Elizabeth Strout's first novel, “Amy and Isabelle,” told the story of a single mother raising her daughter in a small town. The story reflected the often prickly relationship between mother and daughter, particularly as the daughter becomes a young woman.
Strout's latest novel is “Olive Kitteridge” - a novel in stories. The author uses 13 stories to reveal the character of Olive Kitteridge, a middle-school math teacher in a small town in Maine. Olive is prominent in some of the stories; in others, she appears tangentially, but aspects of her are revealed through other characters.
The first story, “Pharmacy,” is one of the strongest. Henry Kitteridge is the kind owner of the local pharmacy. Henry is a friendly man, not gregarious, but most people think well of him.
Olive is a different story. When we meet her, Henry describes her as having “a darkness that seemed to stand beside her like an acquaintance that would not go away.” Henry wishes to invite Denise, the young lady who works in his pharmacy, and her husband to dinner at his home.
Olive does not like to entertain, and when the young couple comes to dinner, she is passive-aggressive, bordering on rude to them. She makes them feel uncomfortable, and when Henry spills ketchup, she yells at him, hurting his feelings.
Henry enjoyed working with the sweet-tempered Denise, and when she suffers a tragedy, he is there to help her through the crisis, much to the derision and disdain of Olive.
The Kitteridges have a son, Christopher. It is inferred that Olive was tough on Christopher growing up, but there is no direct evidence as to what exactly that means.
Christopher becomes a podiatrist, and when he is middle-aged marries Suzanne, a woman whom Olive dislikes. The Kitteridges build a home nearby for Christopher and his wife, and look forward to grandchildren.
At the wedding, Olive overhears Suzanne telling someone that Christopher had a difficult time growing up, saying that his mother had exceedingly high expectations for him and was hard on him. This statement stings Olive, and in her hurt and anger she secretly lashes out at Suzanne.
Her resentment of Suzanne becomes worse when Christopher calls his parents to tell them that they are moving to California because Suzanne hates the New England winters. Both Henry and Olive are inconsolable over losing their son, although the truth is that he had been shutting them out of his life slowly.
The reader sees a more compassionate side of Olive in “Starving.” Daisy is a lonely widow who begins an affair with the married Harmon. Now that the kids are out on their own, Harmon's wife has decided she no longer wishes to have sex anymore. In his sadness, he turns to Daisy and each Sunday they meet at Daisy's home to spend part of the day together.
Nina White is a young girl with a big problem: she is anorexic. Nina and her boyfriend shoplifted from Harmon's hardware store, and after a wild party, Nina is arrested for hitting a police officer. She breaks up with her boyfriend, and with nowhere else to go, ends up at Daisy's home.
Daisy allows her to stay, and Harmon and Daisy take care of Nina. They do not talk about the anorexia, until the day that forthright Olive shows up at Daisy's collecting for charity. Olive blurts out “You're starving” to Nina, and the elephant in the room is now visible to all.
Olive tells Nina that she is starving too, but doesn't say that what she is starving for is love. Harmon and Daisy are shocked to see the usually no-nonsense Olive crying. Olive tells Nina that they will get her help, but she must help herself and eat, and in the words of Winston Churchill, “never, never, never give up.” Those words were true for Harmon, and Olive as well.
One of the best things about “Olive Kitteridge” is that through the stories, the reader gets a look at how aging affects people. Olive and Henry go through their son's teen years, his marriage and subsequent divorce, retirement and how that affects a marriage, and the illnesses that afflict people as they age.
Henry and Olive work through the ups and downs of a long time marriage. Olive has a sort of breakdown when a fellow teacher is killed in a car accident. She rode to work every day with this man, and they spent time together in school. Were they in love? Henry had to wonder.
We see how a married couple spends retirement together, eating out at restaurants, going to concerts, window shopping. When one person becomes debilitated, how does that affect the healthy spouse left to carry on? The life you know changes in an instant.
Although Olive is not the friendliest, happiest person when seen through the eyes of people she knows best, through people who only know her as a math teacher or neighbor, we get a slightly different picture.
Former students recall that Mrs. Kitteridge was a tough teacher, but she also cared about her students and would go out of her way to help put someone on the right path. Olive was quick to criticize, but when a young anorexic she did not know needed tough love, honesty and a solution, she stepped up.
The author uses the short story form to build the complex character of Olive Kitteridge. The reader sees all facets of her personality reflected through characters who knew her well and not so well. Her physical description of Olive as a tall, big boned woman with large feet makes it easy to picture Olive in the reader's mind.
The book is strongest when Olive is a main character in the story; the stories where she plays a smaller role are less interesting. Elizabeth Strout has a wonderful ability to create memorable, flawed characters, and Olive Kitteridge remains in the reader's thoughts long after the book is over.
I give “Olive Kitteridge” - a novel in stories - four stars.
