Review of Gilead by Marilynne Robinson

Gilead is a book which was given glowing praise from two members of the Battlefield Book Group. I’ve never come across Marilynne Robinson before so I was unsure what to expect if I bought or borrowed the book.

Fortunately, it turned up as one of this month’s book group read and although the S.O. and I won’t be able to go along to the next meeting I was still curious to see what all the fuss was about.

The book received a lot of praise when published a few years ago and indeed it managed to win a Pulitzer prize for fiction. The US equivalent of the Man Booker prize. So it was obviously a worthy choice for book group.

Ostensibly, the book is one man’s long letter to his 6 year old son before he dies. This might seem like a vague idea lacking plot. However, although I found it hard to warm to the book it did grow on you and made you think of life and beyond.

The narrator is Reverend John Ames, a church minister who lives and preaches in Gilead, Iowa. It is 1956 and Rev Ames is suffering from a heart complaint which is soon to end his 76 year old life. Surprisingly, he has a 6 year old son to Lila, a woman he met through his congregation some years previously. He is writing this journal to his son as he knows it is unlikely that he will not remember much of his father when he gets older.

In the bible, Gilead, is described as the hill of testimony, so it is an appropriate name for this story which tells of the testimony of Rev Ames.

In some ways, the book is very difficult with its religious language and philosophizing. In other ways, this can be looked at in a secular way and applied to modern life.

It is quite clear, that part of this narrative is a way for Rev Ames to clear his own mind before he does pass away. In particular, he has problems with his god son Jack Ames Boughton, who is the son of his closest friend. It becomes clear through the book, that this person has caused a lot of pain to his family and Rev Ames when growing up and that Rev Ames doesn’t seem to be able to trust him in any way.

However, he does realise, that he must forgive him any ‘meanness’ from the past before he passes on.

At the same time, his friend, John Boughton, is dying and this brings the Godson back to Gilead. Here he confesses to having a child by a African American woman from Tennessee and whose family will not accept Boughton in any kind of way. This is causing him a lot of pain. Unfortunately, he can’t say anything to Boughton senior because he is dying.

So there are lots of issues in this book, not least those of grace and forgiveness of other people for their actions and statements.

The book doesn’t end with the death of Rev Ames but with the departure of Jack Boughton back to Tennessee and his wife and child.

My only niggle with the book is the lack of plot which makes reading of it difficult at times. Persistence does pay off though.