Housekeeping discussion

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that's hard to believe.

I just finished Housekeeping. Hmmm. . I almost gave up several times. There's no plot. I need a plot. At first I believed Robinson's beautiful writing and deep character insights and her psychology of grief might be enough, but it wasn't. I'm curious though about Gilead; is it very different?

This book made me tired, especially with no plot

It DOES have a plot: girls fall under the care of their drifter aunt; one rebels and one doesn't. But I agree with most of you, the stream of consciousness style was too much for me.

I read this book for a class. I thought it was very dense and kind of hard to read, but it was pretty good after having to muck through it all. The discussions in my class were interesting.
It really bothered me when the little sister left in the story, because I really identified with the main character, and my sister fell pretty close into the little sister. What they did in the beginning, sticking so close to one another, that's what we do. And now she's sort of getting into fashion and makeup and all of that, while I am not, just like the main. It really scared me when the sister left because it made me wonder if my sister would leave.

Unless your mother is like Sylvie, I think the two of you will be fine.

I read Housekeeping after reading and loving both Gilead and Home. I didn't think Housekeeping fell into quite the same outstanding category, although it did actually have more of a conventional plot (and if plot is what you're looking for, Marilynne Robinson is probably not for you).
Both Gilead and Home are about the relationships within and between the same two families, but from different points of view: what is opaque in one book becomes clearer in the other. On the face of it, nothing much happens in them apart from the return home of the "black sheep" of one family. What I loved about them was the depiction of people's complex, shifting thoughts; I think they are really about the nature of love and forgiveness.

Bocahontas wrote: "This book made me tired, especially with no plot"
Hmmm this is interesting... because in one way there is a plot but the characters just wander and does anyone really grow. And does anything really move forward. But time does occur. There are events. Hmmm this sis interesting, No Plot!

Guess I'll be divergent voice. I thought Housekeeping was great. I read it after seeing the movie (which was great - not sure it was called Housekeeping, though), but my favorite of the 3 novels (hard to believe she has only written 3!)is Gilead. Robinson, like Annie Dillard, is a master of language, but, unlike Dillard, I think Robinson's books are more structured.

I thought Housekeeping was terrific. So I decided to read Gilead. Ugh! Nothing but a long sermon. Home is in the same town with the same people. Not going to even look at page 1 of that.

Elizabeth (Alaska) wrote: "I thought Housekeeping was terrific. So I decided to read Gilead. Ugh! Nothing but a long sermon. Home is in the same town with the same people. Not going to even look at page 1 of that."

You might find Home to be quite different. While it concerns the same families as Gilead, it is quite different. There is a prodigal son, but a far different story.

I really enjoyed reading Housekeeping (in fact I reread it a number of times). I think you just need to go with it and take your time and really enjoy the writing..

Gregory wrote: "Bocahontas wrote: "This book made me tired, especially with no plot"
Hmmm this is interesting... because in one way there is a plot but the characters just wander and does anyone really grow. And ..."

I loved Housekeeping. I liked Gilead, but not as well.

It wasn't one of my favorite reads, especially because of the stream of consciousness and the huge amount of details. I agree with others - it made me tired! But I felt like I could appreciate certain aspects of the novel better after we discussed it in our book club.

Quiltyknitwit wrote: "It wasn't one of my favorite reads, especially because of the stream of consciousness and the huge amount of details. I agree with others - it made me tired! But I felt like I could appreciate ce..."

I love the effect of book clubs on books read. It clarifies, enlightens, and (might I say) rectifies my reading.

I enjoyed "Housekeeping", though the other books don't interest me.

I read "Housekeeping" for book club. While I was reading it, a childhood friend of my 17 year old son's drowned. All I could think about all weekend was this poor child's family. The circumstances surrounding my reading probably contributed to my take on the book. I found it utterly fascinating and spent a good deal of time reflecting on our relationship with water - we are born of water and in the novel, water represented death for the main characters. Most of my book club did not really enjoy the story but appreciated the beautiful writing. Robinson is gifted with stringing words together and evoking emotions.

I remember reading this book quite some time ago + disliking it intensely! I actually had to force myself
to finish it as in those days I always finished all books. The characters unbelievable, + the book a total
bore!

I read Housekeeping the first time when it came out and I saw the movie which is also called Housekeeping. Christine Lahti plays Sylvie. I loved it back then, and lent it out enough times I finally lost it. When I saw it in a bookstore about 5 years ago I began rereading it. I savor the writing and feel affinity towards the characters. Perhaps it only speaks to certain kind of souls who do not see the story as depressing even though it can feel forlorn; and who understand the freedom of solitude despite its occasional suicidal precipices.

I read Housekeeping when it was first published and had to literally force myself to finish it. At that time I would finish every book I started (unless it was a title I was reviewing as a librarian for Library Journal) feeling that was my accomplishment of the day!
I also read 2-3 books a day which has fortunately slowed down due to two strokes and residing in a country which had NO public library system when I arrived (Greece 1970)thus meaning we had to purchase all the titles we found at exorbitant prices in foreign book shops, rely on visitors to bring books with them, or buy a supply on our trips home.Thus my recollection of this title is very faint but left a bitter taste in mu mind.

At first I did not know if it was my sort of book but eventually was unable to put it down. The plot for me was the steady slip away from the accepted way of life. Does drifting have a plot. The sadness, the grief, the way of life started by the grandparents all slipping away, steadily at first and the in a rush. On a par with Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men.

I did enjoy Housekeeping, but I am very much in agreement with other posters here... I need a plot.

I LOVED this story. Yes there is craziness in some of the characters but it makes them so interesting and endearing. Don't we all have crazy relatives (Ok maybe not quite like this.) The writing style was so captivating. I immediately went to read Gilead and Home but they just don't have the color and flair that Housekeeping does. I'm hoping Lila has some of her old style.

I read Housekeeping in 2018. I also finished Gilead as well. Reading Robinson is like spending an afternoon in your favorite section of your favorite art museum.

I've read it, and loved it.

Very clever and a great dark story. It's on the Guardians top 100 list and rightly so.

And how can people say there is no plot, of course there is a plot is bathed in light and the slow disintegration of 'normal' life. We're not talking other stream of consciousness plotless nightmares like Ulysses here

I don't understand the comments saying there is no plot. It is an amazing story, with lots of nuance. The multi-generations of the women of one family struggling with normalcy vs feeling alive. One must be rescued from the unusual, even in a town as unusual as Fingerbone. They were able to make a film of this book and it did have a beginning, middle, and end. I loved the movie, too.

I read this book, along with all the others by this author last year. I especially liked Gilead, but they're all woven together, so that as each book is read a bit more of the story comes to light. This was an interesting story which achieves its denouement, if I remember correctly, in one of the other novels. She really is an intelligent, observant author.

She wrote this after grad school, and then worked about 20 years writing essays before she went back to novels. Even though the triology is better written than Housekeeping. This book worked as a rudder for many years and will always hold an important place in my development.

Housekeeping, Gilead and Home are among my favorite novels. Why? The writing! Robinson's use of language, particularly in Gilead, is strongly felt and deeply affecting. If you are not a Christian, or not observant as such, Gilead in particular may be hard for you, but if you stick with it there will be revealed to you a depth of feeling unequalled in other modern fiction.