Oh William! is a very character driven book. There is not much that "happens" in this book, but you do learn a lot about the characters and see how they evolve over the course of the book.

Even though the book was a bit slow-moving (as I find most character-driven novels to be), it was still a quick read, if that makes any sense. It kept me engaged enough that I wanted to keep reading, and I ended up reading the whole thing in under 24 hours.

I enjoyed reading the book from Lucy's perspective and found her to be likeable. I also liked that this book was about the ongoing friendship between a divorced couple, which isn't a relationship that seems to be explored too often in most novels.

I'm not totally sure I was sold on the writing style. It wasn't bad, but wasn't my favorite either. It almost felt old-fashioned at times, as if the book was written 50 years ago...but for all I know, that could've been intentional.

I also did not know this was part of a series. While this book can absolutely be read as a standalone, it would be interesting to go back and read the other books to get a bigger picture of Lucy and her life.

I rated it 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. If you enjoy character-driven novels about family relationships, I think you will really enjoy Oh William!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the e-arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This is a story I longed to get to the point. I struggled with what the story was it was trying to tell. Oh William is about a divorced couple who spent years together with 2 children. They have maintained a relationship for the sake of their girls. This story is about the state of their lives and how Williams current wife leaves him and he reaches out to him prior wife.

Thanks Netgalley for complimentary copy.

As someone who didn’t understand “My Name is Lucy Barton,” I’m so happy that I kept an open mind and read this book. Based on the title you would assume the book is about William, but as we read, we discover the book is more about our reactions to others and to life events. It is written in a very similar way to the way my thoughts unravel. I often felt like I was catching up with a friend over coffee, (or wine). Lucy Barton was one of my “most liked” reviews and it was very negative. I hope this review gets even more activity because this book deserves so much.

Oh William! is a unique and interesting read as we follow Lucy's reflections about per past and present life. The search for answers, mulling over regrets and, ultimately, discovery. The emotions and thoughts are real and very much alive through the author's writing. Thank you to NetGalley.

I've read My Name is Lucy Barton many years ago and loved it. I also love Olive Kitteridge. In this novel, Lucy Barton comes to life again, this time as a raconteur of a moment of revelations in his former husband, William. When Estelle (his current wife) leaves him, Williams decides to finally put to good use one of her presents: a subscription to a site where you can trace your ancestors and learn more about your heritage. Through this he discovered that his mother had another baby, before having him. With this shocking information he invites Lucy to a trip to Maine to try to learn more about his mother's past. So we witness how their close relationship was for years based on assumptions and how Lucy, after all the years that they were in each other's lives, is able to really see this man and live him for what he really is.
I think that Elizabeth Strout is a great female characters writer. She gets women and their innermost conflicts and describes them in such a beautiful and respectful way. But I also like how male characters are presented in her books. Always through a woman's unique perspective, without giving them a lot of power, her male characters are never toxic. Childish, maybe, but not toxic.
She is one of my favorites female authors and I enjoy her writing and her worlds so much. And this book is a wonderful piece of literary fiction and one of the best books of the year.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for gifting me with an ARC of Elizabeth Strout’s new novel, Oh William! In exchange I offer my unbiased review.

Elizabeth Strout is an autobuy author for me, so I was thrilled to receive a copy of her newest book. This one is another installment in the Lucy Barton series with the focus on Lucy’s ex-husband, William. It quickly becomes apparent however, that this is still very much Lucy’s story as well. Strout beautifully and honestly writes what aging, mortality, childhood traumas, poverty, loneliness, disappointment, motherhood and compassion look like. Lucy is not my favorite Strout character, that belongs to Olive Kitteridge and the folks in Shirley Falls, but with every new book, I find myself warming towards Lucy. She’s complicated and that’s what makes her and this newest novel so compelling. Gorgeous quiet moments and reflections. A perfect fall read and one that would be a great choice for a bookclub discussion.

Lucy is a writer, William is her ex-husband. They have two adult daughters together and have remained friendly since their divorce many years ago. This book is about William and Lucy and their relationship with each other. I wanted to love this book, as Strout is such a widely heralded author; however, this book was just so so for me.

What I liked about the book was that I felt it was a realistic portrayal of family dynamics. You are able to see the relationships between the different members of the family and how they relate to each other. I also appreciated the pace of the book, it was a quick read.

