I really like Elizabeth Strout’s writing, and if I had to come up with the one aspect that stands out, I think it’s the way she just gets characters. She’s probably best known for her book Olive Kitteridge (still my favorite) and its sequel, Olive Again, but for many of the same reasons, I also enjoyed her first book, Amy and Isabelle and now this one, The Burgess Boys.

I think all of, or most of, her books take place in Maine and this one is no exception, though much of it also takes place in New York City.  It centers around three adult siblings: Jim, an eloquent, confident, and famous defense attorney; younger brother Bob, a quiet and less sure of himself DA; and Bob’s twin sister Susan who has remained in their childhood Maine hometown, divorced and raising her teenage son–an unhappy loner who throws a frozen pig head into a mosque during Ramadan. 

What unfurls is two brothers trying to help their sister and nephew out of a complicated and stupidly innocent situation, and through this, their own adult relationships ravel and unravel, sometimes within the same day, showing just how powerfully  childhood events can continue to complicate adult lives and relationships and marriages.

I think this is Strout’s gift as a writer: characters are never good or bad, just complex. And as soon as someone’s actions feel annoying, we understand why they are as they are and we empathize. All of her characters feel real, and they all make us feel something. I can’t think of a single character that I did not care about, and to me that’s the sign of a great writer. 

Nevine, thanks for the book swap! An enjoyable read.