Lucy by the Sea
- Downloads：2394
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2022-08-22 11:21:45
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Elizabeth Strout
- ISBN：0593669452
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Beverly Carmichael
，
This book is perfect for our Covid lockdown year。 Lucy Barton lives in Manhattan and makes a decision to abandon her life there and move to a small house on the coast of Maine。 Her ex-husband accompanies her on this journey away from the city and into the country。 The descriptive passages in this book are lovely as we accompany Lucy on her daily walks。 She befriends a neighbor along the way and we see some positive changes in her as she lives her days reading books and enjoying her view of the r This book is perfect for our Covid lockdown year。 Lucy Barton lives in Manhattan and makes a decision to abandon her life there and move to a small house on the coast of Maine。 Her ex-husband accompanies her on this journey away from the city and into the country。 The descriptive passages in this book are lovely as we accompany Lucy on her daily walks。 She befriends a neighbor along the way and we see some positive changes in her as she lives her days reading books and enjoying her view of the riley ocean right out of her window。 。。。more
Joanne Biles
，
Oh my goodness， I did not think Elizabeth Strout could surpass her previous books！ This could be a stand alone work， but the richness of being familiar with Lucy Barton and her family made for a spectacular read。 I have sometimes shied away from novels set during the pandemic。 But seeing the past few years through Lucy’s eyes made me laugh and weep， and reinforced the joy of reading as a balm for weary hearts。
Lara Farrell
，
I have loved all of Elizabeth Strout’s novels and this really was like returning to an old friend。 This is also probably the best pandemic novel I’ve read so far， focusing on the daily realities of lockdown like against a backdrop of unfathomable horror。 If you’ve enjoyed any of the other Lucy Barton （or Olive Kitteridge） novels， you’ll love this but you could also start here as all the background is explained。 A deceptively easy read that transported me back to a moment in time。 Highly recommen I have loved all of Elizabeth Strout’s novels and this really was like returning to an old friend。 This is also probably the best pandemic novel I’ve read so far， focusing on the daily realities of lockdown like against a backdrop of unfathomable horror。 If you’ve enjoyed any of the other Lucy Barton （or Olive Kitteridge） novels， you’ll love this but you could also start here as all the background is explained。 A deceptively easy read that transported me back to a moment in time。 Highly recommended and thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC。 。。。more
Dana （pagestoreadfl）
，
I remember loving I am Lucy Barton 5 years ago and though I didn’t pick up Oh William！， I felt the need to request this one on Netgalley。 I was thrilled to get approved。 I flew through this book as we watched Lucy and William quarantine together， as well as， go through the beginning of the pandemic together。 I find Strout’s writing to be easy to read， but each word and thought has meaning！ Really enjoyed！
Melissa
，
This is the first book that I read that is placed in the COVID 19 time period。 I loved that it followed a main character that I already knew through that time period and included characters from Elizabeth Strout's other books。 I found the book to be engaging and poignant。 The range of events and raw and varying emotions expressed in the book seemed very realistic and relatable。 The book brought up interesting themes related to family and free will。 I am very grateful to Net Galley and Penguin Ra This is the first book that I read that is placed in the COVID 19 time period。 I loved that it followed a main character that I already knew through that time period and included characters from Elizabeth Strout's other books。 I found the book to be engaging and poignant。 The range of events and raw and varying emotions expressed in the book seemed very realistic and relatable。 The book brought up interesting themes related to family and free will。 I am very grateful to Net Galley and Penguin Randomhouse for the ARC。 。。。more
Marsha
，
Elizabeth Strout is a gem！ I am in awe of how good a writer she is， and how keen her observation skills are。 This story begins at the beginning of the pandemic， and features Lucy and William; Strout often features many of the same characters from previous novels， and it feels like visiting with old friends。 Although I recommend reading the author’s previous novels for the characters’ backstories， this book can easily be read as a stand-alone。 Highly recommended！
Tracy Crawford
，
