This book was a little slow in the beginning, but once I got into it, it went quickly. It was well-written. The main character is a minister who was widowed at a young age. His deceased wife was outgoing and not conservative.

Much of the story has to do with the minister's daughter, who he is raising on his own. She is quiet and withdrawn. I did not particularly care for either character, but still enjoyed the book overall.

Elizabeth Strout is a gifted writer and this book does not disappoint. A small town, widowed minister deals with his grief and the grief of his young daughter. The book is a little dark in the beginning but I think the author wants us to see the flaws in the parishoners. The title, Abide With Me was a little lost to me until I read the lyrics on line.... then the book made more sense. (Listen to a young soprano named Hayley Westenra sing it on YouTube. Beautiful!) The ending happens maybe a bit too quickly, but the last few chapters contain some of Strout's best writing.

This summary for this book is very misleading. The plot makes the book sound interesting, but instead it moves very slow and she abruptly ends the book. The book only got interesting towards the end. I didn't read Amy and Isabelle, but I hope it's better than Abide With Me.