I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Jack is the fourth book in the Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead series. I have enjoyed all three previous novels and so was excited to see this book come out. As the title suggests, the main character in this book is Jack, the ‘prodigal’—and beloved—son of the Evangelical preacher, Robert Broughton.

Jack has shown up in previous novels in the series but in this one, he is living in St. Louis where he accidentally meets and falls in love with Della, a Black school teacher and daughter of a famous preacher from a Memphis.

This is a very complicated affair since inter-racial relationships are actually against the law. Still, despite their awareness of the situation, both Della and Jack fall for each other. This takes place during a night in a cemetery—a scene that takes up almost the first quarter of the book. This part feels very much like a stage play, with a lot of dialogue and very little action. But it certainly sets the scene for the rest of the story!

Jack struggles with alcoholism. His family has not given up on him but Jack recognizes his shortcomings and wants to keep them at a distance. But, he becomes so besotted with Della that he is determined to overcome this addiction. Jack is also aware of how Della is better off without him and he struggles to do his best for her, even if it is not what he wants for himself.

There is much depth in this story. It is a story of grace and the belief in holy human souls that can shine through in the most unlikely places. And, when a person recognizes this miracle, it can become the sun, producing a gravitational pull that cannot be escaped from, despite best efforts of everyone involved.

Overall, this is a well written, thoughtful story. I found it well worth reading.

I was excited to hear the news last year that Marilynne Robinson was adding to the world of Gilead and especially that this newest novel would focus on the character Jack. This is a beautiful novel from a woman who may well lay claim to the title of America’s greatest living author. She’s certainly on the shortlist. And Jack couldn’t have arrived at a more appropriate time, doing what good fiction should do best, engendering empathy, and exploring what it means to be human in specific situations.

The story is told from the point of view of Jack Boughton who has met Della, a black woman whom he finds brilliant, beautiful and essentially unattainable. Unattainable not just because they live in a society and a time where such a relationship is deemed unlawful, but because he just doesn’t feel worthy of her.

The novel is the intrepid introspection of a man who has struggled with authority, with substances and mostly with himself. Is there a way he can change significantly enough to deserve Della’s affection and kindness? And even if there is, can they survive the myriad bigotries and the minefields of judgment and provocations that lay before them?

Jack is a novel deserving of a place on the shelf with Gilead, Home and Lila. I would expect we’ll see it on many a prize list in the year to come.

No doubt this book about the relationship between Jack and Della will be highly acclaimed and loved by Marilynne Robinson fans. In my own opinion, I would describe this book as wonderful writing but a slow-moving story driven by dialogue, both internal and between two people. I almost did not finish this book in the midst of a very long scene in the beginning that consists of a conversation in a cemetery – that goes on and on. I stuck with it and was feeling better but it probably wasn’t until well over half way that I really felt invested in the book and wanted to know more about the characters and find out what happens. The underlying conflict – interracial relationships – is important and heart-breaking and I appreciated it making me think about that and our country during the time of segregation. Despite long stretches of internal musing by Jack, I struggled to understand the decisions he made at times, especially at the end of the book when he was in Chicago. And I never understood what Della saw in Jack and we don’t get the same insights into what she’s thinking. I requested and received this advanced copy to read and review from the publisher Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

The author‘s prior work, GILEAD, is one of my favorite books and the first in the series that includes this new one, JACK. Marilynne Robinson’s prose is usually impressively graceful and filled with philosophical and religious notions that cause me, and other readers, to pause and reflect continuously while reading. I genuinely felt uplifted while reading her previous books. I did not get that experience with this new book. Something is off with the pacing; honestly I felt as though I was experiencing a play that was just not quite working. The opening and early scenes contain endless conversation that just doesn‘t seem to fit or easily tell a story; it loops around and begs the reader for indulgence that has not been earned. I found it difficult to care about the characters other than superficially. The book does not greatly improve as it progresses. It is always a pleasure to receive new work from author Robinson although JACK isn‘t as stellar as the earlier parts of the series. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

I always find comfort in Marilynne Robinson’s warm, assured prose, and certainly more so in these chaotic times. This latest book in her Gilead series centers on Jack Boughton, and is set a few years before the events in Home. If you have read Home, you know how things turn out for Jack and Della, but we meet them here at the beginning of their relationship. Robinson maintains a clarity and calmness that is always a pleasure, as is the compassion and empathy she always treats her characters with. My thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Straus, and Giroux for the chance to read an advance copy.

