Book Review: Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout (Amgash #3)

My Rating:
4.5⭐

“I feel invisible, is what I mean. But I mean it in the deepest way. It is very hard to explain. And I cannot explain it except to say—oh, I don’t know what to say! Truly, it is as if I do not exist, I guess is the closest thing I can say. I mean I do not exist in the world. It could be as simple as the fact that we had no mirrors in our house when I was growing up except for a very small one high above the bathroom sink. I really do not know what I mean, except to say that on some very fundamental level, I feel invisible in the world.”

The third book in her Amgash series, Elizabeth Strout’s Oh William is divided into two parts. The first half explores Lucy Barton's relationship with her now ex-husband William Gerhardt. Now in their sixties and early seventies respectively, both Lucy and William have moved on – William having been married twice since parting with Lucy and Lucy having married and recently widowed. However, they are cordial and friendly with one another, can depend upon one another in their times of need and remain confidantes. The second part of the novel sees Lucy and William embark on a road trip to Maine in search of details about William’s family history.

The narrative follows Lucy as she navigates widowhood, her past and present relationship with William and their time together as friends and parents to their adult daughters, both of whom are married and settled. Both William and Lucy find themselves confronting their respective childhood memories, relationships with their parents, and the impact their respective upbringings have had and still have on their present lives, relationships and insecurities. We accompany Lucy on her journey as she explores her memories from past relationships and marriages, losses and grief, parenthood, friendship, and codependence and in the process gain a deeper understanding of not just herself but also those around her.

"This is the way of life: the many things we do not know until it is too late."

Oh William! by Elizabeth Strout is a beautifully penned novel. As with all of her books, Elizabeth Strout's prose is simple yet elegant. The first-person narrative follows Lucy’s train of thought (close to but not quite a stream of consciousness narrative), often flitting between past and present, digressing and often going off-topic but ultimately making a “point” justifying her occasional rambling. While this style of expression might not appeal to everyone, I found it very real, relatable, insightful and comforting. Her simple words, yet so full of meaning, the depth of emotion and profound insight behind every ”point” she makes touches your heart and inspires introspection.

“But we are all mythologies, mysterious. We are all mysteries, is what I mean.- This may be the only thing in the world I know to be true.”

Please note that I would not recommend this as a standalone novel. I feel that to fully appreciate this novel one should have read the preceding books in the series.