I’ve found myself in a pickle, because I have a new favorite book where nothing happens. It’s an identity crisis frankly, considering my usual favorites are Harry Potter-esque. But I can’t fight the feeling I had when reading Gilead, and it now holds a special place in my heart. Though it may not be a story for everyone, I’m so excited to share it with you all and hopefully give some of you a new favorite book, as well.
The Gist
Reverend John Ames is a third-generation preacher in the fictional town of Gilead, Iowa, and at 76 he is nearing the end of his life. He is going to leave behind a young wife, a seven year old son, and not much money to speak of. What he does have, however, is a rich history that he can leave behind when he’s gone. He pens this letter to his son, detailing the lives of his grandfather, father, and the town he grew up in. John reflects on all of the beauty of his provincial life and the grief of missing out on his family’s future. He also grapples with his turbulent relationship with his godson and namesake, John Ames “Jack” Boughton, who has returned to town.
The Take
First, let me clarify that Gilead is not an underrated book by any means. Author Marilynne Robinson won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction with Gilead, and Oprah featured it in her book club selections of 2021. What makes this book worthwhile to review is that the hype is warranted. Robinson took her time with this story - published over 20 years after her debut novel, Housekeeping - and the payoff is in the rich, complex ideas built within a life that is fairly simple at first glance.
I first heard about Marilynne Robinson in my undergrad studies during a close reading exercise with a paragraph from Housekeeping. It’s a novel I still haven’t read after all these years, but that one excerpt is burned into my brain because of Robinson’s impressive writing. She takes mundane stories and navigates you through the complex minds of her characters, giving their motivations far more gravitas.
It is no surprise or spoiler that this novel ends with Reverend John Ames’s death. He tells you from the outset that he is writing a letter to leave to his young son once he is gone, because his heart condition will kill him soon. Thus begins his winding, aimless dictations of his current experiences, as well as memories from long ago, chronicling his family’s time in the fictional town of Gilead. He is the third Reverend Ames and he spent his whole adult life as reverend of the town, so his reminiscence is steeped in a lifelong Christian background. But he is not a “bible thumping,” judgmental saint in his letters; he is a complicated man, still awed by the beauty of his simple life and the family he has gained late in his years.
His wife Lila is hands-down my favorite character in the story. She has such strength and loyalty to her family, but a hidden past trauma that eludes John. She cares for their son and staunchly supports her husband, despite their 30+ year age difference. Robinson delves further into her story in Lila, which I am excited to read as soon as possible.
The main conflict of the story involves John’s godson Jack, the eldest son of his lifelong friend. Jack is back in town after a mysterious scandal drove him away, a scandal that John is hesitant to disclose to his family. The parallels between these two seemingly opposing characters, from their names to their past experiences, was a welcome discovery as the novel progressed. John comes to terms with Jack's past actions, his character, and the impact his mistakes had on John's friends and neighbors as he also comes to terms with his own demise.
Above all else, John loves the people in his life, even Jack, and is afraid of leaving them so soon; that feeling permeates the pages and bleeds through his writings, suffusing the story with a quiet desperation that all of us mortals can relate to. While the events of the story are small and inconsequential, John’s devotion to God and his life on Earth elevates this novel to one of ultimate significance; it portrays the complexities of the human mind and the necessity of our connections with one another.
Rating: 10/10
Notable Moments
Any scene involving Lila. Her presence in the novel and John’s admiration for her were some of my favorite moments. I’m itching to read her story later in the series.
“The Lord gave you a mind so that you can make honest use of it. I'm saying you must be sure that the doubts and questions are your own, not, so to speak, the mustache and walking stick that happen to be the fashion of any particular moment.”
“Love is holy because it is like grace—the worthiness of its object is never really what matters.”
Try It If...
You want to be inspired by the beauty of small moments.
You are looking for a story that has Christianity infused throughout the pages.
You want to witness a soft love story that will break your heart (in the best way).
Avoid It If...
You only enjoy stories that are plot-focused.
You want a story with a happy ending.
You are not a fan of epistolary novels.
Let me know in the comments below if you're interested in picking up Gilead, or if you have suggestions for my next read!
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