This book was super cute. The relationship between exes in this story was sympathetic and made me feel for each character, and their children. Moving on throughout their lives and the hurdles they crossed and still relying on each other made for a good storyline.

Oh William! Oh Lucy! Oh Elizabeth!

I loved this book. I loved this series of books. I loved the characters and the story that each of them have to tell. There is a bit of a sadness wrapped around these stories. It is so human, it is so normal, it is so natural.

When you sit down with an Elizabeth Strout book, it is like sitting down with a friend over coffee. You just feel comfortable enough to just sit and chat about anything and everything.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for this advanced readers copy. This book is scheduled to release on October 19, 2021.

I didn't realize this was a sequel to My Name is Lucy Barton, which I did not read. I was concerned that would be an issue, but it was not. Perhaps knowing more about Lucy would have increased my enjoyment of Oh William!, but my issues with the book were more with the meandering and musings of Lucy. While extremely well-written, I just felt that the novel didn't have enough purpose. What makes Strout's books a favorite of so many is what makes them simply mediocre for me - the minutia of everyday life, the contemplations and meditations on life's meaning. I also didn't recall I had read Strout's Anything is Possible, and felt similarly about that novel. Just not my cup of tea.

Another quiet, character-driven novel by Strout that does not disappoint. Although the story is a sequel to My Name Is Lucy Barton, it stands alone as a contemplation on aging, failed marriages, strained relationships, and grief – yet somehow manages to be hopeful and life-affirming.

Strout is a wonderful writer, but it’s the strong voice of her narrator that is memorable and engaging. The book begins, “I would like to say a few things about my first husband, William.” Musings and contemplations are tied to people and specifics, earning passages such as the following: “Grief is such a—oh, it is such as solitary thing; this is the terror of it, I think. It is like sliding down the outside of a really long glass building while nobody sees you” or “Whenever I don’t know what to do, I watch what I am doing.”

As readers, we watch Lucy navigate a road trip with her ex-husband, who is searching to make sense of his mother’s past and a part of his family he never knew. There’s a stark beauty in the mystery of a world we do not know, we cannot know, in the mysterious wonder of each of us as ultimately unknowable individuals—unknowable even to ourselves.

Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout is the third book in Elizabeth’s Strout’s Amgash Series but can be read as a stand-alone, however, it’s really best to read the series in order. The book is written all in first person POV by Lucy is an author and the book is like a conversation with Lucy about her life, and especially about her ex-husband William.

Lucy Barton tells us all about her ex-husband, William. Although no longer married, Lucy and William still have a relationship, not only do they share their two adult daughters, but they share past experiences and a history together. Oh William, is all about Lucy, telling us about her marriage to William and how they both have navigated love, loss, divorce, and love again.

At first, the writing style is a bit jarring, but after a while, I felt like I was having a conversation with Lucy. Her insights into herself and her family are intimate and thoughtful and I enjoyed this easy conversation we had while reading the book. At first, Lucy seems kind of ordinary, but as you read through the book, you realize what an extraordinary woman she is.

The story was more than just flashbacks and memories, Lucy and William work together and find out some family secrets, and learn more about each other’s background and they grow stronger as they work together.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves to read about families and relationships. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Having read several of this author's novels I enjoy the weaving of characters from previous stories into each. This is not a cozy, romance nor thriller. It's a story about being human, self-realization, never truly seeing those closest to you and many other aspects of family and loss
The characters are written well with the author's unusual voice.
Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc

Oh, Elizabeth! Thank you for the lovely girlfriend chat. Because that's how this book reads- like you're having a good long heart-to-heart with your best friend. Over a glass of white wine- it doesn't matter what kind- and maybe a cheeseburger, we will chat about love and loss and family and self.

You should know that I would read the phone book if Elizabeth Strout wrote it. She speaks my language. I love the honesty and reality of her characters. Her settings evoke deep emotion. The plot in Oh, William is simple but generally believable. The pacing of the book is perfect and I finished it in a weekend.
All in all, this is simply a very fine novel.

Many thanks to Random House publishing, NetGalley, and Elizabeth Strout for the ARC of Oh, William!

I am a big fan of Elizabeth Strout’s writing and storytelling and Oh William! is the latest addition to her literary works. A follow up to My Name is Lucy Barton and Anything is Possible, it is a story of family, relationships, loneliness, and loss told by Lucy. She and William have been divorced for quite a while but they maintain a unique relationship. With this as a backdrop, and in her distinct style, she explores the lives of their children, their parents, and their respective spouses in a way that makes you feel as if she’s sharing the story with you over a glass of wine. Lucy observes that “…we do not know anybody, not even ourselves! Except a little tiny, tiny bit we do. But we are all mythologies, mysterious. We are all mysteries, is what I mean. This may be the only thing in the world I know to be true.”