I read this in one day because it’s such an easy style of writing。 Lucy’s thoughts all flow into one another。 I didn’t know this story would take place during the pandemic and almost quit it as soon as I started。 I stuck with it， though， because I enjoyed Oh， William！ so much。 I wanted to see how Lucy would navigate it。 Strout does such a super job with characterizations。 I wonder if I’d like Lucy in real life。 I think I would even if she’s sad sometimes and a bit dim about the world。I was provi I read this in one day because it’s such an easy style of writing。 Lucy’s thoughts all flow into one another。 I didn’t know this story would take place during the pandemic and almost quit it as soon as I started。 I stuck with it， though， because I enjoyed Oh， William！ so much。 I wanted to see how Lucy would navigate it。 Strout does such a super job with characterizations。 I wonder if I’d like Lucy in real life。 I think I would even if she’s sad sometimes and a bit dim about the world。I was provided this book by Random House Publishing Group through NetGalley。 。。。more
Natalie
，
Lucy by the SeaBy Elizabeth StroutThis is the ongoing saga of Lucy Barton （which began with "My Name is Lucy Barton" and continued through "Oh， William！"） and her clan – ex-husband William; deceased husband David; daughters Chrissy and Becca; and assorted other characters。 Not being a big fan of Strout's work， I will say that I think this book， taking place during the covid pandemic， is the best of the three。 While Strout's books are nominally standalone， they are dependent upon sections of back Lucy by the SeaBy Elizabeth StroutThis is the ongoing saga of Lucy Barton （which began with "My Name is Lucy Barton" and continued through "Oh， William！"） and her clan – ex-husband William; deceased husband David; daughters Chrissy and Becca; and assorted other characters。 Not being a big fan of Strout's work， I will say that I think this book， taking place during the covid pandemic， is the best of the three。 While Strout's books are nominally standalone， they are dependent upon sections of backstory to bring the reader up to speed。 These sections seem to repeat in each book。 Additionally the author feels the need to bring in characters from other books like Olive Kitteridge。 I'm not sure why; references to Olive really do not enhance this story。The author， through Lucy， presents many different thoughts and ideas about what is wrong with our society and what we might do to improve the situation。 Unfortunately Lucy becomes muddled as the book goes on， seemingly unsure of what she thinks and feels and not knowing who， besides herself， she can trust。 Thus many situations are left unresolved。It is obvious by the abrupt ending that there will be another installment of the Lucy Barton chronicle。 I was disappointed at how little was resolved in this one。 It could have been a better book。 。。。more
Deborah Stevens
，
I love Elizabeth Strout and her interest in ordinary people。 I am an ordinary person， as is just about everyone I know。 Yet in her beautiful mind and writing the ordinary is extraordinary， fascinating， worth exploring。 To me this is the epitome of being a humanist and a humanistic author of fiction， and I am here for it！ This novel concerns the pandemic and I have read many reviews that are critical because of this subject matter。 So maybe if you don't want to read about covid skip this one。 Thi I love Elizabeth Strout and her interest in ordinary people。 I am an ordinary person， as is just about everyone I know。 Yet in her beautiful mind and writing the ordinary is extraordinary， fascinating， worth exploring。 To me this is the epitome of being a humanist and a humanistic author of fiction， and I am here for it！ This novel concerns the pandemic and I have read many reviews that are critical because of this subject matter。 So maybe if you don't want to read about covid skip this one。 This was not a problem for me and I consider this one of Strout's better novels。 YMMV。 。。。more
Debra Goldstein
，
Lucy by the Sea is perhaps Elizabeth Strout's best Lucy Barton book in that not only does it continue to develop her relationship with "Oh， William" and her daughters， but the reader is caught up by Lucy's original naiveness which mimics much of the public's reaction to the virus vs。 those who were instantly overzealous in responding， the lock down and its various impact on people， and the inner workings of Lucy's mind and how those thoughts color her interaction with others and her own emotiona Lucy by the Sea is perhaps Elizabeth Strout's best Lucy Barton book in that not only does it continue to develop her relationship with "Oh， William" and her daughters， but the reader is caught up by Lucy's original naiveness which mimics much of the public's reaction to the virus vs。 those who were instantly overzealous in responding， the lock down and its various impact on people， and the inner workings of Lucy's mind and how those thoughts color her interaction with others and her own emotional behavior。 Strout uses descriptions of Maine and things and people in and around a house that is rented sight unseen both to describe the terrain， but also to reflect Lucy's evolution。 My only complaint was that I started the book too late in the evening because I couldn't put it down until I finished it in the early hours of the morning。 Note: I received an advance copy of this from Net Galley， but the review is my own。 。。。more
Wonko
，
With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for an eARC in exchange for an honest review。Lucy by the Sea is the fourth book in Elizabeth Strout’s series centring on Lucy Barton and her family， relationships and childhood in the impoverished town of Amgash， Illinois。 This instalment finds Lucy in lockdown with her ex-husband William in a house in Maine。I have read the other Lucy Barton books quite recently due to Oh William’s inclusion on the longlist for this year’s Booker Prize。 They are all quite sho With thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for an eARC in exchange for an honest review。Lucy by the Sea is the fourth book in Elizabeth Strout’s series centring on Lucy Barton and her family， relationships and childhood in the impoverished town of Amgash， Illinois。 This instalment finds Lucy in lockdown with her ex-husband William in a house in Maine。I have read the other Lucy Barton books quite recently due to Oh William’s inclusion on the longlist for this year’s Booker Prize。 They are all quite short and highly readable books。 The character Lucy Barton has such a strong and unique narrative voice and， although we see into the lives of others in her orbit only in fragments， the plot of each novel is quietly compelling。This book is part of what I think will one day be a genre called Pandemic Literature。 This is an experience we have all lived through so recently， and there were many times in the book where I would say to myself: “Yes！ I felt that too， exactly！”Strout also touches on other issues that Americans were grappling with in 2020 and early 2021， such as the murder of George Floyd， the 2020 Presidential Election and the Capitol Riots。 Louise Erdrich’s The Sentence tackles similar themes。 Strout’s novel deals with these real world events with her typical subtlety and sensitivity。Lucy Barton is a character who is open to people and to connections。 Even as it becomes easier to connect to others online， it seems to have become more difficult to connect in a deeper， more human way。 We tend to see the headlines of people’s lives and just end there。 Lucy Barton is a character who is still willing to see the humanity in people。A deeply human book。 。。。more
Katie
，
I go back and forth between 3 and 4 stars for this one。 The writing style was difficult for me - it was so straightforward and the sentences were so short and concise。 But at the same time， there was a rhythm to the way the story was read。 Lucy by the Sea takes place during the first year of the Pandemic when nothing felt right or normal and everyone was a bit depressed and unsure of what was going to happen next。 I could feel that from Lucy。 Countless times Lucy tells us what she remembers or w I go back and forth between 3 and 4 stars for this one。 The writing style was difficult for me - it was so straightforward and the sentences were so short and concise。 But at the same time， there was a rhythm to the way the story was read。 Lucy by the Sea takes place during the first year of the Pandemic when nothing felt right or normal and everyone was a bit depressed and unsure of what was going to happen next。 I could feel that from Lucy。 Countless times Lucy tells us what she remembers or what she remembers feeling which felt normal but also annoying at the same time。 Was that intended？It's hard for me to recommend this book to someone unless they're specifically asking for a book about the Pandemic。 I don't think we're far enough away from it to want to look back and remember or experience what others were going through。 At least I'm not there yet。 。。。more
Victoria
，
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it， click here。 This is the first book I’ve read that is set in the time of the Covid pandemic and it really captured the atmosphere of that time。 I would describe it as rather slow paced - which I assume is a conscious choice to illustrate how different our lives were during Covid。 What I liked about the book is the writing style - without any artificial prose but rather basic but powerful descriptions the author sets the scene and let the reader feel with the main character。 For me， this book is a 3。5 out of This is the first book I’ve read that is set in the time of the Covid pandemic and it really captured the atmosphere of that time。 I would describe it as rather slow paced - which I assume is a conscious choice to illustrate how different our lives were during Covid。 What I liked about the book is the writing style - without any artificial prose but rather basic but powerful descriptions the author sets the scene and let the reader feel with the main character。 For me， this book is a 3。5 out of 5 because the book left me wanting for more。 It was rather like watching an episode of a series than watching a movie。 I’m aware that this book is indeed a part of a series but I was still hoping for a more closed narrative。Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC。 。。。more
Lisa
，
