I expected great things from Housekeeping and Marilynne Robinson did not disappoint. I read her second novel, Gilead, last year and thoroughly enjoyed it but Housekeeping surpassed it by its gratifying use of language and description. Robinson has an breathtaking ability to write in a way that is plain but wonderful, in the true sense of the word.
If you prefer novels with gripping plots, you might find Housekeeping plodding. It’s a coming of age story about two sisters, narrated by the older of the two, that centers on loneliness and loss, two centerpieces of the human condition. Despite its themes and dreary setting, I didn’t find it to be a depressing book, likely because of the thoughtful, interesting prose and the way the story drew me into Ruthie’s world and made me see things from her perspective as the very best novels do.
The exceptional beauty of this book restored my faith in contemporary literature and gave me hope that great fiction is still being written, but it wasn’t lofty or condescending. The sparse simplicity made me want to write, to use the English language, to edit and edit again until I could find a small bit of beauty in my labor and Marilynne Robinson has created on every page. (10/10, from the library.)
I absolutely love Marilynne Robinson! She is one of my favorite authors, ever. I read Housekeeping first and it haunted me for months afterwards. Gilead is a golden, slow-moving river of a book. Like you said, her writing is simple, but exceptionally beautiful. And memorable.
Definitely memorable :o)
I liked Housekeeping a whole lot better than Gilead. I wonder if she’ll write any more books – it was 25 years between the two, which I admire, because the book has time to simmer.
Seriously, this is an amazing book. Have you heard that there’s a movie version?
I was introduced to Housekeeping in a lit class in college by a prof who privileged “graceful sentences.” Robinson is a perfect exemplar. Really, she must be one of our finest contemporary writers.
Thanks for the reiview. I read Gilead last year and really enjoyed it. I’ll have to pick up Housekeeping sometime soon.