Lucy by the Sea

As the world grapples with the unprecedented fear and uncertainty of the early pandemic, Lucy Barton, the indomitable heroine known from previous novels, finds her life in Manhattan abruptly upended. Uprooted by her ex-husband and enduring friend, William, Lucy is whisked away to a secluded house in Maine. There, nestled against the dramatic, swirling sea, Lucy and William are forced into an intimate isolation, confronting their complex shared past and the ever-present anxieties of a world in lockdown. Through Elizabeth Strout's signature crystalline prose, the novel deeply explores the human condition during a time of global crisis, capturing not only the struggles of isolation and loss but also the unexpected moments of hope, peace, and the enduring strength of human connection—be it the pain of a daughter's suffering, the void left by death, or the quiet comfort of an old love rediscovered.