Looking back over the other books Strout has written， I realized I've given most of them 3 stars， and I'm not sure why this one rates 4 stars from me。 Her casual， oh-by-the-way writing style is the same， and I remember that annoyed me in some of her past books。 But for some reason， it really worked for me in this one。 Lucy is widowed and living alone when the pandemic hits， and her former husband William calls to tell her to pack a bag - he's taking her with him to Maine so they can stay safe。 L Looking back over the other books Strout has written， I realized I've given most of them 3 stars， and I'm not sure why this one rates 4 stars from me。 Her casual， oh-by-the-way writing style is the same， and I remember that annoyed me in some of her past books。 But for some reason， it really worked for me in this one。 Lucy is widowed and living alone when the pandemic hits， and her former husband William calls to tell her to pack a bag - he's taking her with him to Maine so they can stay safe。 Like many of us， she thought the pandemic would only last a few weeks， and as their isolation continues she finds herself going over the events in her past and wondering how the future will play out。 She also begins to make friends in her small town， and when she eventually returns to NY for a visit， she finds the city much changed。 I really enjoyed Strout's way of bringing past family events into current conversations between Lucy and William （and their daughters）。 It had been quite some time since I'd read the other Lucy books， but I found it didn't hinder my enjoyment of this one。 。。。more
Liz
，
There is something so wonderful about Elizabeth Strout’s writing。 It is basic， no frills， but so authentic。 I always feel like I’m just listening to an old friend describe her life。 The story starts just as Covid hits NYC。 Lucy’s first husband， William， convinces her to leave NYC for Crosby， Maine。 There， what she initially thinks will be a few week stay turns into a much longer time period。 This was a vivid reminder of the initial months of the pandemic， of that sense of otherness， that dreamli There is something so wonderful about Elizabeth Strout’s writing。 It is basic， no frills， but so authentic。 I always feel like I’m just listening to an old friend describe her life。 The story starts just as Covid hits NYC。 Lucy’s first husband， William， convinces her to leave NYC for Crosby， Maine。 There， what she initially thinks will be a few week stay turns into a much longer time period。 This was a vivid reminder of the initial months of the pandemic， of that sense of otherness， that dreamlike （or should is say nightmare-like） as we all grappled with the new reality。 Her life in Maine reminded me so much of our life during the pandemic。 Lucy and William have a complicated past， which comes out as they once again live together。 But yet， they are able to move beyond their prior difficulties。 This book also perfectly captures how a parent always worries about a child。 The book is filled with these little perfect scenes of understanding。 So much of the book takes place in Lucy’s head。 She grapples with memories of her late husband， her parents， of all the decisions she made in her life。 Most of the characters in this book have appeared in her past books。 It could be read as a stand-alone but I don’t recommend it as there are spoilers about previous books in this one。 My thanks to Netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book。 。。。more
Marie Cataquet
，
Elizabeth Strout brings us back to the world of Lucy Barton。 This time it is during the Covid pandemic and she bunkering down in a rented house in Maine with her ex husband William。 At first I was not to thrilled to be reading about the pandemic because I did not want to rehash my feelings the lockdown phase but Lucy is such a calming， smart and endearing character。 Like many of us we during this time Lucy felt hopeless and wants human connection mainly from her family。
Marilyn Boyle-Taylor
，
Well， I have read all of the Lucy books， （My Name Is Lucy Barton is in my top five books ever read） and almost everything else by Strout， and I must say， I was surprised at how deeply this moved me as a novel。 After Oh William！， I was very curious to see if this would be another rehash of the same material or what。 Don't get me wrong; Oh， William was good， just not great， and left me wanting in a few areas， plus I didn't think she reworked the material properly， so it didn't seem like a cut and Well， I have read all of the Lucy books， （My Name Is Lucy Barton is in my top five books ever read） and almost everything else by Strout， and I must say， I was surprised at how deeply this moved me as a novel。 After Oh William！， I was very curious to see if this would be another rehash of the same material or what。 Don't get me wrong; Oh， William was good， just not great， and left me wanting in a few areas， plus I didn't think she reworked the material properly， so it didn't seem like a cut and paste job at the time。 It was not enough just to be fleshing out William's character and his relationships。 There was also a bleed through of voice from Olive Kitteridge to Lucy Barton， which seemed a bit as if Strout had lost control of Lucy's voice。 There were only two instances of that that I found in this novel， one early on and one about three quarters of the way through。 As this is an early review， I will not quote， but may revisit this review after the book is published。 