Olive Kitteridge

OLIVE KITTERIDGE
by Elizabeth Strout

 Award: Pulitzer Winner 2009

 Nomination: National Book Critics Circle Finalist 2008

 Date Read: April 25, 2010

My feelings about the short story genre have been harped on enough, and although this novel presents as 13 short stories about the main character Olive, I was completely delighted. Each story offers up a unique perspective on who Olive is - her motivations, flaws, complexities and perceptions of herself and others. 

 Olive Kitteridge offers the unique experience of watching a character come to a deeper understanding of herself over time. Set in Maine, Olive is a retired schoolteacher who grapples with her relationships - a strained relationship with her son and a husband who is both committed yet occasionally repelled. The townspeople around her struggle through their own dramas and through these relationships, Olive is faced with some harsh truths about herself. 

 I have a tremendous amount of compassion for Olive because like each of us, she has her strengths and weaknesses, however, her most endearing quality is what I believe to be her willingness to face new understandings of herself. 

 Looking Forward: Amy & Isabelle, My Name Is Lucy Barton

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