Here is my second reading review http://bookwi.se/lila-second-reading/

Short Review: I have no doubt that this is the best book I will read this year. Stumbled on the audiobook at the library on release day. Even before I finished I had purchased the Kindle Edition and I am going to re-read it as soon as I get finished with a few obligated reviews.

This is the story of Lila, John Ames' wife (from Gilead). She has had a hard life, neglected as an infant, later stolen to protect her from her parents, then raised on the run by a poor woman in the early dust bowl era where they worked as migrant workers. Later bounced around trying to find steady work on her own, she happens upon the town of Gilead and the elderly widower pastor John Ames. They fall in love and work through what it means to love when you have such a hard time understanding what it means to trust.

This is a novel of grace. There are hints of Gomer's story (Hosea's wife) and sharp witty dialogue between John and Lila as they discuss the problems of evil and how God can allow pain and suffering.

Robinson can write beautiful lyrical prose while still talking about deep heady subjects and make it readable. This is a book that should be picked up my many and read as soon as you can.

It can be read without Gilead, although it might make sense to read Gilead first. I have not read the third of this loosely connected trilogy, Home. But I plan on reading it relatively soon.

My full initial review is on my blog at http://bookwi.se/lila-novel-marilynne-robinson/