Lucy by the Sea
- Downloads：5438
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2022-09-21 08:21:48
- Update Date：2025-09-07
- Status：finish
- Author：Elizabeth Strout
- ISBN：B09VWWN5BJ
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
Reviews
Catherine （alternativelytitledbooks）
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**Many thanks to NetGalley， Emani Glee at Random House， and Elizabeth Strout for an ARC of this book！**"。。。This had often broken my heart， to realize that you never know the last time you pick up a child。 Maybe you say "Oh， honey， you're getting too big to be picked up" or something like that。 But then you never pick them up again。 And living with this pandemic was like that。 You did not know。"The insightful， wise， unique and poignant woman we know and love as Lucy Barton is back in the fourth i **Many thanks to NetGalley， Emani Glee at Random House， and Elizabeth Strout for an ARC of this book！**"。。。This had often broken my heart， to realize that you never know the last time you pick up a child。 Maybe you say "Oh， honey， you're getting too big to be picked up" or something like that。 But then you never pick them up again。 And living with this pandemic was like that。 You did not know。"The insightful， wise， unique and poignant woman we know and love as Lucy Barton is back in the fourth installment of the Amgash series。。。and this time， COVID-19 has created one giant knot in the tangled threads of her life。 When the pandemic gets serious， Lucy is encouraged by her ex-husband William to leave her cozy NYC apartment behind and join him in a cottage in Maine。Of course， this is a pandemic。。。and isolation comes with the territory。 And Lucy is now isolated with the ONE man who has troubled her mind for so many years。 Add to this her worry about her daughters， interactions with new friends that leave her even more confused about her place in the world， and fears for her own mortality， and her mental plate is BEYOND full。 Has the pandemic brought these former flames together for a reason。。。and when the dust settles， where will their relationship stand？ Will Lucy's family and friends all live to breathe just one more day？ And WHY does Lucy herself feel so。。。off？After a few other experiences hit a LITTLE too close to home （and the pain we all have lived and are living through） during the pandemic， I had essentially sworn off of COVID and pandemic related books。。。until I was offered the opportunity to read this one。 There's something about Lucy that makes you feel as though you've known her forever， and could easily sit in a chair on a porch， listening to her regale you with stories from all different times in her life。 She speaks with an air of wisdom， but also with the relentless curiosity that ALL the best writers possess， and her reflections on the pandemic and the cultural climate that ensued were on point。 I always enjoy hearing the thoughts that amble gently through Lucy's mind。My enjoyment of Lucy as a narrator aside， It was still hard to read this book at times because so much of it is TRULY tied to COVID， and other than Lucy's reflections on the past， the pandemic talk and circumstance takes up much of the narrative， so if it's 'too soon' for you to dive in， I would recommend instead jumping into this story in a few years （I hope！） or whenever it feels emotionally accessible for you。Still late to the Lucy Barton game， I jumped into this series with Oh， William！ and feel that that installment gave me sufficient basis for background where William was concerned。 However， I felt the lack of background knowledge more keenly in this read， since Strout makes mention of other characters （including some references to Olive Kitteridge， another character I know only by name）， so perhaps I would have gotten even more out of this book if I'd read those selections from her back catalog as well as the first two Lucy books （which I sadly still have not gotten to yet！）I also appreciate that the Lucy books are on the shorter side and Strout inserts lots of breaks and pauses throughout。 Why is this important？ This structure is essential because it keeps the text from feeling TOO stream-of-consciousness or hard to follow， and it also compels you to read just a little bit more。 As sad as the subject matter was overall， I felt Strout handled it with the same honesty and frankness that I adore in Lucy， and the ending was sprinkled with the perfect amount of hope we could all use without feeling too sappy or conclusive。 I'm not sure if the stage is set for a book 5， or if this is Lucy's curtain call。。。but either way， have your roses ready。。。and a box of tissues or two。 When it comes to Lucy by the Sea， there won't be a dry eye in the house。4 stars 。。。more
olive parker
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definitely reads like a Part Two to oh william--strout's approach to writing a novel is distinctly Her and different to any other writer， i think， and i really love the way she describes emotions and the physical landscape。 i enjoyed this read （very seamless， like going through your own thoughts）， but think lucy's perspective towards class and motherhood and religion holds more than anything she （briefly） has to say about race， racism in america， and the george floyd protests which ARE covered。 definitely reads like a Part Two to oh william--strout's approach to writing a novel is distinctly Her and different to any other writer， i think， and i really love the way she describes emotions and the physical landscape。 i enjoyed this read （very seamless， like going through your own thoughts）， but think lucy's perspective towards class and motherhood and religion holds more than anything she （briefly） has to say about race， racism in america， and the george floyd protests which ARE covered。 she touches on them for barely half a page， says more about how the protests will get people sick and are accompanied by violence but either way she has nothing of value to add -- i guess she had to cover it because this is a recounting of the pandemic -- but my opinion on the book/strout stuttered。 similar case to the climate change/sweat shop exploitation mentioned: i think strout is less interested in exploring these topics herself （when compared to the experience of being poor and white in america） and so they are plugged into the book but without a lot of conviction。i did like it though！ read oh william instead but this is a fine addition if you want more of these characters lives （putting in a little library now） 。。。more
