Olive Kitteridge won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2009. here is what the publisher wrote
"At times stern, at other times patient, at times perceptive, at other times in sad denial, Olive Kitteridge, a retired schoolteacher, deplores the changes in her little town of Crosby, Maine, and in the world at large, but she doesn’t always recognize the changes in those around her: a lounge musician haunted by a past romance; a former student who has lost the will to live; Olive’s own adult child, who feels tyrannized by her irrational sensitivities; and her husband, Henry, who finds his loyalty to his marriage both a blessing and a curse."
New York Times Full Review
"The pleasure in reading “Olive Kitteridge” comes from an intense identification with complicated, not always admirable, characters. And there are moments in which slipping into a character’s viewpoint seems to involve the revelation of an emotion more powerful and interesting than simple fellow feeling — a complex, sometimes dark, sometimes life-sustaining dependency on others. There’s nothing mawkish or cheap here. There’s simply the honest recognition that we need to try to understand people, even if we can’t stand them."
The Bookworms
Everyone appreciated the fine writing, but some found Olive herself too acerbic which made the book less enjoyable.
Finely crafted chapters. Very good observation of marriage, family and community -
Different layers of sadness - very well written - best new novel read over the last year - pleasantly surprised by the book - very little light relief but still contained plenty of humour - quality of the writing did not off-set the unsympathetic nature of Olive herself.
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