As such， it was not a problem， and I held firm to the Lucy I envisaged。 I am sure to reread this novel， as I found it very thought provoking， and resonating on many levels。 Strout covers many areas thoughtfully， husbands， death， ex-husbands and lovers， siblings， known and unknown， and parent/child relationships - let alone the pandemic （so well done！） and its influences on our relationships。， American politics， depression， recession， unemployment， class divides and anger everywhere; Strout gives us insight into the workings of all these things， without creating answers to tide us over。 So much of her work is deceptively simple。 I don't mean that as if she is trying to keep us from knowing the complexity of these issues。 It's just that Lucy is able to capture some of the conversation and thoughts we may very well have around these things as they happen to us， and her world seems very much ours， even if we are not as privileged as she is （And yes， she is privileged， in spite of her horrific childhood）。 It is a rare thing to see empathy cross the boundaries that she does， yet， of course， there is further to go。 But for her tremendous effort （maybe Lucy is only motivated to tell her own story， but somehow， I doubt that Strout is）， that seems to bridge divides through Lucy's enthusiasm and humility ， although she may be wrapped up in herself， and Strout creates a compelling story once again。 Lucy is told in the various books that she is brave， which she doesn't necessarily think she is。 I would guess that Strout has heard that， too， but for different reasons。 I do not necessarily think her brave， but I think she is trying to be by keeping things simple and clear in her work。A wonderful book， and I look forward to the next Strout novel; many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House for an ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Jennie
，
One of the greatest joys in my reading life is getting to lose myself in an Elizabeth Strout novel。 From the first pages， you feel as though you are catching up with old friends。 Lucy and William are such real， complicated， and now familiar characters。 Lucy by the Sea follows them through the pandemic as they forge a new life in Crosby， Maine， which just so happens to be where Olive Kitteridge is from。 This book is about grief， love， aging， loneliness， and the search for happiness at all stages One of the greatest joys in my reading life is getting to lose myself in an Elizabeth Strout novel。 From the first pages， you feel as though you are catching up with old friends。 Lucy and William are such real， complicated， and now familiar characters。 Lucy by the Sea follows them through the pandemic as they forge a new life in Crosby， Maine， which just so happens to be where Olive Kitteridge is from。 This book is about grief， love， aging， loneliness， and the search for happiness at all stages of life。 I always recognize a bit of myself in the characters Strout creates。 I love Olive and I very much love Lucy。 I was sad when I reached the end。Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House for this ARC。 。。。more
Patricia Romero
，
As the world grinds to a slow halt with a pandemic， Lucy is told by William to pack up and be ready to leave。 Now。 She thinks he is overreacting and he is in a full-blown panic！Staying in a small house in Maine with her ex-husband isn’t Lucy’s idea of a good time。 She misses her home and the city and her daughters， who have also taken refuge out of the city。 She is also still mourning the death of David。 Isolated in Maine for who knows how long， they make the best of it。 They even make friends， As the world grinds to a slow halt with a pandemic， Lucy is told by William to pack up and be ready to leave。 Now。 She thinks he is overreacting and he is in a full-blown panic！Staying in a small house in Maine with her ex-husband isn’t Lucy’s idea of a good time。 She misses her home and the city and her daughters， who have also taken refuge out of the city。 She is also still mourning the death of David。 Isolated in Maine for who knows how long， they make the best of it。 They even make friends， at a social distance。 But the day-to-day enforced solitude is grinding。 People get on each other’s nerves。But there is so much more， as in all of her books。 How do we show empathy， kindness， and most importantly， forgiveness？ Lucy will learn much about her own strengths and weaknesses and will discover that love is love and no matter how far apart we are， love stays strong。I am always in awe of this author’s writing。 The characters aren’t perfect by a long shot！ But that is where we learn to do better。NetGalley/September 20， 2022， Random House/Penguin 。。。more
Tanvi
，
