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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
Lila may be the most compelling and wonderful character Robinson has created -- and that's saying something. Slow and thoughtful and lovely novel. The relationship between Lila and John Ames is beautifully depicted. Now I need to read Gilead again.
More like 3.5 but I'll round up for this quote: "I guess there's something the matter with me, old man. I can't love you as much as I love you. I can't feel as happy as I am."
As beautiful, tender, grace-soaked and damn near perfect as everything Robinson writes.
I didn't know this author before I found this particular book, but she has set two previous novels in the same town that this is set, and one of them won the Pulitzer Prize while the other won the Orange Prize. On top of that, Robinson was awarded the 2012 National Humanities Medal by President Obama. A worthy author indeed! None of which I knew until I finished the book today, and decided to read the blurb.
So, do I agree with the obvious opinions of the judges? Yes!
This is a rather beautiful story of a woman in Depression era United States. She was rescued from an abusive household and led the life of a drifter, she and her rescuer tagged onto a wandering band who'd never known any other life. They never truly belonged though. Lila learned about right and wrong, and learned not to trust anyone. Doll managed to keep them in one town for a year so that Lila could go to school and learn to read and write, but Doll was afraid to stay longer. Much later, Lila lives in towns herself - but we don't begin there. We gradually learn her story while she ponders her past, ponders the meaning of life, ponders the growing love she has for the old preacher she meets in Gilead.
For anyone trying to decide whether to read this or not, do read some of the other reviews - some reviewers have written excellent ones so I'm not even going to try. I'll simply say that I love the character of Lila and found this novel fascinating.
So, do I agree with the obvious opinions of the judges? Yes!
This is a rather beautiful story of a woman in Depression era United States. She was rescued from an abusive household and led the life of a drifter, she and her rescuer tagged onto a wandering band who'd never known any other life. They never truly belonged though. Lila learned about right and wrong, and learned not to trust anyone. Doll managed to keep them in one town for a year so that Lila could go to school and learn to read and write, but Doll was afraid to stay longer. Much later, Lila lives in towns herself - but we don't begin there. We gradually learn her story while she ponders her past, ponders the meaning of life, ponders the growing love she has for the old preacher she meets in Gilead.
For anyone trying to decide whether to read this or not, do read some of the other reviews - some reviewers have written excellent ones so I'm not even going to try. I'll simply say that I love the character of Lila and found this novel fascinating.
The first sentence: The child was just there on the stoop in the dark, hugging herself against the cold, all cried out and nearly sleeping.
Favorite quote: The old man always said we should attend to the things we have some hope of understanding, and eternity isn't one of them.
The story was magnificent, such heartbreak for not only Lila but so many other characters in the book. I so struggled with the style of writing. This is my first [a:Marilynne Robinson|7491|Marilynne Robinson|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1256021025p2/7491.jpg] to actually read. I listened to [b:Gilead|991275|Gilead|Marilynne Robinson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1403176226s/991275.jpg|2481792]. I want to try another of her books to see if her style of writing is always like this. The story will stay with me a long time.....I just wanted to take Lila home and love her yet I knew she would never let me do that even if I could.
Favorite quote: The old man always said we should attend to the things we have some hope of understanding, and eternity isn't one of them.
The story was magnificent, such heartbreak for not only Lila but so many other characters in the book. I so struggled with the style of writing. This is my first [a:Marilynne Robinson|7491|Marilynne Robinson|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1256021025p2/7491.jpg] to actually read. I listened to [b:Gilead|991275|Gilead|Marilynne Robinson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1403176226s/991275.jpg|2481792]. I want to try another of her books to see if her style of writing is always like this. The story will stay with me a long time.....I just wanted to take Lila home and love her yet I knew she would never let me do that even if I could.
emotional
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
‘life on earth is difficult and grave and marvelous ’
what a beautiful beautiful book. a sweet and heartbreaking story of love and redemption and truth. marilynne robinson is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.
what a beautiful beautiful book. a sweet and heartbreaking story of love and redemption and truth. marilynne robinson is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.
A little challenging to get through but the writing is wonderful.
So beautiful and profound in a still, quiet way. Who else but Marilynne Robinson writes so sympathetically and philosophically about people nowadays? The life of a hardscrabble loner is profiled here, having been one of many characters in Gilead, the first in the trilogy. While the second in the series seemed to me to be a slight departure in quality, this third volume is at least as beautiful as Gilead and makes me want to start the series over again.
This gentle, contemplative novel continues the story told in “Gilead” - but to my mind, Lila is a more interesting character than her husband. She’s thoughtful and observant, with perceptions uniquely her own.
Much of this novel is about Lila’s memories of her past, and she’s lived a hard life. She was a neglected child who was rescued (or abducted, depending on who sees it) by a kind person, Doll. Doll is central in her memories, since they were inseparable through her childhood. This period was spent on the road with a small band of wanderers - camping out, working when they could, living day to day. A series of events separated her from Doll, and she had much harder years afterwards, eventually ending up alone on the road, sleeping in an abandoned shack.
And then she happens across the town of Gilead, and its old preacher, John Ames. The town itself provides work and aid, although it’s not easy for Lila to accept anything. She writes quite a lot about the pride that is the main possession of people down on their luck. She herself is scrupulous about not taking anything without giving something back.
She doesn’t trust the preacher’s love for her at first, but gradually begins to relax into a peaceful place. The book recounts the conversations between John and Lila, as he tries to understand her and to get her to trust him. It does a good job of maintaining Lila’s point of view, her way of seeing the world around her.
Much of this novel is about Lila’s memories of her past, and she’s lived a hard life. She was a neglected child who was rescued (or abducted, depending on who sees it) by a kind person, Doll. Doll is central in her memories, since they were inseparable through her childhood. This period was spent on the road with a small band of wanderers - camping out, working when they could, living day to day. A series of events separated her from Doll, and she had much harder years afterwards, eventually ending up alone on the road, sleeping in an abandoned shack.
And then she happens across the town of Gilead, and its old preacher, John Ames. The town itself provides work and aid, although it’s not easy for Lila to accept anything. She writes quite a lot about the pride that is the main possession of people down on their luck. She herself is scrupulous about not taking anything without giving something back.
She doesn’t trust the preacher’s love for her at first, but gradually begins to relax into a peaceful place. The book recounts the conversations between John and Lila, as he tries to understand her and to get her to trust him. It does a good job of maintaining Lila’s point of view, her way of seeing the world around her.
Good. Makes me want to read the other 2 in the series.