A new American classic from the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Gilead and Housekeeping
Marilynne Robinson, one of the greatest novelists of our time, returns to the town of Gilead in an unforgettable story of a girlhood lived on the fringes of society in fear, awe, and wonder.
Lila, homeless and alone after years of roaming the countryside, steps inside a small-town Iowa church—the only available shelter from the rain—and ignites a romance and a debate that will reshape her life. She becomes the wife of a minister, John Ames, and begins a new existence while trying to make sense of the days of suffering that preceded her newfound security.
Revisiting the beloved characters and setting of Robinson's Pulitzer Prize–winning Gilead and Home, a National Book Award finalist, Lila is a moving expression of the mysteries of existence that is destined to become an American classic.
• Finalist for the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award
• Named a Best Book of the Year: The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, NPR, USA Today, New York magazine, Time Out (New York), The Philadelphia Inquirer, Minneapolis Star Tribune, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, The Kansas City Star, The Guardian, The Economist, The Globe & Mail, Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, Buzzfeed, Flavorwire, The Millions, Slate, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, Bustle, and Bookpage, among others