Member Reviews

Elizabeth Strout is just plain amazing. The way she weaves characters and stories together is very satisfying. I loved Olive in Olive Kitterage and was thrilled to love her just as much in Olive, Again. This book has stories within a story and it works so well. I highly recommend reading this!

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It was lovely, but I felt like I already knew Olive so well and was not sure that I wanted to know more. The writing is always perfect, the setting is clear - there is nothing not to like, except that I had stopped time for Olive in my mind already.

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Elizabeth Strout is one of the finest writers working today. Her crisp prose manages the difficult task of being emotive without being sentimental. Readers who loved Olive Kitteridge when she was introduced to us 10 years ago—even as she flooded us with conflicting feelings—will not be disappointed with Olive, Again. I'm still trying to figure out how Ms. Strout creates characters whose every human flaw is exposed, while filling our hearts with compassion for them! This novel will stick with you long after you finish the last page.

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I love Olive. She reminds me somewhat of Amelia Bedelia - she's straight-forward and says what she means and means what she says. But Olive is also a sensitive, caring and thoughtful person. This book is kind of a love story good bye to Olive. We age along with her. It has its happy and sad times and there is truthfulness to all of it. Olive is a complex and multi-dimensional character. While some saw this lovely book as being sad, I contend it was a beautiful love song to life. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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I received an advanced digital copy of this book from the author, publisher and Netgalley.com. Thanks to all for the opportunity to read and review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Ms. Strout's writing is a joy to read. Olive is back and though a little older, in fine form.

5 out of 5 stars. Recommended reading.

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Olive is back in fine form in this sequel to Pulitzer Prize winning novel Oliver Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout. Olive's personality and allure as a character has not lost any of its lustre as this book is a fitting tribute to Olive. The short stories are wonderful and really elicit so many emotions from the reader. Olive has evolved but is still uniquely Olive. I loved this book and highly recommend it.

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Olive, Again by Elizabeth Strout. I had no idea this was part of a series when I picked this book from the library and if I read the first book I might have liked this one more. At first it gave me Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine vibes which is a book I adored. However, Olive Again was nothing like I thought it might be or was expecting and it did not live up to all the hype it recieved last year in my opinion. The book felt scattered and didn't flow very well. Other than Olive, I didn't like any of the other characters in book which made reading it a bore. I'd give it 1.5 stars at best.

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I love Elizabeth Strout’s writing so much! It’s been awhile since I read Olive Kittredge and I loved reading about her again. The writing, characters and atmosphere of Olive, Again brought me back to how I felt when I read first read Olive. A wonderful novel! I thank the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy.

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I wish I enjoyed this novel more than I did. I'm definitely in the minority, and did not realized there was a first book to Olive. Unfortunately this was not a story that stuck with me and I had a hard time focusing through it.

I would like to thank the publisher and netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for this honest review.

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Elizabeth Strout writes like no other, in 'Olive, Again' she can thrill and delight the reader like no other author has.
Complete review on my blog

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I loved Olive Kitteridge when I read it. I think Elizabeth Strout is seriously talented. This is another book about Olive told in a series of short stories. I gave it 4 stars and do recommend it if you liked the first one.

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A good follow up to the first collection of short stories! This just made me love Olive even more. She is spunky and speaks her mind but also truly cares about the people she loves. If you liked the first book, you’ll like this one too.

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This book took off with a bang! I really enjoyed Olive and all the characters. It was really well written and had a pretty good flow. I did find all the different characters interesting, but sometimes confusing. Especially after the halfway mark, because I think I just wondered what was going on. Usually they crossed paths with Olive, but it wasn't always anything much.

Good descriptions, good people and good dialogue, especially the internal dialogues.

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Olive. We all know one or one like her. Tough old woman, not afraid to say whats on her mind no matter how brutal or offensive. She is the woman that doesn't mean to offend but doesn't believe in sweet talk or not stating the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Elizabeth Strout's, Olive, Again, is about Olive Kitteridge and the people who live with her in the town of Crosby, Maine. All of the stories and characters have real issues, whether its alcoholism, infidelity, aging, loneliness or isolation and it is Strouts insightful writing that takes this not so happy book to one that gives us hope. Olive finds strength and insight on her sometimes sad journey.
I didn't start out as a lover of this book and Olive but the more I read, the more I came to understand Olive and find a place in my heart for a woman that is a force of nature that I grew to have compassion for.
I received an advance copy of this book from #NetGalley #OliveAgain.

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I am a fan of Elizabeth Strout, and I think I’ve read most, if not all, of her books. I don’t know if I’m in the minority here, but I liked this one even more than Olive Kitteridge. Maybe it’s because I was already introduced to Olive, so, with the exception of seeing her older, and perhaps a bit more empathetic, it was like stepping back into a familiar place. Olive is not a perfectly sweet old lady—she can be ornery, funny, rude, crafty, wise, and occasionally kind. Just like all of us. Personally, I would like her to meet Ove, but maybe that’s for the next book.

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Thank you for the opportunity to read this. I will be posting a full review to Goodreads, Amazon, and Instagram.

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I loved the story and writing style of Olive Kitteridge! I was very happy to see that continued in this book. It was a great addition to the first!

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My review posted on Goodreads.com

Olive is, simply, a wonderful character. She is not particularly likeable, but just when I begin to think I DON'T like her and never will, she does or says something that completely changes my mind.

The reviewer received an electronic galley from NetGalley.com

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Oh Olive what a joy to hear from Olive and the townspeople of Crosby, Maine. Olive speaks her mind, life’s to short to keep it all bottled up inside. Olive is tough and brass. The exception is Olive’s relationship with.her son Christopher. They still have a strained relationship, Christopher’s actions border on cruelty.
Olive , Again brings back old characters from Crosby as well as those from Strout’s other novels.

I loved this book and Olive.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

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I didn't realize this was part of a series when I started it. I think I may have enjoyed it better had I read the first one. I am definitely looking into the tv show to get some background on Olive. She is a difficult character to understand. Definitely recommend reading if you've enjoyed the show or read the first book.

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