I love the metaphor of your plants growing roots in other people's homes and gardens. Thank you for filling my cup today Ochuko. Your words pierce my soul every single time. They never seem melancholy to me.....
It makes me so sad to think about giving my babies away but I make my friends send me update pics and those are always nice. I’m so glad you enjoy the writing 🥰
You have managed to capture what it is that I love about Elizabeth Strout’s books in a way I couldn’t quite identify. And, have made me think that perhaps it’s time to start them over again.
I feel similarly with TJR’s books. I read Evelyn Hugo first, which I loved. Next I went back and did Maybe in Another Life which was ok but her older books feel very different to me than her newer books. Next was Daisy Jones which I really liked, and Malibu Rising, which was hands down my least favorite.
When Carrie Soto came out I feel like I was primed to not love it based off my feelings towards Malibu Rising and the subject matter not being something I was super interested in. I ended up loving it (though I think Evelyn still has my top spot)!
Now with Atmosphere coming out, I feel similarly unexcited by the premise, but I hope to be pleasantly surprised like with Carrie Soto!
Pretty much my arch exactly. I haven’t read any of her older books but was super unimpressed with Malibu rising which is why I left Carrie Soto unread for so long.
Tell Me Everything is the first book I read of Strout’s and I immediately knew I’d need to start making my way backwards in time through her other books. It was centered around the “unrecorded lives” of people. The lives we lead, the choices we make, the relationships we have, lose, find once again. Read Olive Kitteridge second. And My Name is Lucy Barton is next on the list!
Isola by Allegra Goodman has similar plot points to The Marriage Portrait, a young woman whose agency’s been taken away, life’s at stake. Based on documented happenings during the sixteenth century!
On a personal note, love your sentiment: “It’s not often we get to stand within a moment fully conscious that everything is about to change.” I’m also in a liminal place, and there’s a sense of longing for what could’ve been but wasn’t that I get here and there (quickly consumed by the excitement for what’s ahead).
Brave of you to start at the end of the series! But I love that sentiment gosh she’s beautiful and smart. You can just tell that people like that really stop and listen and watch and experience life. It’s wonderful
Going to check out Isola thanks for the rec. and wishing you goodluck with your next step. I feel the same. Need to use that phrase “liminal space” more it’s beautiful
Wishing you goodluck, too!! Use it endlessly! It's been one of my favorite phrases ever since a literature professor of mine used it to talk about some arthurian legend, likening it to the space that takes up the doorway
I love the effect that Elizabeth Strout has on readers across all sorts of demographics. Reminds of me Claire Keegan in that way. And maybe less somber Alice Munro?
I read Carrie Soto is back last year and loved it sooo much ! Wrote an entire substack post about it. Ironically, that’s the only TJR book I’ve read. Have you read Evidence of an affair by her? My friends have highly recommended it so that may be my next TJR book.
On historical fiction (or perhaps we can call it period fiction)...have you read Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks? Year of Wonders is set during the plague, if you want something reminiscent of Hamnet. Also, Matrix by Lauren Groff.
Regarding Carrie Soto is Back, it was so refreshing to read a great sports novel about a woman. If you are aware of others, I would love to know!
I love all the pictures, they're so tea. And it's just really cute how you summarised everything and organised it.
Thank you baby 😘😘. Love you
I love the metaphor of your plants growing roots in other people's homes and gardens. Thank you for filling my cup today Ochuko. Your words pierce my soul every single time. They never seem melancholy to me.....
It makes me so sad to think about giving my babies away but I make my friends send me update pics and those are always nice. I’m so glad you enjoy the writing 🥰
You have managed to capture what it is that I love about Elizabeth Strout’s books in a way I couldn’t quite identify. And, have made me think that perhaps it’s time to start them over again.
I love this and please do read it again. Really looking forward to making my way through her books and eventually to have Lucy and Olive meet
I feel similarly with TJR’s books. I read Evelyn Hugo first, which I loved. Next I went back and did Maybe in Another Life which was ok but her older books feel very different to me than her newer books. Next was Daisy Jones which I really liked, and Malibu Rising, which was hands down my least favorite.
When Carrie Soto came out I feel like I was primed to not love it based off my feelings towards Malibu Rising and the subject matter not being something I was super interested in. I ended up loving it (though I think Evelyn still has my top spot)!
