The novel also explores Williams's family history and reveals unexpected details about his now deceased mother and father.

[10] Pankaj Mishra of The New York Review of Books complimented Strout's prose, stating her "unshowy, sparing of metaphor ... vivid with both necessary and contingent detail, matches her democracy of subject and theme, and seems agile enough to describe any human situation.

"[11] The Los Angeles Times mirrored the sentiment, stating, "Strout doesn’t dress language up in a tuxedo when a wool sweater will suffice.

"[14] Library Journal expanded on the sentiment, stating that Strout's characters are "so developed, so human and flawed, that readers might feel frustrated with them, as one would with a friend or family member.

"[15] The Spectator continues, stating that Strout's use of "you" throughout the story asks the reader "to reassess every single relationship they’ve ever had: with their partner, their parents, their children and themselves, while they can still do something about it.

[26] Contrary to the above, Connie Ogle of The Star Tribune noted that "While it's always a pleasure to read Strout's restrained but lovely prose and skillful character sketches, Oh William!

"[27] The San Francisco Chronicle's Alexis Burling echoed the sentiment, stating that the book is a "welcome return to form (if you liked 2016’s somewhat claustrophobic My Name Is Lucy Barton and are able to gloss over Strout’s habit of rehashing some of the old plotlines in this one, that is).