BOOK REVIEW
Olive, Again
Author: Elizabeth Strout
Synopsis: As a sequel to ‘Olive Ketteridge’, we follow Olive as she grows older, navigating the second half of her life as she comes to terms with many changes in her own existence and in some of those around her.
Olive still resides in Crosby, Maine and is adjusting to her new life with her second husband, Jack. While both Olive and Jack seem to be reasonably content in their life together, Olive often reflects on the life she had with her first husband, Henry, and has some regrets about the times when she wasn’t ‘an ideal wife’.
Olive has lived in Crosby for most of her life, was a high school teacher, and is connected to many in the community. Some find her to be too brusque but others wise and interesting.
She is challenged, too, by her son Christopher who lives in New York, is married and has a number of children. Christopher is not really present in Olive’s life but even so has a very negative response to Olive remarrying. He and the family visit on a couple of occasions but these visits turn out to be disastrous. Olive’s wish for him and his family to accept Jack fails.
Olive has not mellowed in her old age and is still the blunt and contradictory person we remember. Still, there is compassion for those who are in trouble and she tries as best she knows how to comfort those who need comforting. She herself overcomes a serious illness.
Olive experiences loss and loneliness, both being a legacy of old age, but with strong determination (and a little sadness) she accepts what she cannot change and begins to write her memoires.
At times I was in awe of Olive’s undaunting and humorous approach to certain situations. On occasion she is a person to be reckoned with but under the façade is a human being most of us can identify with.
This is a story of human relationships.
ROSALIE HOWARTH
Author: Elizabeth Strout
Synopsis: As a sequel to ‘Olive Ketteridge’, we follow Olive as she grows older, navigating the second half of her life as she comes to terms with many changes in her own existence and in some of those around her.
Olive still resides in Crosby, Maine and is adjusting to her new life with her second husband, Jack. While both Olive and Jack seem to be reasonably content in their life together, Olive often reflects on the life she had with her first husband, Henry, and has some regrets about the times when she wasn’t ‘an ideal wife’.
Olive has lived in Crosby for most of her life, was a high school teacher, and is connected to many in the community. Some find her to be too brusque but others wise and interesting.
She is challenged, too, by her son Christopher who lives in New York, is married and has a number of children. Christopher is not really present in Olive’s life but even so has a very negative response to Olive remarrying. He and the family visit on a couple of occasions but these visits turn out to be disastrous. Olive’s wish for him and his family to accept Jack fails.
Olive has not mellowed in her old age and is still the blunt and contradictory person we remember. Still, there is compassion for those who are in trouble and she tries as best she knows how to comfort those who need comforting. She herself overcomes a serious illness.
Olive experiences loss and loneliness, both being a legacy of old age, but with strong determination (and a little sadness) she accepts what she cannot change and begins to write her memoires.
At times I was in awe of Olive’s undaunting and humorous approach to certain situations. On occasion she is a person to be reckoned with but under the façade is a human being most of us can identify with.
This is a story of human relationships.
ROSALIE HOWARTH