I really wanted to like this book. Having read Home, and being blown away by it, I eagerly looked forward to this latest offering by Marilyn Robinson. As the book begins, Jack and Della coincidentally meet in a graveyard and find themselves locked in for the night. Even though Jack has a chequered history, his behaviour towards Della, a young school teacher, is exemplary and for a love story, it has a sweet beginning. The first quarter of the book is mostly dialogue, the conversation that they have through that first night as they wait for the gates of the graveyard to be opened.

Truth be told, I didn’t finish the book. I persevered a quarter of a way into the book and then finally put it down. Maybe I will pick it up later but I was disappointed. Even though Jack as a character was likeable enough, I found it hard to warm to him - or even Della for that matter. Maybe I will come back to this book but I after being bowled over by the beauty of Home and the longing for Jack, the wayward son and brother to return home, I felt underwhelmed by this book. Or perhaps lacking in concentration to keep reading.

I will try again. Down the track. Maybe after revisiting Marilyn Robinson’s other novels. I really want to like this book but for now, Jack will need to be put back on the shelf.

I've adored Robinson's Gilead cycle ever since the first book was released, but this just isn't up to par. The primary issue is, to me, that now is REALLY not the time for another 'let's empathize with the ne'er-do-well white cis straight man' novel. Moreover, Robinson's 'Home' is ALREADY primarily Jack's story in so many ways, and it reveals some truly heinous things he's done in his past. The entire cycle seems to be about characters' choices to absolve or not absolve Jack, so I'm surprised (though only kinda) that Robinson has given us yet another version of that story. To add insult to injury, this felt more tedious and repetitive than her other offerings as well.

A novel about Della, where we truly get her interiority and motivations for persisting in relationship with this stunningly crappy man, would have been fascinating, though judging from Robinson's essay this summer in 'The New York Review of Books,' she's probably not up to that task. (Her rose-colored nostalgia for the US in bygone decades was...stunningly myopic and incredibly white-centered.)

In a nutshell, I'd say she's written her own lit-fic version of Suzanne Collins's "Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes," an un-asked for exploration of the white male "villain." I'm disappointed, but I'm not surprised.

Jack is the son of a Presbyterian preacher. He has just been released from prison and he knows that he has led a sinful life. His mother nearly died giving birth to him. He has been homeless, a thief, a drunkard, a liar, a draft dodger and an embarrassment to his father.
Jack meets a black teacher when he picks up her papers that have fallen in the rain. Dressed in black suit, she mistakenly thinks he is a minister and invites Jack into her home. She sees a goodness in Jack, she believes in him and their interracial relationship begins.
This story is told through Jack’s eyes. The reader sees his fears, his weaknesses and the miracle that in spite of it all Della wants him.
Taking place in the 1950’s, this is a beautifully written story of segregation and the struggle of two people who love one another.
Marilynne Robinson has touched my heart with this lovely novel.
Thanks to NetGalley and Farrar, Strauss and Giroux for an ARC in exchange for an honest book review.

Oh I wanted to love this book, and I only liked it. I got very bogged down in the early part of it, a conversation between Jack and Della that takes place in a cemetery, all night. It seemed to take an equal amount of time to read the account of it.

I persevered because I adore Marilynne Robinson and so admire her risk taking. Specifically in her Gilead series (of which this book is the most recent title), she does such an interesting thing, telling the same stories over and over from different points of view and with entirely different emphases and preoccupations.

Perhaps this book was a difficult read also because Jack is a difficult character, unhappy, unlikable, tormented. It's a work of art to be conveyed into his mind and daily life and experience the frequent wretchedness (punctuated by occasional transcendence) of both.

I'm glad to have read it but Home remains my favorite in the series and my recommendation as a starting point or only read of the series.

Big thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for the eARC.

I have read and loved every one of Ms. Robinson's novels beginning with Housekeeping and continuing with the three Gilead novels. Jack, however, did not touch me as did her other books.

Jack is told in the first person by Jack Boughton, son of a mid-western minister, He is the black sheep of his family, the one who made and went by his own rules. He finds himself without redemption yet wishes it were otherwise. Prone to drinking, smoking, and gambling to excess, he finds himself owing money he does not have. He is somewhat of a hobo, making a life with as little effort as he can put into it.

