Housekeeping – Marilynne Robinson

Description

Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson is a hauntingly lyrical novel about loss, survival, and the fragile ties of family. Sisters Ruth and Lucille grow up in the small, isolated town of Fingerbone, shaped by the tragedies that have marked their family—most notably the deaths of their grandfather in a train wreck and their mother in a car accident. Passed from one caretaker to another, they eventually land in the hands of their unconventional Aunt Sylvie, whose drifting, transient nature challenges their understanding of home and stability.

As the sisters grow, their paths begin to diverge: Lucille craves normalcy and structure, while Ruth is drawn into Sylvie’s shadowy, dreamlike world of impermanence. Set against a stark, unforgiving landscape, Housekeeping explores themes of solitude, memory, and the deep yearning for connection in a world that often feels indifferent.