Oh William! is Elizabeth Strout’s seventh novel, published in 2021 and shortlisted for the Booker Prize. In this novel, Strout continues the story of Lucy Barton, a character previously featured in My Name is Lucy Barton and Anything is Possible (and now Lucy by the Sea, just released on September 20th!); however, Strout ensures that each book can be enjoyed as a standalone, so reading in order isn’t necessary. Lucy is a writer living in New York City, a quiet woman of highly attuned sensibilities (perhaps similar to Strout herself, but I’m just speculating). She lives alone, adjusting to grief and loneliness after the death of her second husband, but has two grown daughters to keep her company, along with her ex-husband, William, with whom she’s always remained close. Lucy and William are two people who understand each other at the deepest level, who can support, and also hurt, each other like no one else. When William suddenly discovers some surprising family history, he turns to Lucy for help, asking her to accompany him on an investigatory road trip. In classic Strout fashion, memories of Lucy’s past swirl around the couple as they drive through the rural towns of Maine — she recalls her stark childhood, her escape from poverty, and the early days of her marriage to William, but above all, she reminisces about William’s late mother, Catherine, a woman who figured largely in her first marriage. As Lucy learns more about Catherine’s past, her memories are thrown into relief, allowing her to see William and herself in a new light.

Reading Oh William! is like watching an athlete at the top of her game; calm, sure, and graceful, Strout set me at ease from the first page. Her minimal, introspective style works beautifully as Lucy’s inner monologue, and the narration seems so natural that it reads like a memoir, or perhaps a long story told in conversation. I loved slipping into Lucy’s memories, the way she introduces even the most devastating recollection with a simple “And there is this…,” as if the thought has just popped into her head and she realizes it could be useful to understanding her story. It’s hard not to love a narrator as earnest and unassuming as Lucy, a woman who may not see her own worth very clearly, but is so adept at spotting the good in others. And to notice, through Lucy’s eyes and tender “Oh!”s, the ways in which people show their goodness — remembering a friend’s favorite drink, helping a student get to college, bringing home tulips even when they’re out of season — it’s enough to break your heart. Oh William! is a stunning meditation on empathy, vulnerability, and self-worth, and I absolutely loved it.

I’d recommend this book to…

• Anyone interested in self-worth and the ways it impacts our relationships… it’s similar in theme toWhereabouts by Jhumpa Lahiri
• Anyone who loves a quietly engaging novel peopled with authentic characters… it’s similar in style to The Grammarians by Cathleen Schine
• Anyone looking for an heartbreaking yet ultimately hopeful novel… it’s similar in tone to The Dutch House by Ann Patchett