Jude Machin

Every book by Elizabeth Strout is a instant favourite of mine. She’s absolutely my most-read author. If you like stories about the crazy complexities of everyday life and relationships, she’s got you. No padding, just simple books about ordinary people. Artie Dam is a new character, set outside of her usual communities in Maine that have appeared in several books. Artie is a 57 year old history teacher living with his wife in an unnamed Massachusetts coastal town. He’s depressed and lonely with suicidal thoughts but a chance meeting with a new friend brings him a closeness he can’t find with anyone else. Then he learns a devastating secret that could change everything. There’s themes of disconnection, disappointment and emotional distance as a parent and within a marriage. Communication failure where people can’t - or won’t - say what they need to say. It’s set in the run up to the 2024 Presidential election, so there’s plenty of political side notes which I liked. These fictional people live in our world. They could be us or people we know. It’s a short one at just over 200 pages. Totally gorgeous. 10/10 for the beautiful artwork too. #books #bookworm