Jack has another side, one that is intellectually astute and curious. It is this that connects him with Della, a young woman who is his love. She, too, is the daughter of a minister but she is black and Jack is white, quite unusual in the culture of their familiesI'

I usually give my books away once I've finished them, but I have every one of Ms. Robinson's in my bookshelves. Sadly, I will let Jack go on his way, hopefully to a reader who can appreciate his ramblings more than I can..

I first encountered the titular character of Jack in Marilynne Robinson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, Gilead: In that earlier work, John “Jack” Ames Boughton returns to the town of Gilead as the prodigal son of its upstanding and long-suffering Presbyterian Minister; eventually revealing that he had been joined in a challenging (and illegal) marriage with a Black woman. In Jack, Robinson goes back to the beginning of Jack and Della’s relationship (which started shortly after WWII), and superficially, everything about this story sparked with me; heart and mind. Marilynne Robinson is a deep thinker and masterful writer; no words are wasted in her use of this fictional storyline to explore complex theological concepts. But while I completely engaged with Jack’s struggles, and often read with my heart in my throat as he made bad decision after bad decision, I couldn’t shake being slightly offended on behalf of dear Della — she seems to be a too-good-to-be-true archetype (instead of an actual human being), meant to test Jack’s commitments to atheism and nihilism, and the fact that she is Black (and considered a traitor to her race by her family) seems an unnecessary complication that doesn’t do justice to her as a person. Ultimately, Jack is a complex and fully human character (who fulfills a protagonist’s requirements of challenge and change) and I couldn’t help but connect with him. On the other hand, Della is a catalyzing agent for Jack and little more, and as the main character of colour in this book, I think that Robinson misstepped by not making her more knowable or believable. Otherwise, a stunning addition to the Gilead series.

What a national treasure Marilynne Robinson is! In this latest installment in the Gilead saga, she probes tragedy, loss and resilience with her usual masterful insight. This is a sad read--but never a depressing one. Elegant, gorgeously written, this is mandatory reading for any Robinson fan.

Marilynne Robinson is such an elegant writer. Her prose is like poetry. Jack is the next story in the saga of the Boughton family of Gilead, Iowa. The novel, set in the 60's before civil rights, it focuses on Jack, the wayward son and his sad romance with Della, an African American teacher. Jack is troubled, lonely, and has been through some very bad times, but Della equally lonely, bucking family expectations, sees the beauty in him. This is not a happy story, but the writing is so beautiful, it needs to be read slowly and every word savored.

Another brilliant novel from Marilynne Robinson. Robinson is a master of empathy and subtle details. Small descriptions can carry immense weight and be incredibly vibrant, and small moments explore the depths of affection in this charming love story that continues the Gilead series. Though markedly different from Gilead and Housekeeping, it is still a fantastic book that leans more into the romantic as it explores the love story between Jack, the titular character, and Della. Definitely recommend!

Unsurprisingly sad romance. It works as a stand alone novel, though it's probably preferable to have read the other works in the Gilead series first. I had no prior familiarity with the characters, but it was hard not to empathize with the downtrodden Jack. The beginning was rough as the opening scene occurs over the first 50 pages, as mainly dialogue but it works to establish the ensuing romance.

I was greatly looking forward to Jack by Marilynne Robinson, especially because Gilead is one of my favorite novels. Unfortunately, I did not connect with the writing in any way. I think I will revisit Robinson's writing once she's finished with this Gilead series.

The Gilead series is one of my favorite series. Robinson’s writing is so quiet and awe-inspiring. I want to write like her.

Jack Boughton is back, and this story belongs to him and Delia, his wife.

Set in the St. Louis of the 1950s, when “mixed race” marriage was illegal, Jack is a bum trying to find himself. One night he meets a beautiful woman, who is a high school teacher. They fall hard for each other, though they know they will face objections from everyone.

In addition to the beautiful writing style, Robinson is brilliant at subtle character development. She also gives characterization to the times, and to the city. Everything is woven together so neatly that it reads effortlessly.

She also uses a deft hand to bring the issues of the past around and make them current. Racism is, and always has been, an issue in the US, and will continue until everyone acknowledges and accepts the differences and similarities of all people. Robinson pulls this in, and encourages the reader to think.

Another thing Robinson infuses into her writing is spirituality. Since both Jack and Delia are children of ministers, this seems obvious. However, at this point, Jack claims to have lost his faith. When they meet, Delia sees a light around him, and believes his spirituality is there, and that he emanates goodness. What a beautiful idea!

Overall, this is another winner for me- I love everything about these books, and Jack is a perfect addition to the series.

5 stars

A very big thank you to the publisher for the ARC via Netgalley.

I read Marilynne Robinson's novel Gilead when it came out in 2004. A few years later I read it again with a church book club, and four years again I read it a third time for a book club.

It is a gorgeous,profound novel written as a letter by an elderly preacher to his young son. The narrator, John Ames, is conflicted about his best friend's ne'er-do-well son, Jack. Jack has returned to Gilead to visit his ailing father. His presence is a torment to John Ames who fears his young wife will be drawn to Jack. Jack left town after impregnating a girl, his abandonment of the child causing a rift. When Jack finally tells John Ames he has a colored wife and child, he gives Jack the blessing of forgiveness he has long sought. Robinson has revisited Gilead in Home and Lila, and now in a fourth volume, Jack. I could not resist reading Jack's story.

The novel begins shortly after Jack is released from prison. He has been a bum, a drunk, homeless. There is still an air about him of respectability, learned from being the son of a Presbyterian minister. People call him Professor. They appreciate his playing hymns on the piano.

Jack is in a black suit when he assists a young colored teacher who has dropped her papers in the rain, and she believes him to be a minister and invites him into her home. From this a relationship begins, one that is not only socially unacceptable but against the law.

Jack is profoundly aware of his sinfulness. His birth nearly killed his mother. His boyish antics, unrelenting unbelief, and teenage wildness embarrassed his preacher father. The final straw was impregnating a young woman and not taking responsibility for their child who later dies. His legacy of harming those around him weighs heavily.

This young woman who treats him so respectfully draws him. He has lied to her by not correcting her mistake; already his harm has begun. But Jack can't forget her.

Jack and Della meet again and talk poetry and more. He is falling in love. The daughter of a minister, Della is a college educated teacher, and has a respectable family who loves her. They can have no future in this world.

Jack feels shame and dread and grief. Just by existing he is destroying Della's career and alienating her from her family. Her freedom and even her life is in peril if they are caught. Jack calls himself the Prince of Darkness. His "battered, atheist soul" has regrets, but he cannot repent. He jokes that he has lived a life of 'prevenient death,' a play on prevenient grace which believes all can grasp the grace already offered.

Jack isn't preying on Della. She has pursued him. Like God, she can look beyond the outer appearance and the social appraisement to the inner man. She sees his soul.

Jack has stolen the grandest thing by far--he has stolen Della. Yet a wise man has told him that if God puts some happiness in your way, you should take it. Even the greatest sinner can find a moment of grace.

Jack is one of the great characters in literature, a portrait of a sinner who struggles with his unbelief and the wreckage he has brought. His love story goes to the heart of America's original sin, slavery and segregation that treated people of color as less than human.

I received a free ebook from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

Marilynne Robinson again returns to the extended family first introduced in Gilead, now focused on "layabout" Jack Boughton who has moved from Iowa to St Louis to piece together a life. He drinks too much, and works too little, moving through life on very little. A chance encounter with Della, a "colored" teacher, turns his life around in many ways, but also brings on new troubles with an interracial relationship. Well written and engaging, their story unfolds through inner thoughts and rememberances. WOrth the read, and makes one want to read the earlier Gilead novels again.

JACK is an introspective story about star-crossed lovers in a racially fraught time of injustice and strife.

Previous familiarity with Robinson's work would be helpful to understand the complicated family dynamics, particularly between Jack and his father. However, JACK does stand on its own.

I especially enjoyed the character development. Della is wonderfully rounded and supremely interesting and Jack's struggle with how he sees himself is immediately relatable. I did struggle a bit with how much Della had to give up. At times the story feels almost offensive in that regard, although certainly not unrealistic.

For the most part, the prose is beautiful. However, this novel is overbearing and somewhat bloated in a few spots, especially compared to the economy and subtlety of Robinson's prior work.

This contemplative story is not fast paced, but fans of literary fiction should enjoy it.