Olive Kitteridge

The language here is beautiful; Strout is a pro. The book is called a novel in stories, but the linkages aren't as strong as I thought they'd be. No worries, though. The character of Olive Kitteridge is present throughout, to a greater or lesser degree, and she's quite a character. Until the very end, the reader might not like her very much, but anticipates her next arrival on the page, wondering who she'll snap at next. The book is very unusual in that it is about older people. Olive is in her seventies. And while there are other characters who are younger, including her vapid son, mostly this is an older crowd. It's a fine, quiet book.