Ms. Strout’s writing is genuine and thought-provoking, simultaneously wistful and a delight. A big thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

"Truly, it is as if I do not exist, I guess is the closest thing I can say. I mean I do not exist in the world. It could be as simple as the fact that we had no mirrors in our house when I was growing up except for a very small one high above the bathroom sink. I really do not know what I mean, except to say that on some very fundamental level, I feel invisible in the world."

I adore Elizabeth Strout. She simply does not disappoint. Her characters are so real, so three-dimensional and textured and layered and flawed and yet perfect. Her writing is so simple, so profound and so quiet. Her writing and story in this book felt like cotton to me, it felt like it was holding me and being so very gentle with me.

“Whenever I don’t know what to do, I watch what I am doing.”

I loved the two previous Lucy Barton books so I was excited to have more of her. This one is about William, her ex-husband as he navigates some major challenges in his life and Lucy is there to support, be a witness and be a friend to him. They are both old and the interactions of the two was very interesting to read.

"But I thought: It’s odd, because on one hand I think I am invisible, but on the other I know what it is like to be marked as separate from society, only in my case no one knows it when they see me."

But the best part of the book, for me, was not what happened or the other characters but Lucy herself and the way she thinks, the way she processes the world around her and the way she feels in the world. Her observations about other people says so much about her and how she is in the world.

"I thought about Lois Bubar. I thought how she seemed healthy; I mean she seemed inside herself, as I have said, in a way that was comfortable."

I loved every single moment I spent with this book and I cannot wait to read more of Elizabeth Strout's books.

with gratitude to netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

I haven't read as much as I usually do during the pandemic, so a new book by Elizabeth Strout was a gift to get me immersed again. I am one of the many ES fans, and this new work about Lucy Barton was not a disappointment.

When I was very young, I would have said I could never be friends with my ex-husband, who cheated on me. Now, at 74, maybe I can understand the way two people keep drifting in and out of each other's lives. Lucy and William have two grown daughters, and that gives them a reason to speak initially.

I love that William lives on Riverside Drive, and Lucy lives on the Upper East Side. They each have views of the two different rivers flowing aside Manhattan. When Lucy agrees to travel to Maine with William to seek out someone from his life, the memories of their marriage and their childhoods surface.

ES's use of 'invisible' resonated deeply with me. Lucy's childhood is shocking, but it explains the feelings she describes having even now as a globally famous author. Lucy's mother burdened her with feelings of never being good enough. That tragic belief was hard-wired into Lucy's soul, and only in her sixties, spending time with William provided some soothing balm for the pain.

Of course, I loved this novel. I cherish it for the wisdom of a woman who has experienced love, loss, and a measure of great success in the world. Lucy is every woman.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC.

Oh William ! is like being inside someone's head, in a good way. The novel is tight, well written, and gives you a sense of the interior life of Lucy and William and members of their extended family. It seems like a very adult novel, as it deals with marriage, children, death, and divorce. Nothing is spared, and we are privy to details that are often overlooked. The book has given us so much juicy detail and it feels as though we are witnessing the family alive in a play. I truly enjoyed reading it and was sorry to have it end.

I'd say it is intelligent, real, and interesting. An overall enjoyable read.

When Elizabeth Strout wrote A Day in the Life of Lucy Barton, I fell in love with this quiet gem and found in the simplicity of her message a profound truth. Her new book is written in the same style but explores more varied themes; the worry and love when you have children, the unknowningness of individuals until it is too late to fully realize them, and the nature of choice. Lucy's voice exudes both compassion and sorrow. However, despite it all, I could not invest in this novel. I didn't feel attached to the characters or feel the force of the issues explored in this book. For me, the depth of Lucy's introspection felt more superficial and the storyline drifting. However, people who have loved Lucy will always love her!

A wonderful story of families, relationships, secrets untold, and pasts revealed. I loved the stream of consciousness voice of the main character. You feel as if you really get to know her . This book is definitely worth your time!

I have enjoyed each and every one of Elizabeth Stout's novels. "Oh William!" was just as great as the others. Her novels are so poignant and full of depth. Definitely worth the read, but take your time on this one!

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Random House and Netgalley, I was chosen as an early reviewer!

******Coming out October 19, 2021*****

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This book is from the perspective of William’s ex-wife, Lucy, we learn all about William and all of his quirks, good times, tough times, marriages, and his family.

Lucy also gives insight into her life and how it shaped her. After her failed marriage to William, she went to a psychiatrist where she was diagnosed of post traumatic stress syndrome stemming from her childhood.

Will Lucy and William be able to continue navigate life as they age despite everything they have been through? What will they learn and will they be able come to terms with it?

This book gives insight on how life experiences, family, marriages, children, can shape who you are as a person. Sometimes it takes almost losing everything to figure out who you truly are and whom you are meant to be with. A great book for book clubs to deep dive in!

This book is the third featuring Lucy Barton and as the title suggests, much of it focuses on her now ex-husband William. I found it to be more of a stream of consciousness story, Lucy reflects on her life, raising her family, her relationship with William and her second husband.