Lyndi （mibookobsession）
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This book is a continuation of the story of Lucy Barton， but it can be read as a standalone。 Lucy's first husband William is a scientist and has been closely following the spread of the Covid pandemic in Europe。 When it starts in America， he takes Lucy out of New York to a cabin in a small town on the coast of Maine。 They also urge their two grown daughters to leave， but only one does。 Lucy spends her isolation reflecting on her pre-pandemic life in New York， her relationships with her parents， This book is a continuation of the story of Lucy Barton， but it can be read as a standalone。 Lucy's first husband William is a scientist and has been closely following the spread of the Covid pandemic in Europe。 When it starts in America， he takes Lucy out of New York to a cabin in a small town on the coast of Maine。 They also urge their two grown daughters to leave， but only one does。 Lucy spends her isolation reflecting on her pre-pandemic life in New York， her relationships with her parents， her concern for her family， and her grief over her second husband's death。 Spending this much time with her ex brings back the odd irritations of the past， but also the comfort of the familiar。 This story brings a comforting yet refreshing voice to familiar feelings that most of America shared during the lockdown。I received an advance reader copy of this book。 The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily。 。。。more
Letty
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Elizabeth Strout has a very unique writing style。 At least with the Lucy Barton books。 It is a bit difficult to describe but in reading Lucy by the Sea， it felt as if she's having a conversation with the reader or， I suppose， more like a diary。 The story takes place right at the beginning of the Covid pandemic。 I wasn't quite sure about reading a story that takes place during this pandemic， didn't want to "re-live" it， but this was actually very enjoyable。 It was a bit of a slow read but I thoug Elizabeth Strout has a very unique writing style。 At least with the Lucy Barton books。 It is a bit difficult to describe but in reading Lucy by the Sea， it felt as if she's having a conversation with the reader or， I suppose， more like a diary。 The story takes place right at the beginning of the Covid pandemic。 I wasn't quite sure about reading a story that takes place during this pandemic， didn't want to "re-live" it， but this was actually very enjoyable。 It was a bit of a slow read but I thought it was well done。 I liked the relationship between William and Lucy。 His taking her out of New York City to live in Maine right before the lockdown happened showed how much he really cared for and loved Lucy。 They had a very interesting but caring relationship。 It's funny that when I first read "My Name Is Lucy Barton" six years ago， I wasn't a big fan of the book and thought it was just okay。 I might have to reread it as I have thoroughly enjoyed the last three Lucy Barton books。 Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the review copy。 。。。more
Jill Long
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I haven't read any of the previous books but I don't think that affects my rating。 This book was a fictional retelling of a story that we all lived through。 I found the book to be slow and I was waiting for something interesting to happen that would have nothing to do with covid。 This book was pointless。 I haven't read any of the previous books but I don't think that affects my rating。 This book was a fictional retelling of a story that we all lived through。 I found the book to be slow and I was waiting for something interesting to happen that would have nothing to do with covid。 This book was pointless。 。。。more
Dave
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The 4th book on the Amgash series that I read straight through was not a disappointment at all。 Tackling the many substantial topics （Covid， January 6th， social unrest， etc…） all while continuing the narrative of Lucy Barton。 I can’t believe it took me so long to read this author and I intend on continuing through her cannon。 Thank you to the publisher for providing me with this drc available through netgalley that just released today。 I will definitely recommend this series！
Gea
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Could you have spent the recent Covid lockdown with your ex at an isolated house on the Maine coast？ This book doesn’t just mention the pandemic as a background event but features this awful period of time as a main character， forming every decision and action taken by Lucy and her ex-husband William。 I love Elizabeth Strout’s writing style， and feel she is just beside me while she tells me this story。
Sharon May
