Saturday, January 31, 2015

Lila

by Marilynne Robinson
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2014. 261 pages. Fiction

Lila is the third in a related series by Robinson (first is Gilead and second is Home) exploring the characters of Gilead, a small Iowa town. This book is told through the lens of Lila, a quasi-orphaned drifter who finds her way to the town, and unexpectedly into the heart and home of aging widowed preacher Ames. For the first time in her life she finds herself in a stable, loving environment; and she struggles to trust, to stay put, and to reconcile the tragedy of her earlier life with the peace and gentle Christian view of her husband and new home. 

Robinson is know for her deeply meditative, language and character driven books that quietly and slowly carve their way through beautiful prose and profound ideas. Lila is no exception. It is a gorgeously crafted book that often left me in deep thought on essential question about life, it's meaning, and injustices. It is not fast paced or plot driven, but certainly a compelling and worthwhile read, especially for fans of Robinson's work. ZB

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