Anything is Possible
by mansii
Returning to the heartbeat of the small town Midwest after a detour to New York City life, Elizabeth Strout revisits the characters of her successful narrative My Name is Lucy Barton in her emotionally barring new work: Anything is Possible. Through a network of short stories that hold their own yet weave into one another, this work explores how single moments hold lasting sway over our futures. An "invisible" school janitor's faith in a small girl propels her forward as a successful writer--now his good faith in people is being tested. When a child is shocked with the image of her mother's affair, it opens lifelong caverns of insecurity; now she has the opportunity to see past her pain in being a catalyst for good in the life of a new generation. Those who felt a kinship with Lucy Barton will find their understanding of this character enlarged and will feel the significance of each person that passes through the life of another, no matter how brief the stay. What do we run away from, and how do we arrange our escape? How often are we torn apart by the two-edged sword of love and hate, and yet how often do we hold the keys to small miracles in our own two hands? This long established, Pulitzer winning author richly explores what it is to be a soul in a world of souls.
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