Olive Kitteridge is an unforgettable character. She is stubborn and arrogant; depressed and jealous; yet can be sensitive and caring at awkward times. You don’t know whether to love her or hate her from the first chapter right through to the last. The only consistent trait about Olive is that she simply is not a nice person.
Olive is a retired schoolteacher who despises change, whether in her day-to-day life in Crosby, Maine, or anywhere else in the world for that matter. We are introduced to her husband, Henry, devoted and loyal but sometimes feels restricted in their marriage; and to their only child, Christopher, who grew up feeling intimidated by his mother’s irrational insecurities. Throw in a diverse mix of characters living in Crosby, which include some of Olive’s past students struggling with life choices and heartaches, and you have a story filled with a lot of drama.
As her neighbors work through their problems and somehow snare her into their troubles, Olive is forced to face her own problems and insecurities, raw or otherwise. The question remains how deep she must go to find true understanding and acceptance of herself, of others and of the life around her. The author, Elizabeth Strout, has written an interesting tale that will keep you captivated. So many changes, and with overwhelming encouragement from fans, the author felt Olive needed to have a continuation of her story. You will become so interested in her search for answers that you will want to read the follow-up book in the series, ‘Olive, Again’ (c2019) to find out just what happens to Olive and her neighbors. Happy Reading!
