Marilynne Robinson revisits the characters she made famous in Gilead, Home and Lila, this time focusing on John Ames Broughton (Jack), the prodigal son of the Presbyterian minister in Gilead, Iowa. From the previous books we are aware of the story of Jack’s waywardness, his father’s love and concern, and the ill-fated interracial love affair Jack began with Della Miles. But in this book we now hear from both Jack and Della how they first met and the resistance they encountered from the very beginning from her family and from society at large.

Set in St Louis eight years before the events that occur in Gilead, Della is a teacher at a local segregated high school and Jack is existing, but just barely.  Jack is drinking, owes money to disreputable people who regularly beat him up for not paying what he owes, lives in a rooming house, and looks for work whenever he is sober which is not very often.  He encounters Della in the middle of a rainstorm when she drops some books and papers on the sidewalk. When he stops to help her, she sees him in a black suit and calls him Reverend, and for a minute Jack sees himself in a new way. Their romance progresses but encounters numerous obstacles, not the least of which is her father, a Reverend also, of significant standing in Tennessee who is opposed to her being with a white man.

Central to the story is whether or not Jack can believe and become the person he sees in Della’s eyes when she looks at him and even if he can, will their love be enough to live without the approval of either family or society at large. Robinson explores with renewed perspective the themes of grace, faith, and forgiveness as they play out in the lives of Jack and Della. Although this book does not move the story beyond what has been already revealed in her previous books, the story of Jack and Della is fleshed-out with all its promise, joy and sorrows and we understand more fully the stark choices that face Jack eight years later, after he receives his blessing from John Ames at the bus stop and leaves Gilead.

Brenda’s Rating: ***** (5 out of 5 Stars)

Recommend this book to: Anyone who has read the the previous Gilead books.

Book Study Worthy? Yes!

Read in ebook format.