Now with Atmosphere coming out, I feel similarly unexcited by the premise, but I hope to be pleasantly surprised like with Carrie Soto!
Pretty much my arch exactly. I haven’t read any of her older books but was super unimpressed with Malibu rising which is why I left Carrie Soto unread for so long.
I’m kind of optimistic about her later books but I don’t love stories set in space so we’ll see
I cried more at Hamnet than any other book and LOVE Wolf Hall Hilary Mantel was a genius ❤️
Hamnet made me WEEP! I’m really excited to read wolf hall I love love Tudor fiction and it’s apparently just exception literature
congratulations on the move, Ochuko 🎉 you inspire me !!
Thanks girl! Now I just need to actually do it!! 😅
you got this lol! I assumed you already moved 😆
Caroline Blackwood RULES! I'm so glad they're reissuing The Stepdaughter. Have you read Great Granny Webster?
No but I have it on my shelf! Going to read that one first then the step daughter. But j just know I’ll love her writing
Tell Me Everything is the first book I read of Strout’s and I immediately knew I’d need to start making my way backwards in time through her other books. It was centered around the “unrecorded lives” of people. The lives we lead, the choices we make, the relationships we have, lose, find once again. Read Olive Kitteridge second. And My Name is Lucy Barton is next on the list!
Isola by Allegra Goodman has similar plot points to The Marriage Portrait, a young woman whose agency’s been taken away, life’s at stake. Based on documented happenings during the sixteenth century!
On a personal note, love your sentiment: “It’s not often we get to stand within a moment fully conscious that everything is about to change.” I’m also in a liminal place, and there’s a sense of longing for what could’ve been but wasn’t that I get here and there (quickly consumed by the excitement for what’s ahead).
Brave of you to start at the end of the series! But I love that sentiment gosh she’s beautiful and smart. You can just tell that people like that really stop and listen and watch and experience life. It’s wonderful
Going to check out Isola thanks for the rec. and wishing you goodluck with your next step. I feel the same. Need to use that phrase “liminal space” more it’s beautiful
Wishing you goodluck, too!! Use it endlessly! It's been one of my favorite phrases ever since a literature professor of mine used it to talk about some arthurian legend, likening it to the space that takes up the doorway
It was all accidental! BUT I've gone back to the beginning and am reading in order (only a few chapters in to My Name is Lucy Barton & oh my!)
I love the way you just write, just shows me I still have a long way to go!
Honestly I feel the same about myself but thank you!
I love the effect that Elizabeth Strout has on readers across all sorts of demographics. Reminds of me Claire Keegan in that way. And maybe less somber Alice Munro?
Yet to read Alice Munro but have one of her story collections on my shelf
But yes to Keegan. Just the thoughtful observation of ordinary humanity
I grew up with John Grisham! For years as a kid, he was my absolute favorite author! So glad to see one of his books made it to this list😇.
He’s actually a legend haha I really enjoy his work sad this one was a flop. What was your favorite of his work ?
Definitely The Confession by John Grisham. its been so many years and it's still stuck in my head.
I read Carrie Soto is back last year and loved it sooo much ! Wrote an entire substack post about it. Ironically, that’s the only TJR book I’ve read. Have you read Evidence of an affair by her? My friends have highly recommended it so that may be my next TJR book.
No I haven’t read thar only done her newer stuff! But now I shall
I love Elizabeth Strout’s books. After My Name is Lucy Barton, my second favorite is The Burgess Boys.
Needed a sign to pick up the Burgess boys so now I will thank for your service 😂
On historical fiction (or perhaps we can call it period fiction)...have you read Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks? Year of Wonders is set during the plague, if you want something reminiscent of Hamnet. Also, Matrix by Lauren Groff.
Regarding Carrie Soto is Back, it was so refreshing to read a great sports novel about a woman. If you are aware of others, I would love to know!
i also just read olive kitteridge and am obsessed with elizabeth strout. i highly recommend her new book tell me everything and oh, william!
I need to read them in order! I’m being super strict with this but I will get to them all. I heard they just keep getting better
This really, really hit today... AND now I can't wait to read Hamnet! Will be my next book!
Girl you better read it soon. Genuinely as amazing as you’ve heard