This book. Wow. A Pulitzer Prize winning narrative with an incredible leading character who will break your heart. Here is my book review Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Stout.

Stout brilliantly writes a collection of short stories, each with an overriding character named Olive Kitteridge. Those 13 stories become this Pulitzer Prize winning book. Stout’s ability to pull the reader into each separate story reveals her creative aptitude. Although often sad and depressing I couldn’t put it down.

This book. These characters. What you find here is the truth in living. How everyone has some hidden sadness we may never really know. How first impressions are often wrong. How the process of just living changes each person over time. In the small Maine town, these are the people Stout writes about, each dealing with something; lost love, addiction, suicide contemplation, lack of self-confidence, infidelity, loneliness, death.

Throughout these stories there is Olive Kitteridge; wife, mother, retired school teacher. Sometimes tyrannical, sometimes thoughtful, sometimes kind, sometimes irritable. And often quietly insightful. Olive Kitteridge is a mirror of each of us, as we endure life’s trials and tragedies, joys and jubilation. A life too short and usually over before we really know how precious it was.

Sad but amazing. I loved this book.

*****Five Stars for Olive Kitteridge.

Read last week’s review of The Cold Millions

My current read The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue

See this week’s top performing pin Maui Hidden Gems here.

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