The Next Dark Age
We're in it Now
Home, by Marilynne Robinson
Book 39
Marilynne Robinson won the Pulitzer for Gilead, a novel about the life of a small town minister. Home is about the family of his neighbor, another minister. There is a prodigal son returning and a daughter that is afraid she will never leave and a dying old man with a heart full of love and kindness who has a lot of regrets.
Seriously, if a guy can live such a life – big family, called to service, happy marriage, all virtuous and stuff – and still feel so much regret then I am totally doomed.
We have the themes of kindness and redemption. Certainly judgement. But the big thing is that it is really hard to understand other people’s demons.
I didn’t love this the way I loved Gilead. It is a little bit too Lifetime Movie. The character of Glory is a little bit too good/kind/forgiving and a little bit too weepy for me to take seriously. But the crossover of the characters makes me want to re-read Gilead and pay particular attention to Jack. Maybe it will come together better that way.
The Next Dark Age 