What I disliked about the book is that it just felt a little flat to me. There was a lot of talk about the family and the relationships but I did not feel that anything really happened. I was left wanting more.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout. Unfortunately, I couldn't get into this book, and didn't realize it was the 3rd book in a series, which I feel should be read first. I couldn't get into the story, nor did I feel anything for the characters. I DNF it after trying several times to get into the story.

I didn't finish this book. It was not very interesting to me. Maybe I should have read some of the author's previous work as there were several references to things the narrator had written about before.

Elizabeth Strout has contributed significantly to my favourites bookshelf with her two unforgettable characters: Olive Kitteridge and Lucy Barton. Both women were crafted from the discerning and expressive observational talent of Elizabeth Strout. Lucy Barton spent her early life in abject poverty, an extreme situation that shaped her personality and life expectations. Throughout her previous books, (“My name is Lucy Barton” and “Anything is Possible”) we watched as this sensitive, doubting, and inconspicuous woman took courageous steps out of grim poverty to become a writer, a mother and a husband.

“I have always thought that if there was a big corkboard and on that board was a pin for every person who ever lived, there would be no pin for me.”

Oh William is the third book in the Lucy Barton story where she is sixty-three years old and recently widowed to her second husband David Abramson. David was her soulmate, someone she understood and who understood her. Lucy’s reflection back into her marriage with David is touching with its deep appreciation and loving support each provided in coming to terms with trauma, guilt and companionship, and the emotional sense of loss.

William, of book-title recognition, is Lucy’s first husband and father to their daughters, Chrissy and Becka. He was difficult to reach emotionally and a man who cheated on each of his three wives. While separated by different partners and a broken marriage, Lucy and William somehow remained friends. When William, now seventy-one, discovers complex family issues, he asks Lucy to return to the family home in Maine. The double entendre of a personal journey of discovery, within a travel journey, provides the theme for Lucy and William to explore deep underlying issues, coming to terms with the choices they made or did not, and an appreciation of their value and achievements.

Elizabeth Strout has this ability to connect us to her characters, which I have eagerly done with Olive and Lucy. The slight frustration with this book was that I couldn’t connect as easily with Lucy this time. I don’t know if the magic had slipped or my mood wasn’t right. Nevertheless, if you have followed Lucy Barton, then you can’t let this one go. If you have enjoyed Elizabeth Strout’s introspective characterisations, then this novel provides a further opportunity to soak in the beautifully crafted personalities that live through her work. I would recommend this book, and I want to thank Random House Publishing, Penguin UK, Viking Books and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in return for an honest review.

Elizabeth Strout is one of my favorite authors, so I was very eager to read the latest installment in the story of Lucy Barton’s life. As I expected, Oh William was written with warmth and compassion. It was a realistic portrayal of the relationships between people who’ve had to navigate difficult situations and still find a way to care about each other. I read it in one day, and loved every second of it.

just adore anything that Elizabeth Strout writes. For fans of her infamous character Lucy Barton, we get another novel, told from her point of view about her ex-husband William. This time Lucy is much older in her sixties. We are afforded the opportunity to see into the intimate relationship she has with her ex.

Lucy has recently lost her second husband and William is remarried to a much younger woman with a daughter. In the beginning Lucy and William meet semi-regularly for coffee. However, when his wife, buys him one of those DNA kits he finds out some news that drives them closer together.

Elizabeth Strout always writes very quiet books, however they are just beautiful. It is so nice to see the continued growth of Lucy as a writer, a mother and a friend. I kind of feel Lucy has become a friend just when I needed her.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Elizabeth Strout has written her latest novel in typical fashion. Her run on style makes you keep reading as you want to find out what happened next and you can’t seem to put the book down. This is the story of Lucy Barton and how she looks at her life after the divorce to Oh William! and the death of her true love, husband David, It is how one’s childhood influences their entire lives...how they view themselves and others...in this case both Lucy and William and his mother Catherine. It gives one pause and food for thought. And isn’t that sometimes the purpose of a book!

Lucy, a writer, is divorced from William. For some strange reason, they have always gotten along, though. So, it makes sense that she is the one William asks to join him when he goes on a trip to investigate a recently uncovered family secret.
This is apparently the third book in a series. I have not read the previous two books, so I don't know if that would have made a difference or not in how much I enjoyed the book. I think not, because it was more the writing style that I did not enjoy. I had read so many five star reviews that I felt I was sure I would enjoy it. I also had seen several reviews saying that you either love this author's books or you hate them. I won't say I hated this one, but I didn't love it. It just wasn't for me.