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Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by a favorite， Elizabeth Strout - 5 stars！In the early days of Covid， William， Lucy Barton's ex-husband and still best friend， whisks her away to a home in a small town in Maine。 There she experiences what we all experienced during that time period - isolation， fear， but also a new-found peace in the quiet。 I can't begin to express how much I love Strout's writings and getting to spend more time Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest book by a favorite， Elizabeth Strout - 5 stars！In the early days of Covid， William， Lucy Barton's ex-husband and still best friend， whisks her away to a home in a small town in Maine。 There she experiences what we all experienced during that time period - isolation， fear， but also a new-found peace in the quiet。 I can't begin to express how much I love Strout's writings and getting to spend more time with Lucy and her family。 Reading these books （and， yes， you need to read them all！） feels like talking to that one friend who you can talk to about anything。 I love the style of writing that feels like a conversation， especially after getting to know these characters。 It was also a treat to meet characters from her other books - The Burgess Boys and Olive Kitteridge。 While some books about Covid can feel traumatic， this one didn't。 In Strout's capable hands， I was sent back to that scary time with a friend who was going through it with me。 It was the feeling that life as we had known it was gone - and it really was。 But with a friend like Lucy to guide us， there is also hope in grief， new friends， second chances。 A definite must read！ 。。。more
Justin Hall
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Thanks to PRHAudio for this complimentary audiobook！This book was sad and while not "too soon" it was surreal going back and reliving the covid pandemic from the view point of an older couple。 Feeling the real dread that Lucy goes though as the story progresses。 Not just the covid 19 panic but George Floyd's murder and the protests that followed as well as the incredibly stressful time surrounding the November elections。 This was one of the most stressful times in my life and I had it reasonably Thanks to PRHAudio for this complimentary audiobook！This book was sad and while not "too soon" it was surreal going back and reliving the covid pandemic from the view point of an older couple。 Feeling the real dread that Lucy goes though as the story progresses。 Not just the covid 19 panic but George Floyd's murder and the protests that followed as well as the incredibly stressful time surrounding the November elections。 This was one of the most stressful times in my life and I had it reasonably well。 Not going to sugar coat it。 Lucy had a very fortunate experience as well。 So this book will possibly not come off as well with everyone who did not have her opportunity。 But it does give a glimpse of what someone in her demographic experienced。So many more books like this will be coming out and many already have。 The pandemic is a treasure trove of future stories and novels as well as non fiction。 Thanks again for Penguin Randomhouse Audio for allowing me to listen early。 。。。more
Terresa
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Sorry Lucy， I never thought I'd dnf one of your books but here it is。 I just can't read about Covid right now as we're still trying to navigate the aftermath and new normal。 It's too much。 Early on in the book， the tone and subject matter felt depressing and worrisome and anxiety filled。 Taking elevators alone， no hugging， moving to remote parts of the country to work from home， etc。 Perhaps some day with some time between these awful， isolating events of the past， I'll try this book again。 Sorry Lucy， I never thought I'd dnf one of your books but here it is。 I just can't read about Covid right now as we're still trying to navigate the aftermath and new normal。 It's too much。 Early on in the book， the tone and subject matter felt depressing and worrisome and anxiety filled。 Taking elevators alone， no hugging， moving to remote parts of the country to work from home， etc。 Perhaps some day with some time between these awful， isolating events of the past， I'll try this book again。 。。。more
Suzanne
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Welcome back to a visit with Lucy Barton， our intrepid author and favorite character from previous books written by Elizabeth Strout。 In LUCY BY THE SEA， we are very much present with Lucy in current time as the Pandemic begins quietly and with little notice and then swings into full force， whipping Lucy and her family back and forth， as she struggles to make sense of the world around her。 Lucy is always an internal character， sifting through ideas and recollections in ways that enlighten and de Welcome back to a visit with Lucy Barton， our intrepid author and favorite character from previous books written by Elizabeth Strout。 In LUCY BY THE SEA， we are very much present with Lucy in current time as the Pandemic begins quietly and with little notice and then swings into full force， whipping Lucy and her family back and forth， as she struggles to make sense of the world around her。 Lucy is always an internal character， sifting through ideas and recollections in ways that enlighten and delight readers。 This book， so soon after the real life events on which they are based， offers balance and reflection， and hope， to readers still not quite sure what happened to them a few years ago。 The book is a wonder and delight。 I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley。 。。。more
Kaileigh Wenglikowski
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I think this is going to be one of my top reads of 2022！ I have read both Oh William and Lucy by the Sea and this was definitely my favorite。 This book gives off similar vibes to TJR in the fact that you feel so much！ This is one of the first books about the lockdown that did not give me the ICK！ We have Lucy Barton and her ex husband who recently got divorced， but because of the lockdown they are forced to live together。 They have so much history together and will always care for one another- s I think this is going to be one of my top reads of 2022！ I have read both Oh William and Lucy by the Sea and this was definitely my favorite。 This book gives off similar vibes to TJR in the fact that you feel so much！ This is one of the first books about the lockdown that did not give me the ICK！ We have Lucy Barton and her ex husband who recently got divorced， but because of the lockdown they are forced to live together。 They have so much history together and will always care for one another- so that history truly just creates for an amazing story of love， friendship， and relying on one another。 I loved how well done the feeling of isolation is in this book， and I found myself relating to Lucy so often！ You will absolutely devour this book。 。。。more
