Reviews

Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout

mnicolet's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.5

pragmaticallypassionate_reader's review against another edition

3.0

This book was so far out of my normal genres that I'm not sure how to rate it.

The narration was smooth and felt very much like Lucy was talking to us. The plot was secondary to Lucy's thoughts, and while I prefer a stronger plot, I was thankful for an overarching story. There was a lot of floating back into Lucy's past and random side trails that would last a while, but I suppose that comes with this type of book? Again, this is not my usual genre, so I'm not sure what the standards are.

The best parts of this book were the intimate narration by Lucy and the observations on human nature.

coffeefrancy's review against another edition

reflective medium-paced

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

3.5

readlikeanerd's review against another edition

reflective relaxing medium-paced

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

3.5

zoe42's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense 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

5.0

helenks's review against another edition

1.0

Not my cup of tea! I found the two main characters, Lucy and William, unlikable. They were both a bit wet and William was downright nasty and childish at times - he didn’t have any charisma which made it hard to understand why so many women put up with him!

bethanybeyondthejordan's review against another edition

4.0

4.5
Understated
Beautiful exhibition of the complexity of relationships
I read Elizabeth Strout many years ago and wasn’t impressed but I think I and my reading have changed in such a way that I need to reread some of her backlist.

barbaraalfond's review against another edition

4.0

This book undid me, if you know what I
mean. (A favorite phrase of Lucy Barton’s).

Elizabeth Strout is now 65, and when I wake up tomorrow, I will be 75. And when you live this long, you have regrets, many, and you have joy, much, but there are people and things in your life you will never forget or get over, and Lucy knows that, and Elizabeth knows that, and so do I. And yet, knowing all of this does not mean that we can always connect the dots. As my mother used to say, “Ah, now comes the dawn!” The line in the book that I keep going back to, again and again, is this one:
“This is the way of life: the many things we do not know until it is too late”.

I hope it is not too late.

donnawr1's review against another edition

5.0

What a lovely book once again by Elizabeth Strout. Lucy Barton is my favorite of her characters and so it was just wonderful to see how she's doing now that she's 63. The story is about her relationship with her ex-husband, William, shortly after the death of her beloved second husband. Lucy and William have remained friends with a special bond that comes from knowing the intimacies of the other, without having to be with them all the time. They can be brutally honest with each other and each listens and absorbs what the other has to say. This is particularly important at this time when William, aged 70, starts to lose the commanding presence he has had in all aspects of his life previous. I love how Lucy fills in details from previous novels, like her hospitalization was due to appendicitis and what her siblings were up to. We learn more about her feelings about her mother as well, ripened with time after she became a mother of adult girls. I also love that there is a better perspective on why she left William in the first place and that she has a close relationship with her daughters. Strout knows how to find little details about her characters that make them so vivid, even though the writing feels sparse overall. It is with a feeling of content fullness that I finished this book and can't wait to read Lucy By The Sea as the most recent story of Lucy. Even though these books became a series, they never feel like a series when you read them.

nikidon's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted 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? No

4.0