aine and melancholy -- two words that evoke images of winter or could be used to describe Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout. The beautiful thing about Olive Kitteridge is the way it touches on deep truths about life and love through stories about everyday events. The overall tone of the book is melancholy, and Olive is a deeply flawed and not entirely likable character. Strout deals with the disappointments and trade offs people make in life; however, this compilation of sad stories is not without hope.