Amy （Bossy Bookworm）
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In Lucy by the Sea， familiar Strout characters Lucy Barton and her ex-husband William flee New York City for rural Maine during the Covid-19 pandemic。 The novel offers introspection， vulnerability， and new beginnings。In Elizabeth Strout's newest novel （published today！） Lucy by the Sea， Lucy Barton and her ex-husband William， characters from earlier Strout novels， leave New York City for rural Maine during the Covid-19 lockdown。Lucy's sparely recounted version of events is peppered with diarylik In Lucy by the Sea， familiar Strout characters Lucy Barton and her ex-husband William flee New York City for rural Maine during the Covid-19 pandemic。 The novel offers introspection， vulnerability， and new beginnings。In Elizabeth Strout's newest novel （published today！） Lucy by the Sea， Lucy Barton and her ex-husband William， characters from earlier Strout novels， leave New York City for rural Maine during the Covid-19 lockdown。Lucy's sparely recounted version of events is peppered with diarylike "I do remember hearing that" remarks， offhanded mentions of characters we've met before （like Olive Kitteridge）， and Lucy's incessant， varied worries。But despite her insecurities and what sometimes feels like fragility， Lucy is often able to see the difficult truth in situations and face them with stolid resolve。 She alludes to her difficult childhood circumstances （which are more fully explored in My Name Is Lucy Barton）， and we see that her lifelong ability to cope with despair and grim events serve her well in her current circumstances。The nearby ocean is a haunting presence but also a steady， everchanging comfort to Lucy。 To her surprise， she begins to notice and respond to the wonders of the light， the weather， the air， and the changing scenery of her daily walks in beautiful and immersive passages in the book。 And the ocean was immense; we could hear it at night now with the windows open。 I learned this about the sound of the sea: There were two levels to it， there was a deep ongoing sound that was quietly massive， and there was also the sound of the water hitting the rocks; always this was thrilling to me。 Strout takes us into the heart of a stressful， unusual pandemic situation in which Lucy and William， longtime friends and ex-spouses， live in intimate solitude together， wondering about and worrying about their daughters， each other， themselves， and the world。 Lucy by the Sea captures an otherworldly feeling of drifting in time while facing horrifying， previously unimagined realities of illness and death， disease risk and spread， and the weight of the unknown: There was for me during this time a sense of being dazed。 As though， in a way， I was not capable of taking in everything that was happening in this world。 Lucy by the Sea references the characters' experienced small-town resistance to New Yorkers， notes the privilege of being able to isolate without hardship， and includes real-life pandemic-era events such as the murder of George Floyd。 Lucy explores with insight the perspective of those on the other end of the political spectrum from Lucy herself: They had been made to feel poorly about themselves， they were looked at with disdain， and they could no longer stand it。 I didn't feel particularly connected to the characters of Lucy or William in Strout's novel Oh William！ But I love Strout's books， so I was delighted to dive back into the many reflections， vulnerabilities， memories， and unexpected moments in Lucy by the Sea。 They each seem to find the other--and their relationship--awkward and irritating at times， but their deep caring for each other and their moments of shorthand after decades of being in love and then linked together are lovely。In order to feel the full weight of this book， I think it's important to first read Strout's My Name Is Lucy Barton。 Lucy's creation of an imaginary， supportive mother and her loving responses to and comfort for Lucy in this book absolutely broke my heart。 I received a prepublication edition of this book courtesy of Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley。Check out my reviews on the blog of Strout's Anything Is Possible， Olive， Again， My Name Is Lucy Barton， and Oh William！ Elizabeth Strout is also the author of Olive Kitteridge。To see my full review on The Bossy Bookworm， or to find out about Bossy reviews and Greedy Reading Lists as soon as they're posted， please see Lucy by the Sea。Find hundreds of reviews and lots of roundups of my favorite books on the blog: Bossy BookwormFollow me on Instagram！ @bossybookwormblogOr Facebook！ The Bossy Bookworm 。。。more
Arlena
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Title: Lucy by the SeaAuthor: Elizabeth StroutPublisher: Random House PublishingReviewed By: Arlena DeanRating: FiveReview:"Lucy by the Sea" by Elizabeth StroutMy Assessment: 'Lucy by the Sea' was an excellent literary read that was very well delivered with the storyline。 That featured the Covid quarantine。 Who would have that an ex-husband of Lucky Barton [William]who had been married to two other ladies would come to the aid of the ex-wife Lucy at this horrible time in our history？ But we find Title: Lucy by the SeaAuthor: Elizabeth StroutPublisher: Random House PublishingReviewed By: Arlena DeanRating: FiveReview:"Lucy by the Sea" by Elizabeth StroutMy Assessment: 'Lucy by the Sea' was an excellent literary read that was very well delivered with the storyline。 That featured the Covid quarantine。 