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In this companion piece to her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, GILEAD, author Marilynne Robinson reworks the parable of the Prodigal Son through the eyes of Reverend Robert Boughton. The gifted Maggi-Meg Reed captures the world-weary tone of the characters as life ebbs from the failing but still faithful Robert. Reed shines brightest as Glory, the daughter who comes home to care for her father. Almost as affecting is Reed's portrayal of Jack, the beat-down preacher's kid who has fallen from grace. At times, Reed allows such overwhelming heartbreak to seep into her voice that the narrative is hard to listen to, but don't give up. The uplifting ending and affirmation of faith are worth the trip home. R.O. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

Starred review from June 30, 2008
Robinson's beautiful new novel, a companion piece to her Pulitzer Prize–winning Gilead
, is an elegant variation on the parable of the prodigal son's return. The son is Jack Boughton, one of the eight children of Robert Boughton, the former Gilead, Iowa, pastor, who now, in 1957, is a widowed and dying man. Jack returns home shortly after his sister, 38-year-old Glory, moves in to nurse their father, and it is through Glory's eyes that we see Jack's drama unfold. When Glory last laid eyes on Jack, she was 16, and he was leaving Gilead with a reputation as a thief and a scoundrel, having just gotten an underage girl pregnant. By his account, he'd since lived as a vagrant, drunk and jailbird until he fell in with a woman named Della in St. Louis. By degrees, Jack and Glory bond while taking care of their father, but when Jack's letters to Della are returned unopened, Glory has to deal with Jack's relapse into bad habits and the effect it has on their father. In giving an ancient drama of grace and perdition such a strong domestic setup, Robinson stakes a fierce claim to a divine recognition behind the rituals of home.

January 15, 2009
In this companion to her Pulitzer® Prize-winning novel, "Gilead", Robinson focuses on the Rev. John Boughton and two of his eight children. While her skillful, nuanced writing brings new meaning to the prodigal son story, this title is better suited to print than audio, as the slow-moving plot and numerous theological discussions make listening difficult. Though the overall audio quality is excellent, actress/singer/narrator Maggi-Meg Reed ("The Time Traveler's Wife") occasionally overemotes, especially in her portrayal of Boughton. Recommended with some reservation for large collections. [Audio clip available through us.macmillan.com; the Farrar hc, a "Hot Tickets" BookExpo America pick ("LJ" 7/08), received a starred review ("LJ" 8/08).Ed.]Nancy R. Ives, SUNY at Geneseo

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