Jack Boughton, the ne'er-do-well son of his Reverend father, has come home to Gilead, Iowa. After twenty years away, he returns bearing a past buried in alcoholism and secrets. The Reverend, now old and nearing the end, withers away as we awaits his death and yearns for Jack's salvation. Glory, a daughter with her own broken past, cares for the old man and now Jack, even as she has her own burdens.
Glory knows Jack won't remain at home. He'll never feel comfortable there. But as he gets ready to depart forever, he and Glory have a parting exchange:
"I hope I haven't been too much trouble. There's a lot I regret."
"All I regret is that you're leaving . . . now you know where to come when you need help."
"Yes. Ye who are weary, come home."
"Very sound advice."
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Set concurrently with Gilead, but in a different household (one oft-referenced in the aforementioned work), this is another remarkable book. Much of what I said about Gilead applies here—it is a poignant portrait of the painful realities of this age. Yet it is beautiful in its way as it points to the futility of sin, the hope of grace, and the unwavering forgiveness and love of a father who simply wants to welcome his son back home.
This is billed as a re-telling of the parable of the prodigal son (read the Biblical story here or my summary of Tim Keller's excellent analysis of the same here). There, as here, there is more than one lost child in the story. Both have pain; both need healing; both have their father's love.
Rating: A
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