It’s hard to explain what Elizabeth Strout does with language. She describes what seem to be ordinary events, and transforms them into something truly extraordinary and achingly poignant.
I read this all in one sitting. It was effortless and I was entranced.
All I can say is….read this.

Strout’s character,Lucy, is a widow. Her husband David has died and her thoughts now turn back to her first husband William. This is the third book in a series and in my opinion, the weakest. I enjoyed the two main characters, and their adventures, but went on too long. The road trip could have been a long short story. However, Strout’s characters are always memorable .

Lucy Barton was married to William. Even though they are exes, they still stay in close contact. Lucy, a writer, has yet to figure out William. As the story unfolds, she is asked to join William on a trip to uncover a family secret that has been revealed when he took a DNA test. The book is a reflection on their lives together, apart, secrets held close, betrayal, and of course love. No one examines life better then Strout.

OH WILLIAM!- the latest in Elizabeth Strout’s Amgash series- was a delightful, easy read. I always enjoy Strout’s writing and this novel was no exception.

The plot of this story is simple but Strout’s beautiful writing and insight into everyday life and love and loss is as compelling as ever. I highly recommend this story, which could likely be read alone (but I think is best enjoyed after the first two Amgash novels).

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC I received in exchange for my honest review.

I was so excited to read this book, since I loved Olive, Again. Strout is a beautiful writer with a keen eye for observing and reporting on the mundane, elevating every day observations into insightful wisdom. The themes of connection and loneliness, family and trauma, and compassion kept the book moving and engaging. I loved her relationship with William, complex and nuanced and not at all what I expected.

However, Oh William did not have the same charming “short stories that tie together” vibe as Strout’s previous books. As a straight novel, it was missing the common threads that were so much fun to discover in her previous books. Here, Olive continues as a no-nonsense and insightful character, but to me, she has lost her grumpiness and her edge. Her voice, which I found charming before, was annoying and repetitive, is what I’m saying (when you read the book, you’ll understand that reference).

My thanks to NetGalley for an Advanced Readers Copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in any way.

This is my first Elizabeth Strout and I really enjoyed it, especially towards the beginning. Oh William! is the third book in the Amgash trilogy and though I have not read the other two, I was still able to enjoy the story and fall in love with the family. Our main character Lucy does mention events from her previous books, and she manages to fill the reader in without meandering too far from the current plot. If anything she has made me want to go back and start from the beginning.

Oh William largely involves the relationship between Lucy Barton and her first husband, William. Lucy’s husband David has recently passed away and she is pondering the life they shared as well as the life she had with William. Despite the years that have passed (and the infidelities that broke their marriage), Lucy and William maintain a friendly relationship. William’s life seems to fall apart after his latest birthday - his current wife leaves him (taking their daughter with her) and he discovers a secret branch of his family tree. Together, William and Lucy hit the road to find out the truth.

For me, the first half of this book was the strongest. I loved Lucy’s storytelling and her voice was calm and refreshing. I loved seeing her relationships with her daughters and the glimpses into her past. Overall, Oh William was a very approachable, quick read full of well developed characters. I look forward to reading the rest of the Amgash trilogy and exploring Lucy’s past further.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an advanced copy of this book.

What a wonderful author Elizabeth Strout is! Her books are always a delight, and Oh William is no different. Hope we're not finished with Lucy Barton!

Really enjoyed this one - This one kept my attention the whole time and was a nice break from my usual reads! Thanks for the opportunity to read!

I realize that I can’t think everything that one of my favorite authors writes is amazing, but still I feel so reluctant to give this three stars.

The writing is beautifully done as always, it’s just the story just didn’t gel with me.

The story is told by Lucy Barton. It’s about Lucy and her first husband, William and also her second husband, David.

It feels like you are sitting next to Lucy as she just rambles on about her life. The writing is very much conversational, with a lot of conversational ticks - like “I mean” - which I find annoying when someone does it constantly while talking and find it even more annoying when reading it.

At certain points, I connected with the story, when Lucy would feel something exactly like something I’ve felt before, but between those times, not so much.

Overall, I can understand why this novel gets rave reviews from a lot of people, it really is unique.

I have to say of all the characters Elizabeth has Lucy Barton is my least favorite. I was Meh about her in the first book, liked her better in the second and finally realized that by the third she bores me. I found it really hard to care about her or William for that matter. Every conversation they had bored me. That being said, I love how Elizabeth Strout writes and that is why I continued on with the book. Oliver Kitteridge will always be my favorite.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book but felt the pacing was somewhat slow. In reality it's more of a 3.6 rounded up to a 4 star.

Admittedly, I didn't realize this book was part of a larger series when I read it, despite having heard a lot of great things about it critically. Maybe the main character would grow on me if in the context of a larger series, but I found her to be simpering and sort of infantile despite being a grown woman. Don't even get me started about William. I don't think I would say Oh William!, but more of an "Oh, William......"

Oh William! is about Lucy Barton and her connection to her first husband, William, and the journey they embark on after two very significant things happen to him. The two events that drastically change William’s life is his current wife (number 3) leaves him and he discovers his has a half sibling. Lucy spends a lot of time reflecting on events throughout her life and how they have impacted it.

This is the third book in a series revolving around Lucy Barton and I can’t help but wonder if I read the previous books if I would have a different feeling about this book. Oh William! is the longest short book I’ve ever read. The story rambled on and it felt scattered at times with the random tidbits thrown in and not elaborated on. The second chapter of the book read smoother than the first chapter and I say chapters because there were only two chapters in the whole book.

Thank you @netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Oh Elizabeth Strout!

I loved Oh William!, more than My Name is Lucy Barton. I think because in the first book you got a bit of the backstory of Lucy's family, but in oh William! she could dive deeper. I think a wonderful thing about Strout's writing is the lack of dialogue and you live in the head of Lucy - I loved how her inner dialogue bounced around all over the place but she brought you back to her original thought in a fun way.

So great! Elizabeth Strout is an auto buy author for me now.

Enjoyed reading another Lucy Barton title, it was a look into a amicable divorced couple and some family secrets that are revealed.

I’m struggling to get through this latest book by Elizabeth Strout. I’m bored reading it and it’s just not for me. I did enjoy her other one before this My Name is Lucy Barton but this one not so much. Dnf at 33%. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for my honest review.

I was a little wary going into Oh William!, the third in Elizabeth Strout's Lucy Barton related tomes, since I hadn't previously read the other two. I read it was a standalone novel, and I am glad that I pressed on in spite of my concerns because this was a lovely read. Oh William is the best kind of domestic story, 100% character driven. You meet William, Lucy's ex-husband in his 60s, but the story transitions as it goes into a story about Lucy and the way life deals us cards we aren't quite sure how to deal with. Strout beautifully captures the essence of humanness. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for a review.

Oh Elizabeth Strout!

I will read anything this woman writes. Elizabeth Strout creates such convincing characters and settings that the reader is transported.

Some authors create characters they don't like much and then invite us to judge them. By contrast, Strout has such warmth and empathy for hers, even when they aren't behaving well. She is good, humanist company; an antidote to the bitterness to be found so easily around us.

I struggled to connect with this book in any way - possibly because I couldn't identify with anything the characters were going through personally. I am sure it's a great fit for readers, but just wasn't a good fit for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of the e-book in exchange for my honest review.

Transitional, iconic, sweeping story of life and a reflection of love and friendship even through hardships. The characters truly shine in Oh William! and are so genuine.