Abide With Me: A Novel Audiobook

" This is a great book and my first time reading one from this author. Lots of reviews telling you why it is great but I want to suggest that this would make an e cell end book club selection. The book lives on many levels, even the weather appears to be a character in the book with its many moods reflecting the internal mood and turmoil of the young pastor. Enjoy "

" Not much happens in this book. The writing is okay, but nothing from the book stays with you. "

" What an amazing book. It dealt with a lot of different topics simultaneously- grief, forgiveness, love and marriage, family, etc. Tyler's character was developed magnificantly and he really drew me in. Also a very believable portrait of how humans can be so cruel to one another, yet also so capable of giving second chances. It really made me think and feel. An excellent book. "

" Like Amy and Isabelle, this story transitions seamlessly through a whole town of characters, many of whom have deeply hidden secrets. The range of characters and the depth of each character is remarkable. Honestly I liked Amy and Isabelle a touch more, but this book is far from unappealing. I plan to continue through her novels. "

" I really disliked this tale of a minister grieving the loss of his wife. He's grieving, his young daughter won't talk, his mother is profoundly unsupportive, his housekeeper turns out to be both a murderer and a thief. You'd think his congregation would be sympathetic, forgiving maybe. Not so much in this novel. Instead, they spread unfounded rumors about his having an affair with his housekeeper, talk about him behind his back and recommend placing his grieving daughter in a special school for the mentally retarded. I was also frustrated with the character of the minister who appears incredibly naive, convinced of the goodwill of his congregation despite all evidence to the contrary. An really unpleasant story all the way around. "

" A tale of loss and redemption in northern new england. The new minister grows up and learns love along with a congregation - good that I already loved elizabeth strout before I read this as I doubt I would have read a second of her books. "

" It is difficult to become absorbed into the characters initially, but sticking with the story of autism?trauma?compassion?what is truth? will reward you greatly. "

" I really liked this book for the honesty of its characterizations. As a Christian I appreciated the sympathetic portrait of a minister attempting to act with grace in the face of human weakness, including his own. "

" If you like Marilynne Robinson, you'll like Elizabeth Strout. She's a bit earthier than Robinson. This is a great book with characters I could really relate to. A truthful book. Read it! "

" Beautifully written. The characters were completely believable and the descriptions of the small town church and the minister were perfectly done. "

" My third Elizabeth Strout read and I'm not disappointed. Amazing how she can paint the most benign setting yet give it a sense of tension. This one's about a minister whose first assignment is a small Maine town. All the rumors, etc. Sounds ordinary, but not under the pen of Strout. "

" Every so often you read something that makes you want to write the author a letter thanking her for being so freakin' brilliant. This is one of those. "

" Beautifully drawn portrait of a pastor who has lost his wife and faces raising two girls on his own. "

" love listening to this book. "

" Ms. Strout won a Pulitzer Prize in the year I chose this book for the book discussion! "

" Another very powerful book by Elizabeth Strout. For some reason, I began to lose the impetus about 3/4 of the way through, but the pace really quickened at the end, and I felt that the end was perfect. "

" I liked this book though it was a bit strange. If you like Anne Tyler's writing style, you will like this. "

" Nice, but I expected more. I'll try Olive Kittridge. "

" It's like the Scarlet Letter, but well-written. "

" Author of Olive Kittredge explores the cost of loss to an individual and a community... "

" Beautifully written with three dimensional characters. Sad story about people coming seeking redemption for their tragically wrong choses. "

" SO-so, dissapointing after the intensity of Amy and Isabelle. I finished it a week or so ago and cannot remember the story. Too much place and not enough people.Hoped the personalities would gel and reach out, but they never did and the ending was "meh." "

" I liked the perspective from a widowed preacher realizing what it takes to grow-up as parent, husband, son and preacher of a small town congregation. "

" I love her writing style; not only is it a portrait of a family, but also of the whole community. I don't know that I enjoyed this book as much as "Olive Kitteridge", but it was still a good read. "

" Liked "Olive Kitteridge" so much I wanted to read more by the author. And this didn't disappoint. "

" This was a difficult book for me to read. I never fully got into it and it took about four times to finally read it in its entirity. A sad story and I never felt a connection with the characters. "

" Unfortunately I can't say this was one of my favorite books. The storyline was very depressing and vulgar and moved like molasses. The story of a New England preacher's life after his wife's untimely demise did not 'grab' me the way it should have, but I would give this author another try. "

" I was fascinated to see how she wrote a novel in a traditional format after I read Olive Kitteridge. She's a keeper, I think, though I wish some of her characters were without deep dilemmas--though maybe none of us are??? Through it all she gives us hope. "

" this was a nice book. "

" Depressing, boring, with a stupid ending and full of characters I hated. I resent the time of my life I wasted on this trash and am not getting back. "

" Really enjoying this so far-- love the spot-on description of New Englanders. "

" Was ok. Just something I pulled from the library shelf so it wasn't a recommendation. "

" I expected more, I guess--but it's interestingly paralleling the Godwin book I'm currently reading--Father Melancholy's Daughter--they're quite similar. I liked Strout in person much better than in this book. "