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Average rating4.5
Lila, homeless and alone after years of roaming the countryside, steps inside a small-town Iowa church-the only available shelter from the rain-and ignites a romance and a debate that will reshape her life. She becomes the wife of a minister and widower, John Ames, and begins a new existence while trying to make sense of the days of suffering that preceded her newfound security. Neglected as a toddler, Lila was rescued by Doll, a canny young drifter, and brought up by her in a hardscrabble childhood of itinerant work. Together they crafted a life on the run, living hand-to-mouth with nothing but their sisterly bond and a lucky knife to protect them. But despite bouts of petty violence and moments of desperation, their shared life is laced with moments of joy and love. When Lila arrives in Gilead, she struggles to harmonize the life of her makeshift family and their days of hardship with the gentle worldview of her husband which paradoxically judges those she loves. Revisiting the beloved characters and setting of Marilynne Robinson's Pulitzer Prize-winning Gilead and Orange Prize-winning Home, Lila is a moving expression of the mysteries of existence.
Series
Featured Series
4 primary booksGilead
Gilead is a 4-book series with 4 primary works first released in 2004 with contributions by Marilynne Robinson.
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Here is my second reading review http://bookwi.se/lila-second-reading/
Short Review: I have no doubt that this is the best book I will read this year. Stumbled on the audiobook at the library on release day. Even before I finished I had purchased the Kindle Edition and I am going to re-read it as soon as I get finished with a few obligated reviews.
This is the story of Lila, John Ames' wife (from Gilead). She has had a hard life, neglected as an infant, later stolen to protect her from her parents, then raised on the run by a poor woman in the early dust bowl era where they worked as migrant workers. Later bounced around trying to find steady work on her own, she happens upon the town of Gilead and the elderly widower pastor John Ames. They fall in love and work through what it means to love when you have such a hard time understanding what it means to trust.
This is a novel of grace. There are hints of Gomer's story (Hosea's wife) and sharp witty dialogue between John and Lila as they discuss the problems of evil and how God can allow pain and suffering.
Robinson can write beautiful lyrical prose while still talking about deep heady subjects and make it readable. This is a book that should be picked up my many and read as soon as you can.
It can be read without Gilead, although it might make sense to read Gilead first. I have not read the third of this loosely connected trilogy, Home. But I plan on reading it relatively soon.
My full initial review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/lila-novel-marilynne-robinson/