This is one of those books that I'm having trouble synthesizing my feelings about。 Reading about the pandemic and all the events that ensued in those two horrid years of lockdowns through Lucy's eyes made me indescribably sad。 Lucy just seems like she's sad a lot， and that made me very sad。 But she's observant， and in touch with her feelings， she's introspective， and I've discovered that I love getting to know people， even if it's through this book。 I will dock a star because it took me longer t This is one of those books that I'm having trouble synthesizing my feelings about。 Reading about the pandemic and all the events that ensued in those two horrid years of lockdowns through Lucy's eyes made me indescribably sad。 Lucy just seems like she's sad a lot， and that made me very sad。 But she's observant， and in touch with her feelings， she's introspective， and I've discovered that I love getting to know people， even if it's through this book。 I will dock a star because it took me longer than I'd hoped to get into， but it was still worth a read。 It's lovely， kind， and pulsating with feeling。 Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC， in exchange for an honest and fair review！ 。。。more
Hillary Copsey
，
When I picked this up and realized it was set in the time of the pandemic， I almost put it down。 Much as I love Lucy Barton， I just wasn't sure I could relive 2020 with her。 I'm so glad I persevered。 Strout uses Lucy to such good effect to gently interrogate so many things: class in America， the lingering effects of childhood， long relationships， and family dynamics。 I loved this and didn't want it to end， which is how I always feel about Strout's Lucy Barton books。 Thanks to Netgalley for the a When I picked this up and realized it was set in the time of the pandemic， I almost put it down。 Much as I love Lucy Barton， I just wasn't sure I could relive 2020 with her。 I'm so glad I persevered。 Strout uses Lucy to such good effect to gently interrogate so many things: class in America， the lingering effects of childhood， long relationships， and family dynamics。 I loved this and didn't want it to end， which is how I always feel about Strout's Lucy Barton books。 Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy。 。。。more
Kevin
，
Honestly， if Elizabeth Strout's next novel was called 'Lucy Barton eats a banana' I would still be rushing out to read it， as no doubt she could deconstruct the every day action of eating a banana into a literary masterpiece。The beauty of Strout's writing （and characters） is in its every day simplicity， the manner in which she can take a simple scene between two people and just make it human goes beyond any writer I have ever read。In this novel， set against the backdrop of the pandemic， Lucy lea Honestly， if Elizabeth Strout's next novel was called 'Lucy Barton eats a banana' I would still be rushing out to read it， as no doubt she could deconstruct the every day action of eating a banana into a literary masterpiece。The beauty of Strout's writing （and characters） is in its every day simplicity， the manner in which she can take a simple scene between two people and just make it human goes beyond any writer I have ever read。In this novel， set against the backdrop of the pandemic， Lucy leaves New York as Covid-19 is about to hit America。 Her ex-husband， William， is a parasitologist and knows with Lucy's age and health that catching Covid could be fatal for her。 They head for New England to isolate themselves and try to see out the worst of the pandemic。 We learn more about her daughters and their lives as William seeks to protect them from the virus also。 This could be read as a standalone however I think it would be less enjoyable if you haven't read the previous Amgash novels （My Name is Lucy Barton and Oh William - （Anything is Possible isn't a necessity for me））Genuinely my favourite series of books and one of the best characters in literature。A genuine thanks to Netgalley and Penguin General UK - Fig Tree， Hamish Hamilton， Viking， Penguin Life， Penguin Business， Viking for the privilege of this ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Lisa （Insta: serenity。of。books）
，
Firstly， I must say this is the first Elizabeth Strout book I have read so I read this book as a standalone and was not familiar with the characters from previous books or their backstory as some other reviewers are。 I read Lucy by the Sea in one sitting， and I have mixed feeling about the book。 Set in the first year of the pandemic in the US， the story is based around Lucy Barton， a writer living in New York City who is whisked away in the initial days of “the virus” to isolate in Maine with he Firstly， I must say this is the first Elizabeth Strout book I have read so I read this book as a standalone and was not familiar with the characters from previous books or their backstory as some other reviewers are。 I read Lucy by the Sea in one sitting， and I have mixed feeling about the book。 Set in the first year of the pandemic in the US， the story is based around Lucy Barton， a writer living in New York City who is whisked away in the initial days of “the virus” to isolate in Maine with her scientist ex-husband William。 And that’s essentially it！ Whilst， at its heart there are some big themes here that are being explored about family and intimate relationships， connection， reconciling the past， growing old and trying to understand the changing world around us， nothing else happens！There are parts of this book I liked; it accurately captured those first days of confusion around what the pandemic meant for how we live our lives。 