Who would have that an ex-husband of Lucky Barton [William]who had been married to two other ladies would come to the aid of the ex-wife Lucy at this horrible time in our history？ But we find William doing just that and getting her out of New York to Maine， also making sure his daughters Chrissy and Becka， with their husband， were in a safe place。 The story surrounds this 'covid quarantine island， mask fears， loneliness and pandemic， the election of 2020， along with the January 6 riots。' The author did an excellent job of bringing out the story about this family， with family ties and friends along the way。 What exciting characters will the reader find that were brought out from this read？ It was so good to see how 'Lucy and William will struggle through the surprising new phase of life and wonder just what life will look like on the other side。'"Lucy by the Sea" ended up being quite a story of how this divorced couple with family and friends sheltered during one of the world's most horrible pandemics。 So， to get a good read， pick up this novel and see how well this author brings it all out this pandemic read to the reader。 Thank NetGalley， the publisher， and the author， for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review。 。。。more
Michael Burke
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Lockdown With LucyElizabeth Strout’s last novel， “Oh， William！，” was recently longlisted for the prestigious Booker Award… and I enjoyed this year’s “Lucy by the Sea” so much more。 Both books feature the title character first arriving in “My Name is Lucy Barton。” In “Oh， William！” Lucy constantly referred back to previous events and characters and followed up with “。。。but I’m not going to go into that now…” asides。 The book was enjoyable and made sense as a stand-alone， but I had the sense of mi Lockdown With LucyElizabeth Strout’s last novel， “Oh， William！，” was recently longlisted for the prestigious Booker Award… and I enjoyed this year’s “Lucy by the Sea” so much more。 Both books feature the title character first arriving in “My Name is Lucy Barton。” In “Oh， William！” Lucy constantly referred back to previous events and characters and followed up with “。。。but I’m not going to go into that now…” asides。 The book was enjoyable and made sense as a stand-alone， but I had the sense of missing out by not being privy to the source of these references。Now， in “Lucy by the Sea，” The Pandemic。 She is having trouble grasping what is happening to her world， the whole world， during the opening days of the outbreak。 We were all thrown for a loop and it is hard to choose to revisit the panic we felt during the height of the disaster。 Many editors counseled their authors to shy away from the topic， that readers were looking for escape。 Too soon？ Reading “Lucy by the Sea” I felt I could trust Elizabeth Strout with my post-covid fears。 Lucy is not smarter than us in the way she reacts to the crisis， she is a real and ordinary and flawed human being。 Viewing her response in hindsight we can sympathize with her bewilderment， the effects this is having on her。 She worries about her memory and mental capacity at times。 One of her friends reassures her that she is not alone， she could chalk it up as “Covid mind。” Nothing in that time was easy to digest。While set in the Covid era， this is Elizabeth Strout and we are not limited to social disaster。 Interpersonal relationships are at the core。 Lucy has fled New York with her first husband， William， and is now isolated from her daughters， her brother， and her sister。 Life went on during the pandemic， including friends dying at long distance， family breakups， troubled pregnancies– all the life altering events hard enough to cope with when families are there to support one another。 When the shocking attack on the Capital happens on January 6， she is so overloaded she can not watch the coverage， bolting from the room。 Lucy has had a lot of loss and it seems magnified now。 People do come to the rescue and provide hope。 William confesses that hers is the life he wanted to save。 Neighbors reach out to offset the initial hostilities the couple experienced moving into the small seaport village。 The imaginary “nice” mother she has conjured is there to encourage her。 This counters the negative messages of her real， much colder mother from a childhood she views as a lockdown of its own。 “Lucy by the Sea” reexamines the impact the isolation had on us and the repercussions felt in our relationships。 Lucy is such a riveting character– emotional and confused at times， reeling from grief， but always resilient。 It is intriguing to rerun this period through her eyes。 Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review。 #LucybytheSea #NetGalley 。。。more
Carol Custer
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I've been a fan of Elizabeth Strout since the first book of hers that I read。 Her style is sparse yet descriptive， optimistic yet sometimes overwhelmingly sad。 It's not necessary to have read her other books before this one， but it's fun to hear the occasional references to previous characters。Enjoyable book！ I've been a fan of Elizabeth Strout since the first book of hers that I read。 Her style is sparse yet descriptive， optimistic yet sometimes overwhelmingly sad。 It's not necessary to have read her other books before this one， but it's fun to hear the occasional references to previous characters。Enjoyable book！ 。。。more
☮Karen
