When Barack Obama recently announced he’d learned his most important lessons from novels, there was one writer in particular that he wanted to celebrate. Marilynne Robinson’s previous three novels: Homecoming, Gilead and Home (which won the 2009 Orange Prize) are already Presidential favourites; her latest novel and our Book of the Month, Lila, is set in the same quiet, 1950s Midwestern town as Gilead and Home, and follows the unusual marriage of the Reverend Jon Ames and his wife Lila. Lila has a turbulent background that is utterly at odds with the small-town society and it’s homespun values. Having survived violence and neglect, she struggles to fully accept her new life whilst also recognizing the security and love that it provides. The Reverend has his own complex motives and feelings towards their relationship. The book is a subtle, shifting reflection of how people truly relate to each other, with all the ambiguity and misinterpretation and sudden intimacy that this entails. Infused throughout the writing is a consistent exploration of goodness and spirituality and human nature. As Obama put it, it’s to do with ‘being comfortable with the notion that the world is complicated and full of greys, but there’s still truth there to be found ... And the notion that it’s possible to connect with some[one] else even though they’re very different from you.’
What the critics said:
‘Lila is a really beautiful book: beautiful prose, beautiful story; morally beautiful too. After reading it the world seems more dazzling, fuller of wonder and mystery than it did before, as if you were newly in love. I wish I could persuade everyone who ever buys a book to read this one’ (Cressida Connolly Spectator)
‘Robinson has made a world so palpable and full that each book can stand alone...Taken together, these books will surely be known as one of the great achievements of contemporary literature’ (Observer)
Lila has a power beyond words (Stylist)
What Mumsnetters Said:
‘Lila is the new one from Marilynne Robinson - it is beautiful. Have you read George Eliot's novels? Robinson reminds me more of her than anyone else.’ Canyouforgiveher
‘Home & Housekeeping are two of the very few books I will always return to… a beautiful but understated knowledge of human nature.’ Thegentlemonkey
We have 50 free copies of Lila up for grabs. Apply for a copy and post up your questions to the author on this thread before 14th December. We'll be sending up to 15 Qs over to Marilynne and upload her answers to this discussion thread in early January 2016.