Miranda July work.
“And I think sometimes of Sarah Payne, how she could barely say her name that day when I met her in the clothing store...and I think how she spoke of the fact that we all have one story, and I don’t think I know what her story was or is. I like the books she wrote. But I can’t stop the sense that she stays away from something.”
I also think that Lucy “stays away” from her memories by constantly questioning her own authority as she retells moments from her childhood—often entailing abuse in some form that I’m not sure she entirely recognizes. She might be too sympathetic to do so. But even the title of this work suggests that Lucy is trying. While trying to rekindle her relationship with her mother, Lucy recovers from an appendix surgery during her time in the hospital—which I’m assuming is a direct reflection of Lucy needing to put energy into her mental health as well as her physical health.
While I think the brief chapters were well done, I think constantly assessing memories leaves too much room to willingly “play” with the story. In doing so, some mentioned side characters feel like filler for the sake of not giving Lucy too much characterization to the point of unbelievability. Even still, this was charming and enlightening. Sort of reads like a much more focused Miranda July work.