Lucy really comes across as a flawed human and seems very real, I can relate to some of the thoughts that go through her head! Elizabeth Strout has a unique writing style, and it always takes me a while to get used to it again. Maybe it’s a bit like watching a movie with subtitles, at first you are very aware of it but then you forget, and it just becomes part of the story.

This short book brought me back into Lucy’s life and it really is amazing how she turned out when you remember how she was raised. She is a complicated character, but I appreciate all the nuances that are explored, especially with her relationships with her family.

There are a few Elizabeth Strout books still on my list to read, now I will move them up the list!

Learning more about Lucy Barton and her life was great reading fun. I loved that Strout referenced The Burgess Boys and her earlier characters. Oh William made me reach for the previous books to refresh my memory. And I'm hoping that we're going get to know more about some of the folks we met here.

OH WILLIAM! is the third book in the Amgash series by Elizabeth Strout. I had not read the first two books, MY NAME IS LUCY BARTON and ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE, but that did not in any way diminish my enjoyment of this poignant story. Strout’s heroine, Lucy Barton is back and this time she is reflecting on her complicated, yet touching relationship with her first husband, William. Although they divorced many years prior, they unexpectedly remain friends, at least most of the time. Lucy is now in her sixties and has recently lost her second husband, David. In this story, Lucy recounts her troubled youth, her courtship and marriage to William, the raising of their two daughters, their painful divorce and the lives they went on to live afterward. Lucy’s reflections are subtle, yet profound in their honesty and intimacy. I felt like I took an emotional journey with both Lucy and William. It was so uplifting that despite the many painful moments they shared over the decades, they were still able to rely on each other when needed. The unique writing style and insightful perceptions kept me engaged from start to finish. I am definitely going to go back and read the first two books in this series. I truly enjoyed this compelling book and highly recommend it. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy.

Lucy Barton, my favourite of all of Elizabeth Strout’s literary characters, returns once again to regale us with her reminiscences and observations.

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Lucy is middle aged and recently widowed, and her ex-husband, William, is in his seventies and in his third marriage. They remained friends after their divorce and respective marriages and supported one another during various difficult times in their lives.

It was shocking to me that William turned out to be such a cheater. At one point in this story, he assured Lucy that he had never loved any of the women he’d had sex with on the side during their marriage. Poor Lucy endured the marriage for as long as she could. She felt safe with William's "authoritative personality" - he was "home" to her - until she could no longer endure the situation. I was glad that she eventually left the marriage, and also very glad that she found the love of her life in David. Lucy and David understood one another. David and she “came from nothing” as William’s mother used to say about Lucy whenever she would introduce Lucy at a gathering that Catherine had been hosting.

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Catherine Cole was an enigma, Lucy declares. She dominated Lucy’s life and feelings about herself as long as Catherine lived. In the presence of the very haute couture Catherine, Lucy felt that she could never escape her very humble past, and it ultimately affected her marriage.

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A word on the writing style of this novel: Lucy was “chatting” with us. She openly addressed the reader throughout the novel. The writing was conversational and informal. At this later stage in her life, Lucy is more confident (although she still suffers from panic attacks and PTSD) and exclaims her feelings all over the place: “Oh my, how I loved Catherine Cole.“ (But did she really? Who knew the real Catherine Cole? Certainly not her son or daughter-in-law, as this story would reveal.

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I was so entertained: it was like I was having a one-sided gossipfest with Lucy Barton. I would nod or groan at appropriate intervals, but Lucy held court, and I listened, enraptured! Much is explained and becomes clear toward the latter half of the novel. (Karma is indeed lying in wait for all of us!)

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I have always credited Lucy with being a very loving and forgiving person, so I always looked forward to the passages in Strout’s other novels when Lucy would make a brief appearance.

I didn’t know what to make of that ending, except to accept that Lucy could not go against her own kind nature and leave William to his own sorrowful devices - which is what he deserved! That man wasn’t even faithful to himself! I get that his mother never showed him any affection, but he was a scientist: an educated man. He must have figured out by the age of 70 that he was looking for love in all the wrong places, and instant gratification leaves you pretty empty after a while.

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I’m glad that Lucy was able to see William more clearly in the end. (Strout credits Laura Linney’s performance in the stage adaptation of <u>My Name is Lucy Barton</u> for inspiring Strout to continue Lucy’s story. I, for one, am very glad that inspiration struck again!)

A very enjoyable read which I am rating a solid 5 out of 5 entertaining stars.
My thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Please check out this review on my partnered blog, Crossing the Pond Reviews: https://wordpress.com/post/crossingthepond.reviews/746

I found 'Oh William' to be a gentle, somewhat slow moving novel. It had an engaging story line and very interesting characters. I felt like a fly on the wall watching how the relationship between Lucy and William played out, both currently and during their past involvements, which were mentioned in the book. Thanks to Penguin Random House and NetGalley for the ARC.