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Oh Lucy， I hope we get to see more of you soon。 I know you're getting older and William wants to retire， but you and your new friend Bob Burgess need to come around more now that the pandemic is over （at least for the vaccinated）。Lucy tells of how when Covid hit， her ex， William， rushed to save her by moving her to Maine， getting her out of dangerous New York。“Here is what I did not know that morning in March: I did not know that I would never see my apartment again。 I did not know that one of m Oh Lucy， I hope we get to see more of you soon。 I know you're getting older and William wants to retire， but you and your new friend Bob Burgess need to come around more now that the pandemic is over （at least for the vaccinated）。Lucy tells of how when Covid hit， her ex， William， rushed to save her by moving her to Maine， getting her out of dangerous New York。“Here is what I did not know that morning in March: I did not know that I would never see my apartment again。 I did not know that one of my friends and a family member would die of this virus。 I did not know that my relationship with my daughters would change in ways I could never have anticipated。 I did not know that my entire life would become something new。”I relived lockdown with them， and I had to agree with just about all her observations。 From early 2020 to shortly after people had their vaccinations in 2021， Lucy takes us through her daily routine， her talks with her friends and her daughters， and her walks around the neighborhood。 She thinks she knows nothing of any value to anyone， but she really does know a lot。 She imparts much wisdom in her simple language。A quiet little gem of a book。 A big loud thanks to the publisher for my advance copy。 。。。more
Wanda Porter
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This seems so alluring。 It shows how the environment may shape a character。 That its protagonist features a woman adds to its luster
Kendra
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Lucy By the Sea， which returns to Strout's familiar characters， is an excellent， human， honest book about the pandemic， and what we fear， and who we hurt， and who we connect with。 I could feel Lucy's fear and anger and horror as I read， and similarly understand William， who， in the later years of his life， is able to find joy in newfound family。 However， it is， yes， a book about rich white people with immense amounts of privilege and resources。 Although Lucy's background is one of poverty and ab Lucy By the Sea， which returns to Strout's familiar characters， is an excellent， human， honest book about the pandemic， and what we fear， and who we hurt， and who we connect with。 I could feel Lucy's fear and anger and horror as I read， and similarly understand William， who， in the later years of his life， is able to find joy in newfound family。 However， it is， yes， a book about rich white people with immense amounts of privilege and resources。 Although Lucy's background is one of poverty and abuse， she's plenty comfortable now， at least based on the description of her NYC apartment。 Strout does have William acknowledge his discomfort with the family fortune， and Lucy does wonder about the experiences of the people she sees on the news--the people who died at home， or with glass separating them from their families， the poor， who can't leave New York--it's more of a passing thought than anything else， and while that's a very real response， it's one that goes a little too unexamined， I think。 Readers who are already fans of Strout will like the book， I'm sure， and readers new to her world and its characters will find plenty to grab onto without having to read the previous books first。 It is excellent--perhaps not just because of the emotions and thoughts Strout conveys， but because it also makes me think of how much of it is packed with these rich white people。 。。。more
Bkwmlee
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This was a pandemic novel I didn’t know I needed！ With Elizabeth Strout being one of my favorite authors， I will pretty much read anything she writes — so of course I was ecstatic to have been approved for an early copy of her latest novel， Lucy by the Sea， which brings back one of my all time favorite Strout characters， Lucy Barton。 This time around， it is the very early stages of the COVID pandemic and Lucy is whisked away to Maine by her ex-husband William， who， as a scientist， knows a th This was a pandemic novel I didn’t know I needed！ With Elizabeth Strout being one of my favorite authors， I will pretty much read anything she writes — so of course I was ecstatic to have been approved for an early copy of her latest novel， Lucy by the Sea， which brings back one of my all time favorite Strout characters， Lucy Barton。 This time around， it is the very early stages of the COVID pandemic and Lucy is whisked away to Maine by her ex-husband William， who， as a scientist， knows a thing or two about the situation going on with the virus。 Lucy agrees to go with him to the isolated house by the sea for what they both think will be “only a few weeks” （one of my favorite scenes was early on in the book when Lucy is in her apartment packing her things and trying to decide what to bring for what she anticipates will be a short stay in Maine — the laptop scene was classic “Lucy and William bantering over the most mundane things” and I loved the familiarity of it！）。 As the weeks turn into months， the situation escalates， with Lucy and William eventually going into pandemic lockdown as things around the world become more and more dire。 Just like with the previous Lucy books， we as readers essentially live inside Lucy’s head the entire story as she narrates her day-to-day experiences （whether good or bad）， observations， and feelings toward everything that happens。 As Strout does brilliantly with each of her novels， she provides keen insights into the human condition through her characters’ astute observations and empathetic， heartfelt emotions that reflect the realities of our everyday lives。 One difference this time though， is that many of Lucy’s experiences and sentiments hit extremely close to home， given the timeframe spanning recent events such as the pandemic lockdown， the George Floyd murder and subsequent protests， the January 6th insurrection， etc。 — resulting in shared feelings of anxiety， fear， unease， and a sense of feeling unmoored in a country becoming more and more divided。 I read Oh William！ last year and while I did enjoy that one， I felt that focus was more on William’s story rather than Lucy herself， and in that sense， it felt a little less relatable than the first book My Name is Lucy Barton did。 This new book， Lucy by the Sea， brought the focus back to Lucy， which I definitely appreciated， as it gave me the same poignant， relatable vibe that the original one did， which made me love this one just as much。Fans of the Lucy Barton series will no doubt love this newest sequel， though it’s definitely recommended to read the previous books before this one （except Anything is Possible， which is part of the series but doesn’t focus as much on Lucy herself — I still need to read this one myself）。 Also， Elizabeth Strout fans who have read her other books will love the Easter eggs scattered throughout the story， especially the appearances by other characters who featured prominently in some of her other works。 This added a “fun” element to the story that helped to balance out some of the “heaviness” of the subject matter for me。 While I’m not sure if there will be another Lucy book after this one， I will absolutely read whatever else Strout comes out with in the future！Received ARC from Random House via NetGalley。 。。。more
Brad
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Lucy by the Sea， by Elizabeth Strout is a pandemic novel。 "Lucy Barton， is convinced by her ex-husband， William， to leave New York City and flee to Maine to avoid the worst of the pandemic。 So much is unknown about the virus， but William doesn't want to take chances。 There Lucy watches people as the world seems to fall apart。 She makes new friends and explores a new future with William and her daughters。"This book does a nice job showing the uncertainty and fear of the early days of the pandemic Lucy by the Sea， by Elizabeth Strout is a pandemic novel。 "Lucy Barton， is convinced by her ex-husband， William， to leave New York City and flee to Maine to avoid the worst of the pandemic。 So much is unknown about the virus， but William doesn't want to take chances。 There Lucy watches people as the world seems to fall apart。 She makes new friends and explores a new future with William and her daughters。"This book does a nice job showing the uncertainty and fear of the early days of the pandemic， especially in a large city like NYC。 Strout is always looking at relationships and the interactions of people。 Here， she looks at what happens when people who crave relationship no longer know how to interact face-to-face。Depending on your experience， you may find it hard to relive the events of the pandemic。 But you may be glad to see that others had some of the same thought s and anxiety you did。Several references to Olive Ketteridge （another Strout character）Fans of Lucy Barton will want to read this one。 。。。more
Brad
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Lucy by the Sea， by Elizabeth Strout is a pandemic novel。 "Lucy Barton， is convinced by her ex-husband， William， to leave New York City and flee to Maine to avoid the worst of the pandemic。 So much is unknown about the virus， but William doesn't want to take chances。 There Lucy watches people as the world seems to fall apart。 She makes new friends and explores a new future with William and her daughters。"This book does a nice job showing the uncertainty and fear of the early days of the pandemic Lucy by the Sea， by Elizabeth Strout is a pandemic novel。 "Lucy Barton， is convinced by her ex-husband， William， to leave New York City and flee to Maine to avoid the worst of the pandemic。 So much is unknown about the virus， but William doesn't want to take chances。 There Lucy watches people as the world seems to fall apart。 She makes new friends and explores a new future with William and her daughters。"This book does a nice job showing the uncertainty and fear of the early days of the pandemic， especially in a large city like NYC。 Strout is always looking at relationships and the interactions of people。 Here， she looks at what happens when people who crave relationship no longer know how to interact face-to-face。Depending on your experience， you may find it hard to relive the events of the pandemic。 But you may be glad to see that others had some of the same thought s and anxiety you did。Several references to Olive Ketteridge （another Strout character）Fans of Lucy Barton will want to read this one。 。。。more
Connor Casey
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Excellent story about the very beginnings of the COVID outbreak and how it changed the lives of everyone。 Sparingly written， seemingly simple prose that resonates more than any flowery or dramatic words could。 Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read the ARC for this book。 Ms。 Strout remains one of my favorite authors。As a first line responder for the patients with COVID， I think she treated the subject with dignity and solid science behind it。 It was painful to relive the time， though， I will sa Excellent story about the very beginnings of the COVID outbreak and how it changed the lives of everyone。 Sparingly written， seemingly simple prose that resonates more than any flowery or dramatic words could。 Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read the ARC for this book。 Ms。 Strout remains one of my favorite authors。As a first line responder for the patients with COVID， I think she treated the subject with dignity and solid science behind it。 It was painful to relive the time， though， I will say。 Could be a potential trigger for people who still suffer with Long Covid。Recommended。 5/5 stars。 。。。more
Jasmine
