Do audio books count? Hope so!
I’ve had Gilead by Marilynne Robinson on my Prize-Winning Fiction TBR list for a while now. I happened to see Home on the shelf at the public library so I thought I would give it a try. Honestly, the first ten minutes were excruciating. Not because of the story, but because of the reader’s intonation. I just didn’t think I could listen to her. But, I hung in there, and once the dialogue began I saw (or rather) heard her real talent. The annoyance at the beginning was worth it by the end.
The story is classic prodigal son returns home …but without the grand feast at the end. Apparently, it’s a sort of take off from Gilead with the same setting and some of the same characters making a reappearance. Glory Boughton, 38, comes home to care for her dying, elderly father. The black sheep of the family, Jack, also manages to find his way home to face the scandal that caused him to leave twenty years earlier. Glory and Jack share their stories, care for their father, and learn to love each other despite the painful past and present flaws. It’s a simple story with complex characters. The writing is lyrical and Robinson has steeped the book in theology (especially Presbyterian) and Scripture. There were some passages that brought tears to my eyes – a difficult thing for a book to do!
I didn’t give Home a 5 out of 5 rating because I found my mind wandering often while listening and had to rewind a good bit. Now, that may not be a reflection of the book, but just my current state of mind. But still, it didn’t seem to capture my attention as other audio books have.
I’ve ordered (and just received!) Robinson’s essay collection The Death of Adam. Can’t wait to give it a go!
I’m hoping audio books count, as I will have some of those going in my car.