If you have read author Elizabeth Strout's book that won her a Pulitzer Prize titled 'Olive Kitteridge' you may like me have been a little anxious to find out what her next book would be like. However, after I got my hands on 'The Burgess Boys' it sucked me in right from the prologue. If the pages at the beginning of the book do not captivate you too, you should probably put down the book. Elizabeth clearly was given the gift of story telling, her prose is just beautiful and she digs deep down into the human heart, to really bring this novel to life.
This novel is a story about a family who lives in a small town in Maine called Shirley Falls. There are two brothers Jim and Bob, as well as their sister Susan. Their father passed away in an unfortunate accident when they were kids. They grow up harbouring the guilt of the death of their father as one of them was in the driver's seat when the accident occurred. The two boys have since moved to New York City for work and the story alternates between the two cities. Susan stays behind in Shirley Falls, and it is the accusations of a hate crime being committed by her son, that brings the family back together. This novel follows the relationships within the family as they deal with the guilt of their past, whilst at the same time trying to handle their current problems.
The Burgess family finds itself dealing with some issues, that they have tried to avoid for many years.
Who is Elizabeth Strout? She has won many awards including the Los Angeles Times Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction and the Chicago Tribune Heartland Prize for her book 'Amy and Isabelle'. Her other book 'Abide with Me' is officially a national bestseller. She also won the Pulitzer Prize for her book 'Olive Kitteridge' and has made it to the finals in the United Kingdom for both the the Orange Prize and the PEN/Faulkner Award. Elizabeth has also written short stories for O Magazine, The New Yorker as well as other newspapers and magazines. She currently resides in New York City. The characters in 'The Burgess Boys' are very real and we all can relate to them. Although it seems Bob maybe the center of the story. Elizabeth cleverly uses unique short descriptions, which are very vivid to bring these characters to life. This is a beautiful story that often breaks your heart. I have to admit though, they were times when the characters depressed me a little too much. I quickly snapped out of it. She has written the story in a unique way, that you almost do not notice the going back and forth between present day events and those of the past. If I was to sum up this book in one word, there is only one word that can be used and that is family. Something so simple, that everyone can relate to. If you are one of those readers who enjoys constant action within the pages, you have to be patient with this one as it often moves very slowly.
Elizabeth Strout masterfully incorporates her easy to read, flowing writing style. There is no plot as per se, as she opts to concentrate more on the human side of the story. Though it may get really dark sometimes, persevere and read on to the very end. You will be rewarded with an ending that will surprise you.
Available in several formats -start reading The Burgess Boys By Elizabeth Strout now