10-7-09.
Olive Kitteridge may be a quick read, but it is full of depth and growth. Olive Kitteridge is introduced within a vignette of several short stories based in a homey town in Maine. She is introduced as a painfully grumpy woman who leads an unhappy life, but by the end you truly feel her emotion and her growing pains.
She plays a key role in each of these stories- one based at a wake of a man who's infedility is revealed at the reception. Another explores a troubled lounge pianist who is surprised by an ex lover. Switch gears- one is how love comes out in the most painful ways when you think you are about to lose it permanently which is highlighted in a hostage-taking within a hospital. Most of these stories are woven with the misunderstood Olive Kitteridge and her relationships she has formed in her community based off of her and her husband's long stint in the area.
The most painful for me was to watch her unappreciative son deal with his hardships growing up in a house where he was not loved for and reading him take out his anger on Olive years upon years later. There were moments of anger and disbelief.
And then I felt like I needed to call my Mom right away to tell her I love her.
Olive by no means was considered a kind soul. One person refers to her as "absolute without apology." Olive's son told her even worse things when referencing her as a terrible mother that drove him and her husband crazy.
With age and experience, Olive learns and reflects on her relationships and what her true meaning of love and family are.
Slow beginning, heart wrenching end.
Four star scale: ***
Great review! I couldn't agree more. I started off wondering where Olive gets off, but I felt like she became more human with time.
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