Another Assignment

Back to Elizabeth Strout. My aunt visited the East Coast recently and brought me a few books, one of which came with an assignment. Read it and advise on whether to pick The Wife by Meg Wolitzer or Amy and Isabel by Elizabeth Strout for her book club next month. Last time I think she chose something by Ayn Rand so she wanted to give the ladies a break I think. Or maybe just not get kicked out of the book club.

I wasn't thinking very much when I glanced at them and didn't connect Amy and Isabel by Elizabeth Strout to Olive Kitteridge byt the same author. Duh.

I picked up Amy and Isabel a few times and said, to myself, "boy is this going to be good. I sure am tired though." So I turned of my light and went to bed after twenty minutes. Last night I picked up A and I at about eleven and it started to get really good. So good in fact that I read the whole book. And when I finished at two, I was so wound up I didn't sleep til three.

It was that good.

There are some ick parts to be sure. Watching a teenager come to sexual maturity is never pretty, and there are a fair number of images of middle aged sex, but Man. What a story. So beautfully written. I am putting Elizabeth Strout officially on my list of favorite authors. I love her.

The only negative comment I have about this book is the title. It comes off as a non-serious book, especially leading off with Amy, it seems fluffy when it definitely is not fluffy and addresses coming of age and sex and female relationships so thoughtfully. I don't have any suggestions for a better title, but am not a fan of the current one. Although really it's permanent. I wonder if Ms. Strout thought of it herself or had it forced upon her by a tyrannical publisher.