A review by wordsofclover
Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout

hopeful lighthearted reflective 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

In the third installment of Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout, we once again follow Lucy as she embarks on a trip with her ex-husband William and we learn more about William’s life, childhood and some secrets from his mother’s past. 

 

I find the audiobooks for Lucy Barton (or all of Elizabeth Strout’s audiobooks as they are all narrated by Kimberly Farr who is fantastic) really relaxing and there’s something about Lucy and how she sees and responds to people that feels very real and relatable. 

 

This is very much achievable character focused book rather than plot and the timeline meanders back and forth as Lucy focuses on her trip with William to visit his older sister, and also on her past with William and her relationship with his mother. We also see glimpses of Lucy’s girls and the lovely bond she has with her now grown up daughters who are trying for families of their own. 

 

There’s not much I can say about this series except that with each book, it feels like having lunch with a friend. There’s something very warm and open about Lucy even in the ways she closes herself up sometimes and thinks so little about herself. These books are very comforting and I highly recommend them.