‘Amy and Isabelle’ by Elizabeth Strout

Rating: 3 out of 5.

This is the ninth novel I have read by Elizabeth Strout. It was her debut novel published in 1998. It won her immediate critical acclaim at the time, and was adapted by Oprah Winfrey for television in 2001 (see trailer below), but it is not among my favourites. Olive Kitteridge (for which she won the Pulitzer Prize) and a more recent book Lucy by the Sea are still at the top of my list from this author. Strout is known for her descriptive characterisation which was already on display in this her first novel, but I felt it wasn’t as fine tuned as her later books. She is a masterful author who clearly has developed over time.

Amy & Isabelle is an intimate novel about a mother and daughter which portrays the coming-of-age, not only of a teenage girl experiencing love and betrayal for the first time, but of a woman who, in pursuit of a respectable life, has denied her deepest emotions and longings. Because they are both harbouring secrets, their relationship is strained and their dialogue is ‘cringy’ at times. Strout captures this brilliantly. In most ways, Isabelle and Amy are like any mother and her 16-year-old daughter, a fierce mix of love and loathing exchanged in every glance, but the reader knows there is something more at stake here. In the end, there is redemption and growth after things fall apart–making for a good, hopeful, and satisfying conclusion.

Now that I’ve finished Strout’s backlist, I’m excited to report that she has a new book being released in August called Tell Me Everything!

2 responses to “‘Amy and Isabelle’ by Elizabeth Strout

  1. I think I read Amy and Isabelle close to when it first came out and I didn’t really like it. Many, many years later when I rediscovered Elizabeth Strout, I was surprised to make the connection. Olive Kitteridge and Olive, Again are among my top five favorite books.

    • That’s so interesting, Suzanne. I thought it might also be because by now it’s a bit dated, but I think she just hadn’t reached her stride yet, even though a lot of her signature good writing is evident in the novel.
      You make a great point! I loved Olive, Again just as much, and maybe even more than Olive Kitteridge (although OK has to be read first). So beautifully done, and one I might reread actually.

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