Before we get to my review Queen Robinson’s Lila, I have some other business to attend to. I wrote numerous more things for Book Riot that I forgot to tell you jokers about!
- A piece about moving in with my partner and the complications of blending our bookshelves. Blending Bookshelves: My Quest to Embrace Chaos
- Going on a big ole airplane trip? Check out Plane English: 8 Books to Take on Your Next Flight. Apologies for the pun – my partner made me do it!
- Remember that time I read all the Pulitzer Prize-winning works of fiction? It was ridiculous. You can read all about it here, please read about the lengths I’ll go to in order to avoid watching people buy pies: 6 Things You Should Know if You’re Considering the Pulitzer Challenge.
- Finally, we’ve got my list of 100 Must-Read Almost-Prize-Winning Books in which you get to learn all about how I’m a little bit stupid.
And now, review time!
Sometimes when I read a book I love I’m like, “Man, how could anyone not love this book! It’s so good and so vast and so fast-paced and the writing is lovely yet tight and it’s just a winner all around!” I loved Lila deeply but I can absolutely understand why others wouldn’t. It’s slow. Not a lot happens. Basically, it’s like every other Marilynne Robinson book I’ve ever read, and like ever other book of hers I’ve read, I loved it so much!
The language is beautiful. The characters are rich and lovely and I just . . . what do you say about Ms. Robinson? If you’ve read and loved the other two in this Gilead sort-of-series then you know what to expect and I can’t imagine you being disappointed. If you’ve read and disliked / felt indifferent about them, then there’s nothing here that’s going to redeem her for you. If you’ve never read Robinson, I’d suggest giving Gilead a shot first.
Another reviewer asked, “Have you ever read a book so good it hurt?” and I think that’s as good a way as any to describe my experience reading this book. I live in the same Iowa town that Robinson lives in and I sincerely hope I never run into her because I’m pretty sure I’d either start weeping or yelling at her, such is the deepness of the emotions her works get out of me.
That’s so cool that you live in the same town as Marilynne Robinson! I’ve read a few of her books and loved them, but I can also understand why people find them too slow.