|
The story of the prodigal son Jack is very tender and engaging. The author's style of writing is unique in the sense that it is wordy yet you want to read every word. Robinson draws you into the story so that you feel you are sitting with Jack and his sister Glory, witnessing their moving conversations. Robinson did a superb job of telling this story of love, forgiveness, family, redemption and hope.
As the parent of children who are growing up and will soon be leaving the nest, what touched me beyond words was Marilynne Robinson's exquisite rendering of the ways in which you are ALWAYS a parent -- whether the "baby" is eighteen months, eighteen years old -- or forty. The book doesn't start off with a bang, like so much contemporary fiction, but rather winds around slowly, carefully drawing you into a world that feels like something from a slower time and place. If some books are like junk food for your mind, Marilynne Robinson's "Home" is more like a gourmet meal in a four star restaurant. THroughout, one has the sense that Jack, the wayward son, is the anchor who is tethering GLory's dying father to earth -- and that he cannot leave until he somehow knows that all is well with his family, with all his children. THe story unfolds through the eyes of Glory, the dutiful daughter, who has come home (fleeing an unhappy love affair) to care for her dying father, a retired pastor. The good girl, the dutiful one, thus has the position of telling the story of the wayward son, who also comes home. The writing is the sort that you just sort of sink into and its nuanced and complex in the telling and the feelings that it evokes. THe story moves easily between present tense and flashbacks, and I, too, didn't want it to end.
Be aware that "Home" deals with some tough stuff - suicide, adultery, and more. But I'd read "Gilead" and I trusted Robinson. But that's not the focus of the book and there's not one instance of foul language or a "sex scene".I suppose the Boughtons could be considered a dysfunctional family. And I usually don't go near books about "dysfunctional" families. I was rewarded by a deeply moving tale about a family that may not function perfectly (what family does)., but does love perfectly - a family that extends beyond any nuclear borders to include friends and community."Home" is not a page turner. Be prepared to put in some time and even then one reading probably isn't enough to plunge the depths of Robinson's lovely prose.
For 325 pages, Glory and Reverand Boughton worry about Jack, and Jack ruefully smiles and admits that he's tired of himself. Maybe I'm just too 21st century - I don't see why Jack is supposed to be so awful. This novel rehashes one of the central conflicts of "Gilead" - the unforgivable sinning of Jack Boughton - from the point of view of his father and his sister, Glory. But "Home" is, in my opinion, a major failure. I am, in general, a fan of Marilynne Robinson's fiction. I did have sympathy for Glory, but really, it wasn't enough to salvage this boring book for me. But this book is so repetitive, and the conflict so slight, that it took all of my will power to finish reading it. I am not a reader who demands page turning action.
I know this novel is set in a place and time where these transgressions were more serious than they are today, but I got really tired of everyone acting like Jack had murdered people. There is more coffee made in this novel than in any book I have ever read. I LOVED "Housekeeping", and I really enjoyed the slowly unfolding, engrossing "Gilead". Yes, he drinks; yes, he fathered a child out of wedlock. Then, Glory makes coffee. I am a person who loves literary fiction, especially character-driven novels. I give this book two stars because Robinson does have a way with description and with creating a sense of place. I would recommend it as a sedative if you have trouble sleeping.
I could relate to a certain extent with the reviewers who found the book thin and boring. Sad, bittersweet, but so moving. I re-read it and reflected on it for some time.
So while I struggled to stay engaged, I kept moving forward with the expectation that my efforts would pay off. For the sake of her family, particularly her brother Jack, she was finally willing to sacrifice her own life for the preservation of the past and of the nostalgic constancy which bound and defined their family. But in the context of which the story was written, 1950's midwest, I found the tone and substance of the story quite fitting.
I was particularly moved by Glory's acceptance of her fate as "preserver" of the home. And they did. The ending was perfect.
Something not so valued today, but, perhaps, should be. Just what I had hoped for.
|
