Olive Kitteridge

On my first trip to the Book Barn, a copy of "Olive Kitteridge" by Elizabeth Strout caught my eye. A little notation on the cover said that the book was the winner of a Pulitzer prize, so I decided that it would be worth reading.

The book is written as a series of short stories (13 in all). Each story centers around a character in a small town in Maine. However, the title character, Olive Kitteridge, makes an appearance in all of the stories, though she figures more prominently in some than in others. Although this is a formula that other authors have probably used before, what is interesting is that each story takes place in a different time... some in the past, some in the present. As the book goes on, these little vignettes allow us to piece together what we know about Olive from many perspectives-- her own, as well as that of her husband, her son, her friends, former students, and even people in town who don't know her very well. By the end of the book, we can see Olive from nearly every angle possible.

Since I have been reading a lot of current bestsellers and popular literature lately, I can definitely say that Strout's writing stands out above most of the authors out there today. She does an amazing job developing her characters, but even ore impressive is the way that she incorporates the landscape of rural Maine, which she describes beautifully.

Love, loss, aging, and change are all major themes in the novel. Although it can be a bit dark and depressing at times, it is true and honest. Strout does not skim over the low, sad points of life, but confronts them head on. And while death and loss do figure prominently in the book, there is also a great deal of hope and happiness as well. Ultimately, there is a good balance... just like real life.

Overall, I would definitely recommend the book. It's clear that Strout deserved to win the Pulitzer prize for this novel, and it's certainly worth reading. I think most readers will be impressed with Strout's writing style, which reminded me a bit of Steinbeck. The one frustration about the book, for me, was that  in the short stories, we're introduced to some very interesting characters who never end up resurfacing after their one story. This gives the novel a bit of a disjointed feel that is very much unlike reading a typical novel. However, this format is also part of the uniqueness and appeal of the book. I think the key to reading is to realize that Olive Kitteridge is the main character, and that each story is meant to portray something about her. 

---Emily