Book Review: Abide with Me by Elizabeth Strout

I first discovered Elizabeth Strout through her Pulitzer Prize winning novel Olive Kitteridge. I was initially drawn to the book for two reasons. First, the main character is a school teacher and as a former teacher myself, I always find such books interesting, and second, the cover featured one of my favorite actors, Frances McDormand. It remains one of my favorite books and I highly recommend it! The miniseries is also very good!

When I came across her second novel, Abide with Me, on the Clearance rack at Half Price Books, I snatched it up. (It’s not that I’m cheap when it comes to books, it’s more that I have such a huge pile of books waiting on me to read that I try to maintain enough discipline to not buy every book I see that looks interesting to me. When I do encounter one I haven’t read by a favorite author at a bargain price, I can’t resist.) Anyway, I added it to my pile and finally started reading it last week.

The back cover blurb describes the book as follows:

In the late 1950s, in a small New England town, Reverend Tyler Caskey has suffered a terrible loss and finds it hard to be the person he once was. He struggles to find the right words in his sermons and in his conversations with those facing crises of their own, and to bring his five-year-old daughter, Katherine, out of the silence she has observed in the wake of the family’s tragedy. Tyler’s usually patient and kind congregation now questions his leadership and propriety, and accusations are born out of anger and gossip. Then, in Tyler’s darkest hour, a startling discovery will test his parish’s humanity – and his own will to endure the trials that sooner or later test us all.

Strout is an easy read and does an excellent job of portraying the characters and situations common to the small town life. She describes herself as a storyteller and she is accurate. The narration is strong and the story moves along at its own pace, slow and leisurely, as befitting the town itself. Tyler is a flawed character doing his best to survive and do right by his family and his congregation, struggling with his faith at times, but believing that God will show him the way. The other characters are equally flawed for the most part, and each is struggling with his or her own particular set of problems.

Whether it is the housekeeper, the church organist, the head deacon, or the local school teacher, each has a story and a unique struggle. I was captivated by these characters and found them realistic and interesting. Strangely enough, the daughter, although a central figure in the story, seemed the weakest, but maybe that was just me. I guess I just wanted to know more about her condition and I kept thinking there would be more to her story. Strout has a habit of bringing characters back in future novels, so perhaps Katherine Caskey will return in another book.

Anyway, if you’re looking for action and adventure, this one is not for you, but if you enjoy a good character study, I would definitely recommend this one. As for me, I will keep my eyes open for her other novels and would encourage you to do the same. Keep reading! It’s good for you!