The simple， almost conversational tone of the writing was precise and refreshing。 The big issues that happened in the year are covered including George Floyd’s death， the Capitol riots and the US election with Lucy reflecting on the bigger picture of these events unfolding。And then there are other parts I really didn’t enjoy; there is absolutely no descriptions of Lucy （except for a small mention of going back to blonde） or most of the other characters so I could not clearly picture who these people were， the almost bullying way her ex takes her out of the city and the way Lucy almost seems a bit dim witted （however I’m unsure if she is written this way intentionally as she talks about feeling like she’s losing her mind）。 I’m undecided if I just needed to read the other books in the series to enjoy this book and the characters more – I felt the whole time like I’d missed something major！ But to be honest， I’m still trying to figure out if I’m even interested in discovering these characters more or if I just leave them on these pages。 Given all the 5-star reviews I’ve seen so far， I think maybe I was just not the target audience and readers who have followed the series from the start will love this latest installment。Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books UK for sending this book for review consideration。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Lisa （Insta: serenity。of。books）
，
Firstly， I must say this is the first Elizabeth Strout book I have read so I read this book as a standalone and was not familiar with the characters from previous books or their backstory as some other reviewers are。 I read Lucy by the Sea in one sitting， and I have mixed feeling about the book。 Set in the first year of the pandemic in the US， the story is based around Lucy Barton， a writer living in New York City who is whisked away in the initial days of “the virus” to isolate in Maine with he Firstly， I must say this is the first Elizabeth Strout book I have read so I read this book as a standalone and was not familiar with the characters from previous books or their backstory as some other reviewers are。 I read Lucy by the Sea in one sitting， and I have mixed feeling about the book。 Set in the first year of the pandemic in the US， the story is based around Lucy Barton， a writer living in New York City who is whisked away in the initial days of “the virus” to isolate in Maine with her scientist ex-husband William。 And that’s essentially it！ Whilst， at its heart there are some big themes here that are being explored about family and intimate relationships， connection， reconciling the past， growing old and trying to understand the changing world around us， nothing else happens！There are parts of this book I liked; it accurately captured those first days of confusion around what the pandemic meant for how we live our lives。 The simple， almost conversational tone of the writing was precise and refreshing。 The big issues that happened in the year are covered including George Floyd’s death， the Capitol riots and the US election with Lucy reflecting on the bigger picture of these events unfolding。And then there are other parts I really didn’t enjoy; there is absolutely no descriptions of Lucy （except for a small mention of going back to blonde） or most of the other characters so I could not clearly picture who these people were， the almost bullying way her ex takes her out of the city and the way Lucy almost seems a bit dim witted （however I’m unsure if she is written this way intentionally as she talks about feeling like she’s losing her mind）。 I’m undecided if I just needed to read the other books in the series to enjoy this book and the characters more – I felt the whole time like I’d missed something major！ But to be honest， I’m still trying to figure out if I’m even interested in discovering these characters more or if I just leave them on these pages。 Given all the 5-star reviews I’ve seen so far， I think maybe I was just not the target audience and readers who have followed the series from the start will love this latest installment。Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books UK for sending this book for review consideration。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Antoinette
，
5 HUGE STARS *****Who would think that a book about Lucy Barton living through the COVID pandemic would be so compelling。 But it most certainly was。 Strout has captured the essence of what all of us were feeling- the initial disbelief， the fear and the anxiety， the changes to our lives and finally the acceptance。When things in the world are a mess， it makes a person reflect on their lives just as Lucy does in this book。 If we are honest with ourselves， we realize that maybe we could have done be 5 HUGE STARS *****Who would think that a book about Lucy Barton living through the COVID pandemic would be so compelling。 But it most certainly was。 Strout has captured the essence of what all of us were feeling- the initial disbelief， the fear and the anxiety， the changes to our lives and finally the acceptance。When things in the world are a mess， it makes a person reflect on their lives just as Lucy does in this book。 If we are honest with ourselves， we realize that maybe we could have done better- maybe with how we treated our families or people in general。 Sometimes tragedy brings us closer， sometimes it does not。Elizabeth Strout is so wise， Such beautiful， amazing writing throughout this book。 I loved going on this journey with Lucy！I received this e book thanks to Netgalley， Random House and Elizabeth Strout in exchange for an honest review。Honestly， you all need to read this book。 I know that I will need a physical copy of this book to treasure for always。Published: 2022 。。。more
