Olive, Again follows the blunt, contradictory yet deeply loveable Olive Kitteridge as she grows older, navigating the second half of her life as she comes to terms with the changes - sometimes welcome, sometimes not - in her own existence and in those around her.

Olive adjusts to her new life with her second husband, challenges her estranged son and his family to accept him, experiences loss and loneliness, witnesses the triumphs and heartbreaks of her friends and neighbours in the small coastal town of Crosby, Maine - and, finally, opens herself to new lessons about life. 

Olive, Again is the weighted blanket you didn't know you needed. Stories of intimate domesticity are interwoven with bigger themes of loss, love and lust to create a beautiful story arc that pulls you into the life of Olive Kitteridge. 

It's reassuringly gentle and with dark tones that whip you out of your comfort zone with pin prick precision. This isn't a pacy novel, but in a time where people's attention drifts so quickly, a slow burn is sometimes just what's needed.  It's sophisticated in its simplicity, Elizabeth Strout is unafraid of leaving spaces in her novels for her words to breathe, which in turn allows you, the reader to really immerse yourself in the curated world of Olive. Out this October, this is the perfect novel to stay in and get cosy with.