Anything is Possible

Anything Is Possible by Elizabeth Strout
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Strout does such a good job in creating significance in the insignificant. Everyday life unfolds with great and terrible consequences, yet she finds grace and hope in small acts too. Each chapter centers on a different character loosely connected with Lucy Barton and the small town in Illinois where she grew up. Each of them struggles, usually internally, with their scars that happened in the past and how this affects what is happening to them now. In most cases, they overcome it with help from those around them who show an unexpected kindness or forgiveness. We all hurt one another, but we can all help one another heal, too, she seems to say. Strout writes in small episodes connected by references to past chapters, so it helps to try to keep track of minor characters because they may become the main character in a few chapters in the future. However, if you lose track, the stories are satisfying by themselves, too.

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