Home by Marilynne Robinson

I wish I could write like Marilynne Robinson.

Robinson’s works are internal. Not just in terms of the character’s inner lives and thoughts, but the setting. Gilead is the internal, spiritual workings of one man. Housekeeping has this surreal setting of home life and Home continues that setting. All of them have this focus on home life, house life, and the mind of the characters. She somehow captures what it is to be like an introvert so deftly.

I would even say it can almost be a bit clausterphobic how good she is with that isolation people often experience. In this novel, the moments between the family remembers felt almost too real as if I was watching real people talking together. It was very raw and incredibly candid that oddly, during one scene at the end, I wanted to look away.

Very few writers capture the rawness of emotions she does and in a way, the humanity of it especially with respect to the family dynamics. As usual, not much in way of plot happens, but I appreciate the amazing character writing.

Read October 18-20, 2015.

2 thoughts on “Home by Marilynne Robinson

  • Geoff W

    I guess I just don’t “get” Robinson. I did not enjoy Gilead so I’ve stayed far away from her. Sounds like you thoroughly enjoy her writing though.

    Reply
    • athena (Post author)

      Hey Geoff! I can get that. I do not think she’s for everyone, and it’s very specific the way she writes about characters. Thanks for commenting though. 🙂

      Reply

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