Elizabeth
，
This really should have been titled “Lucy and the Pandemic”。 I liked the parts about the relationships between Lucy and William and their daughters。 But the entire book was exhaustingly saturated with everything that happened in the last 2 1/2 years， primarily the pandemic。 I got bored very quickly of being told that every interaction happened with masks on and where those masks were on their faces and that they only interacted outside and always sat far away from each other and always self isol This really should have been titled “Lucy and the Pandemic”。 I liked the parts about the relationships between Lucy and William and their daughters。 But the entire book was exhaustingly saturated with everything that happened in the last 2 1/2 years， primarily the pandemic。 I got bored very quickly of being told that every interaction happened with masks on and where those masks were on their faces and that they only interacted outside and always sat far away from each other and always self isolated。 And then all the current events （George Floyd， riots， election， Jan 6， etc） happened and Lucy needed to process and give us her perspective and it all。 I think this really just did not feel like an escape。 These last two years have been draining and hard; I don’t want to read about it all in this much detail。 In addition to this， I am just very ready to move on from Lucy Barton。 Olive Kitteridge shows up in references from other characters and as much as I loved her book， I’m ready to move on from her too。 I would like some fresh material and new characters from Elizabeth Strout。 This book gets 3 stars from me because I love Strout’s writing and that is still a decent rating from me but I’m glad I had an arc of this and didn’t spend my money on it。 I was prepared to autobuy it but that is no longer happening。 。。。more
Chris Haak
，
I love Lucy！ She’s naive， wise， complex， and just very human。 I didn't intend to read 'Oh William' but I think now I just might， I loved this so much。Thank you Penguin and Netgalley UK for the ARC。 I love Lucy！ She’s naive， wise， complex， and just very human。 I didn't intend to read 'Oh William' but I think now I just might， I loved this so much。Thank you Penguin and Netgalley UK for the ARC。 。。。more
Michelle Ardillo
，
See full review: https://michelleardillo。com/2022/08/1。。。 See full review: https://michelleardillo。com/2022/08/1。。。 。。。more
Shaylan
，
4 stars for the latest novel by Elizabeth Strout！ I'd never read a Lucy Barton book before but I have read the Olive Kitteridge novels and enjoyed them。 This book has Strout's typical writing style and even mentions Olive several times， though she never appears in the book。 I will warn any potential readers that Lucy by the Sea is set in the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic and the plot centers around Lucy's experiences with the pandemic。 There's a new virus spreading around the globe and Lucy 4 stars for the latest novel by Elizabeth Strout！ I'd never read a Lucy Barton book before but I have read the Olive Kitteridge novels and enjoyed them。 This book has Strout's typical writing style and even mentions Olive several times， though she never appears in the book。 I will warn any potential readers that Lucy by the Sea is set in the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic and the plot centers around Lucy's experiences with the pandemic。 There's a new virus spreading around the globe and Lucy's ex husband， William， decides that they need to leave New York City。 This is where Lucy lives and her second husband had recently passed。 Lucy didn't expect to be living during a pandemic with her ex husband in a house in Maine but there she is。 Lucy's adult daughters are also facing struggles in their own lives and marriages while news of the pandemic is always in the background。 William finds a new purpose during lockdown while Lucy tries to reignite her passion for writing。 I really liked all the characters in this book and this was a quick but insightful read。 Lucy as the protagonist told the story from her point of view and I felt connected to her struggles during lockdown。 It is a slow moving plot that's entirely character driven and not a lot of action but I still felt pulled into the book。 Lucy shares her feelings on Covid， living with her ex and her daughter's drama filled lives。 I'd recommend this book， particularly if you've enjoyed any of Strout's other books。 Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Shereadbookblog
，