Reviews with content warning for Death - Lucy by the Sea

Reviews tagging 'Death'

Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout

17 reviews

fkshg8465's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Best one of the series for me. Captured the COVID years pretty accurately.

Having gone through 9/11 and now being 23 years later, seeing kids grow up without it being taught in schools, seeing how those who know what it was but wasn’t there to experience it can only view it as a point in time, makes me think it’ll be the same for future generations regarding COVID and that this book could help them to grasp a sliver of a semblance of what that period was like for many of us.

I think the book also did a pretty good job of capturing the essence of conflict lots of mothers and daughters, the longing of our mothers to be closer and the distance daughters need to grow into their own stories.

I still think William isn’t good enough for Lucy, but he is certainly devoted to her.

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fell4's review against another edition

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS FICTION AND NOT A MEMOIR. LMAO. You would think after Daisy and the Six I would learn.

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ashley_turch's review against another edition

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inspiring reflective fast-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

4.75

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I didn’t know it was part of a series until halfway through. Is it worth reading the others?

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suzyq's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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avesmaria's review against another edition

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reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Excellent writing, truly, although Lucy Barton has to be one of the most irritating, priggish, insufferable old ladies I’ve ever read as narrator/main character. (It seems maybe Olive Kitteridge is even worse, based on her cameo in this book!) I really liked the writing - Strout really peers into the soul - but I’m not sure I could make it through another book of people like this.

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anniebraves's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

After My Name is Lucy Barton my favourite in the series snd significantly more plot driven compared to the other books in the series. The first novel I’ve read that addresses the pandemic.

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geraldinerowe's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I've read all of the Lucy Barton books and while I've loved them while reading them, they've ultimately left me unsatisfied as they don't seem to have any particular direction. Not so Lucy by the Sea. I hope (and assume) another chapter is on the way as this book has left me worried about her. Elizabeth Strout is an absolute master at developing character. Everyone she writes about is complex, with both flaws and redeeming features. And that is the overriding theme of this book. It's not just about Lucy learning to live with her sometimes selfish and thoughtless, but often loving, ex-husband. It's also, in a similar vein, understanding those who have opposing views to her on Covid and President Trump.

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