At 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 of Crosby, Maine, 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 her husband, Henry, who finds his loyalty to his marriage both a blessing and a curse.
As 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. Olive Kitteridge offers profound insights into the human condition–its conflicts, its tragedies and joys, and the endurance it requires.
Born in Portland, Maine Elizabeth Strout grew up in small towns in Maine and New Hampshire. She attended Bates College and graduated with a degree in English in 1977. At Syracuse University College she earned her law degree along with a Certificate in Gerontology. She started working in Legal services but soon became an adjunct in the English Department of Borough of Manhattan Community College. In 1998 her first novel was published. She is living in New York. For more information visit http://elizabethstrout.com
I took a day before writing a review on this book. I picked it up because the book got some good ratings form people I follow on Goodreads and usually share a same taste with. Though I can understand people liking this book it was not a book for me.
First it took me a long time to get a grip on the story. I still have a hard time to grasp the deeper meaning of putting these stories together and how they are exactly connected and what it means.
Each chapter describes a situation in a persons life. It took me time every chapter to get a hold of the story and therefore I could not connect with the characters.
I am left with the feeling I have missed out on something very important in the book but I cannot get my head around it. Unfortunately I cannot rate this book any higher than 2 stars. It was a real struggle getting trough it and left me very unsatisfied.
Before buying it please read the reviews and you might want to try out some pages in the bookstore to see if you can get a hold of the story. Otherwise 270 pages can be a struggle.
Olive Kitteridge
Publisher : Random House, New York
ISBN-10 : 158836688X
ISBN-13 : 9781588366887
ISBN-13 : 9781588366887
Pages : 270
Format : eBookRandom House: Olive Kitteridge, Trade Paperback or Hardcover
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