Anything is Possible
Author: Elizabeth Strout
Published by Viking (an imprint of Penguin Books)
Format Hardback
My Rating ★★★★
Published by Viking (an imprint of Penguin Books)
Format Hardback
My Rating ★★★★
From the author of My Name is Lucy Barton.
An unforgettable cast of small-town characters copes with love and loss from the number one New York Times bestselling and Man Booker Prize long-listed author of My Name is Lucy Barton.
Anything is Possible tells the story of the inhabitants of rural, dusty Amgash, Illinois, the hometown of Lucy Barton, a successful New Yorker writer who finally returns, after seven years of absence, to visit the siblings she left behind.
Reverberating with the deep bonds of family, and the hope that comes with reconciliation, Anything is Possible again underscores Elizabeth Strout’s place as one of America’s most respected and cherished authors.
‘Writing of this quality comes from an attention to reality so exact that it goes beyond a skill and becomes a virtue.’ – Hilary Mantel on My Name is Lucy Barton
‘One of the best writers in America.’ – Sunday Times
‘Glorious, tender, true. Read it.’ – Sunday Telegraph
An unforgettable cast of small-town characters copes with love and loss from the number one New York Times bestselling and Man Booker Prize long-listed author of My Name is Lucy Barton.
Anything is Possible tells the story of the inhabitants of rural, dusty Amgash, Illinois, the hometown of Lucy Barton, a successful New Yorker writer who finally returns, after seven years of absence, to visit the siblings she left behind.
Reverberating with the deep bonds of family, and the hope that comes with reconciliation, Anything is Possible again underscores Elizabeth Strout’s place as one of America’s most respected and cherished authors.
‘Writing of this quality comes from an attention to reality so exact that it goes beyond a skill and becomes a virtue.’ – Hilary Mantel on My Name is Lucy Barton
‘One of the best writers in America.’ – Sunday Times
‘Glorious, tender, true. Read it.’ – Sunday Telegraph
My thoughts:
Anything is Possible is a beautifully written collection of nine short stories set in Amgash, Illinois. I would describe the book as a continuation of Strout’s previous book, My Name is Lucy Barton, which I found to be particularly moving. The layout of Anything is Possible is really interesting, providing a collection of connected stories from Lucy’s home town, based around key people and family members that she grew up around. Whilst Anything is Possible I’m sure probably could be read as a stand alone novel, I feel that my own enjoyment and appreciation of it was very much enhanced by having met Lucy previously. This was also perhaps what most held my attention throughout the book, as each short story provides a link between characters that arguably have shaped Lucy Barton’s character over the years.
I love Elizabeth Strout’s writing, and in this book she really explores further in to the lives and minds of key people who make up the town. The focus is again on the relationships of characters, and evidently most are relatives of one degree or another of Lucy, ranging from siblings, to cousins, parents and more. All, similarly, share strained relationships in one way or another, and these individual stories are beautifully told. My attention and intrigue was held firmly throughout reading my copy, and there were times when I just couldn’t put it down. Lucy, in particular, remains a really fascinating character to me, and if anything, I felt she could have perhaps somehow featured even more in this one.
With this collection of tender, often pretty sad, short stories and characters, I feel the author has really conveyed the message that with a little kindness and compassion anything really is possible.
I think I loved My Name is Lucy Barton even more, so I would highly recommend reading that one first, then moving on to this book for another great read.
Overall reaction:
Anything is Possible is a beautifully written collection of nine short stories set in Amgash, Illinois. I would describe the book as a continuation of Strout’s previous book, My Name is Lucy Barton, which I found to be particularly moving. The layout of Anything is Possible is really interesting, providing a collection of connected stories from Lucy’s home town, based around key people and family members that she grew up around. Whilst Anything is Possible I’m sure probably could be read as a stand alone novel, I feel that my own enjoyment and appreciation of it was very much enhanced by having met Lucy previously. This was also perhaps what most held my attention throughout the book, as each short story provides a link between characters that arguably have shaped Lucy Barton’s character over the years.
I love Elizabeth Strout’s writing, and in this book she really explores further in to the lives and minds of key people who make up the town. The focus is again on the relationships of characters, and evidently most are relatives of one degree or another of Lucy, ranging from siblings, to cousins, parents and more. All, similarly, share strained relationships in one way or another, and these individual stories are beautifully told. My attention and intrigue was held firmly throughout reading my copy, and there were times when I just couldn’t put it down. Lucy, in particular, remains a really fascinating character to me, and if anything, I felt she could have perhaps somehow featured even more in this one.
With this collection of tender, often pretty sad, short stories and characters, I feel the author has really conveyed the message that with a little kindness and compassion anything really is possible.
I think I loved My Name is Lucy Barton even more, so I would highly recommend reading that one first, then moving on to this book for another great read.
Overall reaction: