Elizabeth Strout is probably my favorite writer and Oh, William is a continuation of the story she began in MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON. I love her unadorned, plain-speaking writing style, I like her characters and find them completely credible, I love her affection for even the worst of them. Lucy Barton is introduced as a patient in a hospital after an operation went bad. She spends a month there ruminating on her life and especially on her horrific childhood. Her mother visits her-something unexpected because of the way she treated Lucy as a child. But William calls her in because it is hard for him to visit with a job and two children to care for.
Oh William picks the story up later. Lucy is now a successful novelist with two grown daughters and has just lost her second husband, who she adored. William was her first husband and she is thrown together with him when he finds out he has a stepsister he never knew existed and needs help coping with it. Lucy takes the journey with him despite herself.
I am now reading the third story about this family (although written before Oh, William) and it is terrific too.Is anything nicer than being in the hands of a writer you love?
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10 comments:
I've just started My Name is Lucy Barton. And I agree. There isn't anything nicer than being in the hands of a writer you love. :) Thank you for reviewing.
This sounds like a good series! (Seems like a lot of reviews this month are a part of a series, which isn't a bad thing. :) )
Thanks for reviewing.
I do like straightforward writing styles, Patti. And down-to-earth, real characters appeal to me, too. Glad you enjoyed this.
I have been meaning to try one of hers, but somehow...you know how it is. I agree - discovering an author you really love, especially when there are more books to read, is a very good thing.
Diane just finished reading OH, WILLIAM. She loved it! Diane and her Book Club have read Elizabeth Strout's earlier books, too.
I think I said this already here. I have not read anything by Strout but I have two of them, and I look forward to reading both of them.
Glad you enjoyed the book, Patti.
Linda McLaughlin
I do love reading books by writers I love. One is Mike Martin who writes the Sgt. Windflower Mystery Series and Yvonne Maximchuk who has written several books about living off-the-grid in Echo Bay on an island in Coastal British Columbia. Her first mystery novel is coming out later this year. And of course, it's set in the same location. I've been fortunate to meet her in real life and hosted her at my float cabin home. She's also an amazing artist. - Margy
I like a good series, but you knew that! Thanks for reviewing.
I enjoyed Lucy Barton too and the stage performance of it was the last live theater I saw before the pandemic. The second book is on my shelf and now I have a third to look forward to. The author lives part of the year in my town in Maine. I prefer her books set in our state, but everything Liz Strout writes is strong. Thanks for reviewing!
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