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Oct 21, 2015DorisWaggoner rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This is my second reading of "Gilead," which I read about 6-8 years ago. I 've recently read Robinson's first novel, "Housekeeping," her fourth, "Lila," and the third, "Home." The first one is a stand-alone, but the other three are about the same set of people, though not strictly a trilogy. All her novels are almost completely character-driven. Readers who find that "nothing happens" are right, in a way. Yet a great deal happens, inside people's heads, as they grow and change. The elderly, ill Ames is writing a letter for his young son to read when he grows up, to give him the fatherly wisdom he won't be there to impart. But then his best friend's favorite son, always a thorn in his own side, comes home after 20 years away. This provides a huge frustration, ultimately teaching Ames a new lesson in forgiveness. It's amazing, humorous, and comforting, that when he finally learns the young man's truth, he finds forgiveness easy. The writing is fluid and beautiful, all the characters are well-rounded, and the relationships matter. Ms. Robinson does an amazing job writing in the voice of an elderly man.