The ‘novel of stories’ framework really appeals to me and I have had the pleasure of reading many fine examples of the form. That is, until I realised at least 6 of the 13 stories were published separately over the two decades preceding this novel’s 2008 publication. I was perplexed by the lack of cohesion between the pieces. Novel of storiesįor me though, Olive Kitteridge does not succeed as a ‘novel of stories’. In several pieces the story’s depth creeps up on you, in much the same way life has crept up on its characters. Strout’s prose exhibits an uncommon clarity, stripping away the white noise, almost like a set of noise-cancelling speakers. Her sense of timing, choice of perspective, the deeper meaning she extracts from the smallest actions and observations is admirable.
Strout clearly has enviable skills in short story craft. I certainly do not have to like a character to like a book. It is understandable that her character Olive Kitteridge and her flaws, plain-speaking and stoicism has struck a chord with, or elicited an emotional response from, so many readers.
Olive Kitteridge, Elizabeth Strout’s much-lauded novel has left me feeling underwhelmed. In a voice more powerful and compassionate than ever before, New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Strout binds together thirteen rich, luminous narratives into a book with the heft of a novel, through the presence of one larger-than-life, unforgettable character: Olive Kitteridge.Īt the edge of the continent, Crosby, Maine, may seem like nowhere, but seen through this brilliant writer’s eyes, it’s in essence the whole world, and the lives that are lived there are filled with all of the grand human drama–desire, despair, jealousy, hope, and love.Īt times stern, at other times patient, at times perceptive, at other times in sad denial, Olive Kitteridge, a retired schoolteacher, deplores the changes in her little town and in the world at large, but she doesn’t always recognize the changes in those around her: a lounge musician haunted by a past romance: a former student who has lost the will to live: Olive’s own adult child, who feels tyrannized by her irrational sensitivities and Henry, who finds his loyalty to his marriage both a blessing and a curse.Īs the townspeople grapple with their problems, mild and dire, Olive is brought to a deeper understanding of herself and her life–sometimes painfully, but always with ruthless honesty.ĭisclosure: If you click a link in this post and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission.
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