Auburn native Diane La Rue's lifelong goal is to read a book a week. If you have suggestions, e-mail her at laruediane2000@yahoo.com
If you read
What: “Olive Kitteridge”
Who: Elizabeth Strout
Publisher: Random House
Cost: $24.95, hardcover
The first story, “Pharmacy,” is one of the strongest. Henry Kitteridge is the kind owner of the local pharmacy. Henry is a friendly man, not gregarious, but most people think well of him.
Olive is a different story. When we meet her, Henry describes her as having “a darkness that seemed to stand beside her like an acquaintance that would not go away.” Henry wishes to invite Denise, the young lady who works in his pharmacy, and her husband to dinner at his home.
Olive does not like to entertain, and when the young couple comes to dinner, she is passive-aggressive, bordering on rude to them. She makes them feel uncomfortable, and when Henry spills ketchup, she yells at him, hurting his feelings.
Henry enjoyed working with the sweet-tempered Denise, and when she suffers a tragedy, he is there to help her through the crisis, much to the derision and disdain of Olive.
The Kitteridges have a son, Christopher. It is inferred that Olive was tough on Christopher growing up, but there is no direct evidence as to what exactly that means.
Christopher becomes a podiatrist, and when he is middle-aged marries Suzanne, a woman whom Olive dislikes. The Kitteridges build a home nearby for Christopher and his wife, and look forward to grandchildren.
At the wedding, Olive overhears Suzanne telling someone that Christopher had a difficult time growing up, saying that his mother had exceedingly high expectations for him and was hard on him. This statement stings Olive, and in her hurt and anger she secretly lashes out at Suzanne.
Her resentment of Suzanne becomes worse when Christopher calls his parents to tell them that they are moving to California because Suzanne hates the New England winters. Both Henry and Olive are inconsolable over losing their son, although the truth is that he had been shutting them out of his life slowly.
The reader sees a more compassionate side of Olive in “Starving.” Daisy is a lonely widow who begins an affair with the married Harmon. Now that the kids are out on their own, Harmon's wife has decided she no longer wishes to have sex anymore. In his sadness, he turns to Daisy and each Sunday they meet at Daisy's home to spend part of the day together.
Nina White is a young girl with a big problem: she is anorexic. Nina and her boyfriend shoplifted from Harmon's hardware store, and after a wild party, Nina is arrested for hitting a police officer. She breaks up with her boyfriend, and with nowhere else to go, ends up at Daisy's home.
Daisy allows her to stay, and Harmon and Daisy take care of Nina. They do not talk about the anorexia, until the day that forthright Olive shows up at Daisy's collecting for charity. Olive blurts out “You're starving” to Nina, and the elephant in the room is now visible to all.
Olive tells Nina that she is starving too, but doesn't say that what she is starving for is love. Harmon and Daisy are shocked to see the usually no-nonsense Olive crying. Olive tells Nina that they will get her help, but she must help herself and eat, and in the words of Winston Churchill, “never, never, never give up.” Those words were true for Harmon, and Olive as well.
One of the best things about “Olive Kitteridge” is that through the stories, the reader gets a look at how aging affects people. Olive and Henry go through their son's teen years, his marriage and subsequent divorce, retirement and how that affects a marriage, and the illnesses that afflict people as they age.
Henry and Olive work through the ups and downs of a long time marriage. Olive has a sort of breakdown when a fellow teacher is killed in a car accident. She rode to work every day with this man, and they spent time together in school. Were they in love? Henry had to wonder.
We see how a married couple spends retirement together, eating out at restaurants, going to concerts, window shopping. When one person becomes debilitated, how does that affect the healthy spouse left to carry on? The life you know changes in an instant.
Although Olive is not the friendliest, happiest person when seen through the eyes of people she knows best, through people who only know her as a math teacher or neighbor, we get a slightly different picture.
Former students recall that Mrs. Kitteridge was a tough teacher, but she also cared about her students and would go out of her way to help put someone on the right path. Olive was quick to criticize, but when a young anorexic she did not know needed tough love, honesty and a solution, she stepped up.
The author uses the short story form to build the complex character of Olive Kitteridge. The reader sees all facets of her personality reflected through characters who knew her well and not so well. Her physical description of Olive as a tall, big boned woman with large feet makes it easy to picture Olive in the reader's mind.
The book is strongest when Olive is a main character in the story; the stories where she plays a smaller role are less interesting. Elizabeth Strout has a wonderful ability to create memorable, flawed characters, and Olive Kitteridge remains in the reader's thoughts long after the book is over.
I give “Olive Kitteridge” - a novel in stories - four stars.
Auburn native Diane La Rue's lifelong goal is to read a book a week. If you have suggestions, e-mail her at laruediane2000@yahoo.com
If you read
What: “Olive Kitteridge”
Who: Elizabeth Strout
Publisher: Random House
Cost: $24.95, hardcover
