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jmrprice's review against another edition
4.0
Mid-century mid-America in the midst of dealing with race. And for these characters, complicated by loneliness and family.
katiegilley's review against another edition
3.0
“I’m a simple man who was brought up by a complicated man. So I have mannerisms and so on. Vocabulary. People can be misled.”
This was my second effort with Jack. I love the Gilead series and was so excited to read a story that focused solely on Jack, who is one of the most complicated and tragic characters in American literature. I had a really hard time getting into this in print, but I jumped at the opportunity for the audio version when I saw there was no wait on Libby.
This tells how Jack and Della’s relationship began. Biracial marriages were illegal back then and it was dangerous for them to even be together. I’m still not sure why Della chose to “marry” him nor do I understand Jack’s psyche. If anything, I’m even more impatient with him than I was before.
This book is full of beautiful sentences and staggering thoughts, but I found it much slower and harder to sink into than the first three in the series. Because of this, I’m only giving it 3 stars. But if anyone was disappointed in the print version, I’d encourage you to try the audio version – the narrator is excellent and sometimes it helps to simply be told a story.
This was my second effort with Jack. I love the Gilead series and was so excited to read a story that focused solely on Jack, who is one of the most complicated and tragic characters in American literature. I had a really hard time getting into this in print, but I jumped at the opportunity for the audio version when I saw there was no wait on Libby.
This tells how Jack and Della’s relationship began. Biracial marriages were illegal back then and it was dangerous for them to even be together. I’m still not sure why Della chose to “marry” him nor do I understand Jack’s psyche. If anything, I’m even more impatient with him than I was before.
This book is full of beautiful sentences and staggering thoughts, but I found it much slower and harder to sink into than the first three in the series. Because of this, I’m only giving it 3 stars. But if anyone was disappointed in the print version, I’d encourage you to try the audio version – the narrator is excellent and sometimes it helps to simply be told a story.
savaging's review against another edition
2.0
The situation in this book is rich and complex: love against the rules. "In simple truth, society was a great collaboration devoted to making everything difficult and painful to no good end," Robinson writes on the penultimate page to summarize the mess.
But the story? There isn't a story. Just a rambling man with a rambling mind, making decisions and then backsliding. I've read every other novel Marilynne Robinson wrote, and each one I have savored, settling down into every sentence. But this book felt tiresome. I forced myself to finish it sheerly from my deep and abiding love for Dame Robinson.
Two other things:
1: This feels more heavy-handed in its Christian theology than her other novels.
2: Honestly: what DOES Della see in him? It's depressing to read another book where a brilliant and beautiful woman falls for some shifty white guy who can only wreck her life. (And who also, incidentally, isn't honest with her about his past before she wrecks her life for him).
But the story? There isn't a story. Just a rambling man with a rambling mind, making decisions and then backsliding. I've read every other novel Marilynne Robinson wrote, and each one I have savored, settling down into every sentence. But this book felt tiresome. I forced myself to finish it sheerly from my deep and abiding love for Dame Robinson.
Two other things:
1: This feels more heavy-handed in its Christian theology than her other novels.
2: Honestly: what DOES Della see in him? It's depressing to read another book where a brilliant and beautiful woman falls for some shifty white guy who can only wreck her life. (And who also, incidentally, isn't honest with her about his past before she wrecks her life for him).
tarrowood's review against another edition
4.0
Jack cements Robinson as an astute craftswoman, and to the level that I have rarely seen strained. Robinson is an all time favorite artist. Jack gives the reader a glimpse behind the veil of who Jack is, and his deep experiences. There has always been intense judgment and emotion surrounding his narrative, and now we intimately know why.
Robinson evens includes the idea that, sometimes, effort is just as good as success, and this idea applied to our daily spiritual lives is a blessing of a thought, and one that instill comfort.
Robinson evens includes the idea that, sometimes, effort is just as good as success, and this idea applied to our daily spiritual lives is a blessing of a thought, and one that instill comfort.
matthewbald1's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
angelamichelle's review against another edition
I will always adore Marilynne Robinson and worship at her altar. My copy is dog-eared with gems. A few thoughts on this one:
- We see Jack taken advantage of, misunderstood, getting consequences he doesn’t deserve. Somehow we never see his real transgressions first hand. It feels a little cheap to give us a sanitized version of him.
- But also. The bottom line is that he is so unfair to Della. She is young and idealistic and he should know better. He ruins her life.
- His constant self-abasement is tiring. I never felt I understood the mystery of *why* he feels impelled to contrariness and why shame plagues him so.
- The cemetery scene is interminable.
- We see Jack taken advantage of, misunderstood, getting consequences he doesn’t deserve. Somehow we never see his real transgressions first hand. It feels a little cheap to give us a sanitized version of him.
- But also. The bottom line is that he is so unfair to Della. She is young and idealistic and he should know better. He ruins her life.
- His constant self-abasement is tiring. I never felt I understood the mystery of *why* he feels impelled to contrariness and why shame plagues him so.
- The cemetery scene is interminable.
jazijaz's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
coleycole's review against another edition
So, I have *loved* LOVED looooved Marilynne Robinson's novels over the years from Gilead on. Her work is contemplative, dense, beautiful, tender. And I'm SO disappointed not to like this!!! Is it me or is it the book? Is it the sustained attention on Jack after multiple novels hand wringing over him? Is it the sneaking suspicion that Della's story would be more interesting and wondering whether Robinson can tell the story of a Black woman in the 1930s Midwest right, in this book or another? Is it that Della had to be kind of a paragon of virtue and Jack kinda sucks and she still likes him cause...? Am I just over dudes who can't get over themselves?
karinlib's review against another edition
4.0
I just finished this book, the fourth book set in the Gilead world (although, it is set mainly in St. Louis), and find myself wondering if there will be a fifth book, and who will be the focus of that book.
As another reviewer said, Marilynne Robinson deserves a Nobel Prize for literature, and I agree because her prose is sublime. Her writing is up there with James Salter, Willa Cather and John Williams.
Jack, the prodigal son of Gilead and Home is the main character in this novel, and although I don't necessarily "like" him any better in this novel, I liked getting to know him better. I liked the love story between Jack and Della, that Della saw Jack's soul, and loved it.
As another reviewer said, Marilynne Robinson deserves a Nobel Prize for literature, and I agree because her prose is sublime. Her writing is up there with James Salter, Willa Cather and John Williams.
Jack, the prodigal son of Gilead and Home is the main character in this novel, and although I don't necessarily "like" him any better in this novel, I liked getting to know him better. I liked the love story between Jack and Della, that Della saw Jack's soul, and loved it.
katys_books's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25