Olive Kitteridge

I loved this book, the writing of E. Strout is sublime. But Olive - OMG, what a horrible woman !I think in the whole book there was perhaps two times coming from her mouth (or even her thoughts !!!!) something nice. I must say, it ruined the book a little bit for me - to read about such a despicable woman like that, it makes your hair stand upright. How she treats her husband, her son and ALL the people around her... I hated her. Needless to say, I will NOT order the 2nd book "Olive again", lol !I ordered another book of Strout instead, as she is really a wonderful, admirable author.

No es exactamente una novela, más bien una concatenación de episodios enlazados entre sí, a veces de modo tenue. El foco no recae exactamente sobre Olive K. sino sobre la comunidad en la que ella vive, mostrándonos las idas y venidas de sus integrantes. ¿Es triste el tono de la novela? sí, lo es. Pero no exagerada sino adecuadamente triste. Más bien realista. Lo que ocurre es que la protagonista, y sus convecinos, han catado su dosis de derrota (y quizás de victoria), como todos nosotros.Está maravillosamente escrito. Eso sí, demanda nuestra atención porque cada frase cuenta, porque percibir el matiz exige concentración. No explica los hechos de modo directo, sino que va sembrando el texto de sugerencias, de alusiones, y al final todo encaja de modo que cada capítulo deviene una perfecta obra de orfebrería.

Olive Kitteridge is a Pulitzer Prize Winner for fiction, which is breath-taking in its beauty and eloquence. The structure of the novel is 13 episodic stories, which provide a candid and searching insight into a small community in the coastal town of Crosby in Maine. It would be unfortunate to race through the pages without savouring the atmosphere, the wonderful sense of time, and the rich array of fascinating characters that enhance the human relationships on display. It takes the little breaks between stories to reflect on the mastery of prose and the observational expression of Elizabeth Strout.Olive Kitteridge is the indomitable presence throughout the book. Some stories have the faintest mention of Olive while in others she impacts with the overbearing resolve of a woman that is determined to get what she wants. Olive is rarely the focal point, but she acts as a magnet drawing each story to exist in her presence.Olive is an ex-school teacher, a tall and often clumsy woman, but as the years progress she becomes big,“… her ankles puffed out, her shoulders rolled up behind her neck, and her wrists and hands seemed to become the size of a man’s. Olive minds – of course she does; sometimes, privately, she minds very much. But at this stage of the game, she is not about to abandon the comfort of food, and that means right now she probably looks like a fat dozing seal wrapped in some kind of gauze bandage.”Olive has a formidable presence and a complexity that is intriguing and undefinable. While she offers very little filter in her comments and consideration of others and thinks it ludicrous to cry at weddings, she cries when she sees a young anorexic girl, Nina.“Olive shook her head again, blew her nose. She looked at Nina and said quietly, ‘I don’t know who you are, but young lady, you’re breaking my heart.’‘I’m not trying to,’ said Nina, defensively. ‘It’s not like I can help it.’‘Oh, I know that. I know.’ Olive nodded.”The first story is a touching story of her husband, Harry, who is a pharmacist, and his relationship with a young married assistant who tragically loses her husband. The relationship is subtly transformed from a platonic friendship to the delicate suggestion of deeper feelings as he allows himself to imagine what life would be like with this young woman. The emotional conflict burdens him until he finally asks Olive if she would ever leave him. “Oh, for God’s sake Henry. You could make a woman sick.” she responds.Most of the following stories reverberate with a sense of betrayal. You can feel the connection with the characters, laugh through incidents, be astounded by some events, nod in recognition with many, and shed a tear or two at others. The writing is emotionally stimulating and reveals such vivid moments that give breath to sentiments you may not have been expecting.This is a wonderful reading experience, infused with beautiful prose, images and feelings that we all encounter or witness throughout our lives. I would highly recommend this book. The reason why I jumped to read this book after it sitting on my bookshelf for so long, was that the sequel, Olive, Again, is due for release on 31st October this year.

内容に関してです。まだ途中ですが、このピュリッツア作品は堅苦しくなくて、女性の感覚でうなずける点が随所にあり、どこの国でも同じだな、、、と感心してます。

First time I read a book by Elizabeth Strout.I enjoyed it so much that I ordered another of her novels since.She excels in portraying her characters particularly females.The movie was excellent but the novel itself is even better.