First published 2007
Retired schoolteacher Olive Kitteridge is a force to be reckoned with in the small coastal town of Crosby, Maine. Prickly and unapologetic, she navigates the ups and downs of her long marriage to the kind-hearted Henry, her strained relationship with her distant son Christopher, and the heartaches and joys of the people around her. As Olive grows older, she must confront the changes in her life and find a way to make peace with herself. Strout's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is a compassionate, funny, and profoundly human portrait of a woman who sees into the hearts of those around her, for better or worse.
Genres: literary-fiction, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: character-driven, slice-of-life
Setting: Maine
275 pages · Hardcover · Random House