You may be wondering why I’m spending time writing about books that hit the shelves of bookstores years ago. Well, two things have happened. I’ve joined a book club, which I’ve already told you about. And I’ve made a promise to myself that I’m absolutely sure I will break, and that is to read the books on my shelves before buying anything new. Lila by Marilynne Robinson is one of those books.
This post earns me very small commission if you order from my link.
According to my Amazon search results, I ordered my copy of Lila on November 11, 2014. For just over a decade, it sat on my shelf, patiently waiting for me to pick it up again. I’m not sure why I stalled. I loved Gilead and Home, two other books by Robinson that are set in the same small midwest community as Lila.
My friend Cristina picked it for our book club last month, and I’ve been mulling over it since I finished it. Here’s the thing: I’m so glad she chose it for us to discuss, because if she hadn’t I don’t think I would have finished it. And I’m really glad I did finish it.
The start to this book is dark and difficult. And Robinson’s stream-of-consciousness style of writing with no chapter breaks is challenging. But wow, this story was beautiful in the end. It reminded me of the story of Hosea in the Bible—a gentle man, carefully loving his wife with open hands. Gentle, kind, patient.
I really don’t want to give too much away here, other than to say if you enjoy Wendell Berry or slow, introspective narratives focused on character development more than plot—with a healthy conversation around Calvinism thrown in—this is the book for you. And if you’ve started it and are struggling, be patient. It picks up and pulls you in, and I don’t think you’ll regret the time spent on it.
Note: I can’t help but mention, though, that as lovely as the new branding is for all three books with similar cover art, I really don’t think they capture the essence of the book the way the originals did.
Spilled Milk 
