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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
It's Marilynne Robinson. We should all write like this. 'Nuff said.
This is a rare novel, that weaves in and out of the lives of Lila and The Reverend (some of which the reader of Gilead and Home will know), reflecting on the meaning of existence, goodness and God. They don't come much deeper than that, but it still has a homespun feel to it, as Lila, being largely uneducated, has a plain-spoken way of expressing herself, as against that of the Reverend, with his many years of theological contemplation. Their meeting place is literally their marriage, which also seems to have a figurative significance. Think Old Testament prophets, seen in the light of the New Testament.
Like Gilead and Home, this book will bear re-reading many times.
Like Gilead and Home, this book will bear re-reading many times.
I didn't like it as much as the first book, but that's not a surprise, considering how good Gilead was. Marilynne Robinson is truly an incredible writer. These books create an atmosphere full of warmth and love despite the sorrow and strife. 100% recommend to every older teen/adult reader (especially Christians, but really anyone).
The strangest thing about this book is the romance, since the woman is in her thirties and the man in his seventies. It didn't bother me while reading, but thinking about it objectively, it was very unusual and probably not the best thing for most people. It worked for the characters, though.
read September 2020
The strangest thing about this book is the romance, since the woman is in her thirties and the man in his seventies. It didn't bother me while reading, but thinking about it objectively, it was very unusual and probably not the best thing for most people. It worked for the characters, though.
read September 2020
Read a long time ago. I didn't know it was part of a series.
I didn't like it as much as Gilead or Home, but I have a feeling it will grow on me.
Hypnotic. Not sure why I keep reading Marilynne Robinson. The characters are incredibly annoying.
Another beautifully written book by Marilynne Robinson set in the town of Gilead. Despite the narration by Lila, it's John Ames whose presence fills the pages. You'll want to re-read Gilead, the prequel, as soon as you're done.
This book helped me through a period of insomnia by helping me get back to sleep when I woke up in the middle of the night.
This is the third book in Marilynne Robinson's Gilead trilogy. Each covers approximately the same period of time but is told from a different character's perspective. In this case the story is told from Lila's perspective. Lila becomes the wife of Reverend John Ames (the first book Gilead was told from his perspective). It's a very unlikely pairing: the elderly, learned and religious Reverend Ames marrying the much younger, homeless, wandering, completely non-religious Lila. Lila has never really had a stable home and has a hard time trusting anyone and really doesn't like to be around people much. To become a pastor's wife in a small Iowa town is a completely foreign life for her.
This book explores her adjustment to that life. Her constant unease with it. Her constant fear that it's always about to end just as every other goodness in her life has. As well as Reverend Ames realization that Lila is something of a "wild" creature that may never be fully tameable and thus could disappear at any time. And yet they're both able to learn from each other. Lila's constant ambivalence is at the center of this story: she's drawn to Ames' kindness; she's never really experienced anything like it in her life and it takes her a long time to be able to believe and trust it.
This book explores her adjustment to that life. Her constant unease with it. Her constant fear that it's always about to end just as every other goodness in her life has. As well as Reverend Ames realization that Lila is something of a "wild" creature that may never be fully tameable and thus could disappear at any time. And yet they're both able to learn from each other. Lila's constant ambivalence is at the center of this story: she's drawn to Ames' kindness; she's never really experienced anything like it in her life and it takes her a long time to be able to believe and trust it.