While I have heard of the book "My Name is Lucy Barton," I have yet to read it. When I was offered "Oh WIlliam" my first thought was that I should pick up Lucy Barton first, but I don't think that it is necessary in order to enjoy Oh WIlliam.

As a stand alone book, Oh William is realistic and endearing. It is a sweet book that makes me now want to go back and find out more about Lucy Barton.

When I received this book I didn't know it was part of a trilogy however I really enjoyed reading it anyway. I have read Olive Kitteridge and Olive Again so I knew anything that Elizabeth Strout wrote would be a fabulous read and I was so right! As I was reading this it felt as though Lucy had written this to me personally in a letter or we were having a conversation over tea. Ms. Strout sure can write!
Lucy Barton is in her sixties and her second husband has just died and soon after that her first husband William has his third wife leave him. He and Lucy have remained on friendly terms so they are some comfort to each other. They go on a road trip together to find out some things about Williams diseased mother and Lucy does a lot of reflecting
and personal discovery during this time.
I highly recommend this beautifully written book.
Thanks to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for allowing me to read this amazing arc for my honest opinions.

Lucy Barton is back. In this book, she tells us the story of her ex-husband William. Through a series of events that has turned William's life upside-down, Lucy and William rediscover their long history and embark on a journey that will change them both.

Reading this book is like reading the transcript of a conversation. Lucy tells you the story, but occasionaly veers off on a tangent, remembering one story while telling another. It's very relaxing to me to see how it all flows and comes together. This was a great read and quick, given the nature of how it's set up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with an electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.

Available October 19, 2021.

3.5 stars

A continuing story of Lucy Barton, still grieving the loss of her husband, David, as she helps her now-former husband, William, after a run of bad luck with his current wife, Estelle, leaving him and a discovery he has made from an ancestry website. Oh, William!

Strout's novel "Oh William!" maintains the same level of understated beauty in the writing that I've found in the rest of this series. It's simple and sparse, while also feeling conversational, as a diary entry sounds. There’s a level of abstractness to Strout's storytelling and style. And, while I really enjoy the story she's telling here, the casual tone, with some constant second-guessing and backtracking as though Lucy is stumbling through her own storytelling, got a bit wearing after a while. I would've traded a bit of a this relaxed tone of delivery for a little more meat to the bones.

But Strout sticks to a beautiful, foggy picture-paint method and constantly remains true to her characters, their setting, and gives off a definite sense of fullness to these people who fill up her novels.

Lucy Barton is back! This time around, we are reunited with Lucy during the later years of her life, when she is in her sixties. Her two daughters Chrissy and Becka are both adults now and married with lives of their own, while her ex-husband William (the father of her daughters) has now moved on to marriage number three. Despite having separated decades ago, Lucy and William continue to be good friends and are always there for each other during all of life’s ups and downs. This is why, when a dramatic change occurs in William’s life at the same time that he discovers a long-buried secret about his mother, the first person he thinks of to call is Lucy. Together, they embark on a “journey” of sorts back to his mother’s past — throughout which, in true Lucy Barton form, leads to an introspection on life, love, and family (both her own as well as her husband’s).

While I loved this one overall, I have to admit that it did not have as huge of an impact on me that My Name is Lucy Barton did (for me, that book was a 5 star read all the way through!). It’s hard to describe exactly — perhaps because there seemed to be more focus this time around on details about other peoples’ lives and less on Lucy reflecting about her own life. Or perhaps the connected stories format from the first book as well as the shorter chapters that gave glimpses into various aspects of Lucy’s life just worked better for getting the message across.

Either way though, this was definitely a worthwhile read and I absolutely enjoyed getting to reunite with Lucy, even if it was only for a short while. Between the Lucy Barton and Olive Kitteridge books, Elizabeth Strout has definitely solidified her status as one of my favorite authors. In addition to reading the rest of her backlist, I’m of course also interested in seeing what else Strout may have in store for us down the road. I will essentially read anything she writes at this point!

Received ARC from Random House via NetGalley.

Oh William! By Elizabeth Strout has Lucy tell you about her ex husband William. I really enjoyed this book. I liked the characters and their interactions seemed real and believable. While reading I felt like I was having a cup of coffee with Lucy and she was telling me this story! I will recommend. Thank you for letting me review