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Elizabeth Strout returns with her sparse but beautiful prose in Lucy by the Sea， book four in the Amgash series。 It’s the early days of 2020 when COVID-19 was making its way around the world。 Lucy watches it with feelings of detachment while her ex-husband William whisks her away from NYC to a small town in Maine。 Initially， she believes it’ll only be for a few weeks but eventually realizes she will never return to her apartment。While Lucy is in lockdown with William， she reflects on their share Elizabeth Strout returns with her sparse but beautiful prose in Lucy by the Sea， book four in the Amgash series。 It’s the early days of 2020 when COVID-19 was making its way around the world。 Lucy watches it with feelings of detachment while her ex-husband William whisks her away from NYC to a small town in Maine。 Initially， she believes it’ll only be for a few weeks but eventually realizes she will never return to her apartment。While Lucy is in lockdown with William， she reflects on their shared history， her relationship with her grown children， her traumatic childhood， and all the turmoil and tension since 2020。 Memory， loneliness， and grief are themes touched on throughout this novel。 I think I read a review where someone likened Lucy’s story to sitting down with your grandmother and listening to her chat with you。 It does have that sort of intimate feeling。 I highly recommend this series if you haven’t started it already。 Each book is on the shorter side， but all are impactful and thought-provoking。 Thank you to Random House for providing me with a widget via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Tracy Fox
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I love her books so I am definitely going to say great things about this one。 The beauty of Strout's writing is the clarity and simplicity of her words that can break your heart and stitch it back together in one chapter。 My only caveat is that this is a story about how families and individuals handled the stresses of the COVID pandemic， which may be too soon for some people。 I love her books so I am definitely going to say great things about this one。 The beauty of Strout's writing is the clarity and simplicity of her words that can break your heart and stitch it back together in one chapter。 My only caveat is that this is a story about how families and individuals handled the stresses of the COVID pandemic， which may be too soon for some people。 。。。more
TC
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Recommended with reservations。Review posted at Tzer Island book blog:https://www。tzerisland。com/bookblog/2。。。 Recommended with reservations。Review posted at Tzer Island book blog:https://www。tzerisland。com/bookblog/2。。。 。。。more
Lori L （She Treads Softly）
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Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout is a so-so pandemic novel。 Basically， William whisks Lucy out of NYC to live out the pandemic lockdown in a remote home located in a coastal community in Maine。I've been a huge fan of Lucy Barton and have enjoyed Strout's novels for years。 I was looking forward to reading Lucy by the Sea， but once I started it， the novel fell so flat I also most didn't finish it。 Strout gets points for her ability to write and that's it。 It's a pandemic lock down novel and a l Lucy by the Sea by Elizabeth Strout is a so-so pandemic novel。 Basically， William whisks Lucy out of NYC to live out the pandemic lockdown in a remote home located in a coastal community in Maine。I've been a huge fan of Lucy Barton and have enjoyed Strout's novels for years。 I was looking forward to reading Lucy by the Sea， but once I started it， the novel fell so flat I also most didn't finish it。 Strout gets points for her ability to write and that's it。 It's a pandemic lock down novel and a lazy， scattered story lacking a keen focus。 I didn't care about this fictional story which felt perfunctory and whiny。 There was no great story here。All of us experienced the lockdown （or not） in different ways and all of us have our own stories。 Setting aside this novel and allowing time to temper the facts and events would have been wiser than publishing this。 My fluid rule that authors need to keep their personal editorializing on social/political views on contemporary topics to themselves and out of new books as it diminishes and dates the novel， yet again， applies。 This is a disappointment。 I'm apparently a complete outlier among reviewers， but I can't believe all the people writing glowing reviews read the same novel I did。Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Random House via NetGalleyhttp://www。shetreadssoftly。com/2022/0。。。 。。。more
Simonne Lambert
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Oh Lucy I have missed you so much。 I’m glad we had this time together again。 And that’s exactly how it feels to me with Elizabeth Strout’s beautiful， gentle， real and compassionate writing style。 William has whisked Lucy away from New York City to Maine at the beginning of the pandemic before anybody was really taking the virus very seriously。 Their daughters are staying at a different safe house。 It’s from this house in Maine that we hear Lucy describe things that happen to her in Maine - or sh Oh Lucy I have missed you so much。 I’m glad we had this time together again。 And that’s exactly how it feels to me with Elizabeth Strout’s beautiful， gentle， real and compassionate writing style。 William has whisked Lucy away from New York City to Maine at the beginning of the pandemic before anybody was really taking the virus very seriously。 Their daughters are staying at a different safe house。 It’s from this house in Maine that we hear Lucy describe things that happen to her in Maine - or she reflects on events that have happened in the past - heartbreaking at times。 But she’s a courageous woman my Lucy， although she would deny it。 I loved this book so much。 Lucy is such a beloved character， I hope Ms Strout continues to give us the gift of Lucy for a while to come。 Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC 。。。more
Alicia Sherman
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It’s amazing how much we’ve already forgotten about the beginning of Covid times…this book will you back there…
Amy
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