Questions About Lucy by the Sea (Amgash, #4)

by Elizabeth Strout (Goodreads Author)

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Answered Questions (5)

Is it necessary to read the prior Lucy Barton books prior to this one, or can this be read as a stand-alone without any knowledge of the characters?

Lisa I think it's fine to read this book as a stand-alone. I've read the others, but it was so long ago I don't remember all the details, and I still enjoy…moreI think it's fine to read this book as a stand-alone. I've read the others, but it was so long ago I don't remember all the details, and I still enjoyed this book. Just about anything you need to know about Lucy and her family you can read about here, and while it would be interesting to make the connections from the other books, it's not strictly necessary.(less)

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Judy Lindow

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Mike Yes, I felt like I missed something. Despite all the foreboding, nothing really terrible happens to the daughters - Becka ends up at Yale Law School, …moreYes, I felt like I missed something. Despite all the foreboding, nothing really terrible happens to the daughters - Becka ends up at Yale Law School, for crying out loud. (less)

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In this book, Lucy refers to her real (bad) mother and the fictitious (good) mother she made up. I started thinking of book one in the series, My Name Is Lucy Barton. In that book, Lucy is recuperating from an unspecified infection in the hospital. Her mother visits. They talk about a variety of subjects but the important thing is that her mother came. Was this really her mother or Lucy's imaginary mother?

Rhonda Cutler I am still not convinced that Lucy's real mother visited her in My Name Is Lucy Barton. Of course as you read that book, you have no reason to suspect…moreI am still not convinced that Lucy's real mother visited her in My Name Is Lucy Barton. Of course as you read that book, you have no reason to suspect this might not be what really happened. But Strout throws a curveball in Lucy By The Sea when Lucy muses about her imaginary mother. It certainly made me question what happened in My Name...(less)

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Was William’s description of the pandemic political situation an accurate prediction of America’s political future?