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frostap's review against another edition
5.0
I've been curious about Barbara Kingsolver for a while (she's a Kentuckian, after all) and finally tracked this down at a used book shop.
I was initially concerned that the FIVE shifting perspectives would drive me insane (and be hard to keep track of), but it wasn't a problem at all. Each of Kingsolver's characters has a distinct voice and their varying views are pertinent and move the plot along.
The book contains many funny moments--especially those in Rachel's voice--but is also melancholy and poignant. I kept wishing this had been a book club pick so I'd have someone to talk to about it (so instead Jason just gets to hear my musings about what it all meant).
The last third of the book threw me off a little bit. I kept expecting the story to end, but it goes on for (spoiler alert) some thirty more years. I haven't decided if I'm at peace with that ending yet, but it was moving and satisfying and there's nothing I hate more than a book that ends before I'm ready, so I should not complain.
I was initially concerned that the FIVE shifting perspectives would drive me insane (and be hard to keep track of), but it wasn't a problem at all. Each of Kingsolver's characters has a distinct voice and their varying views are pertinent and move the plot along.
The book contains many funny moments--especially those in Rachel's voice--but is also melancholy and poignant. I kept wishing this had been a book club pick so I'd have someone to talk to about it (so instead Jason just gets to hear my musings about what it all meant).
The last third of the book threw me off a little bit. I kept expecting the story to end, but it goes on for (spoiler alert) some thirty more years. I haven't decided if I'm at peace with that ending yet, but it was moving and satisfying and there's nothing I hate more than a book that ends before I'm ready, so I should not complain.
brannonkrkhuang's review against another edition
Getting me to read a book about Africa from the pov of racist southern Baptists was always going to be a tough sell. Too much not enough happening.
emilycathn's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
oceanbrain's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
novabird's review against another edition
4.0
An antidote towards western inculcated ideology, “The Poisonwood Bible,” stands alone as a testament by revealing the workings of social injustice.
Kingsolver brings the readers along on a voyage up the river into the heart of the Congo where she juxtaposes ideals of Christianity against First People’s belief systems. As Kingsolver leads us into this unknown territory, she never abandons us and instead steadily leads us to the concept of muntu and gently unfolds it in undulating waves of very lush description. Muntu is a singular person that is the same regardless of being alive or dead or not yet born. Muntu itself cannot die. I suppose it is what we would call in western society, the soul. Muntu is also described as,
Kingsolver brings the readers along on a voyage up the river into the heart of the Congo where she juxtaposes ideals of Christianity against First People’s belief systems. As Kingsolver leads us into this unknown territory, she never abandons us and instead steadily leads us to the concept of muntu and gently unfolds it in undulating waves of very lush description. Muntu is a singular person that is the same regardless of being alive or dead or not yet born. Muntu itself cannot die. I suppose it is what we would call in western society, the soul. Muntu is also described as,
“All that being is here. God is everything, then.”
Without preaching or telling us, Kingsolver allows us to see the impact we have on one another and the land, through character development and the gradual reveal of African wisdom.
Extraordinarily well written fictional account of where we are as a species and how much farther we still have left to go.“Illusions mistaken for truth are the pavement under our feet. They are what we call civilization.”
For some reason this makes we want to read, “Mosquito Coast,” by Paul Theroux.
astratton1027's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
porktheorc's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Child abuse, and Colonisation
lindsayaunderwood's review against another edition
3.0
I would give this one 3.5ish stars. I spent the first 200 pages waiting for something exciting to happen. The whole book was really well written, but should have been about 350 pages instead of over 500. I really liked the story when it picked up, but it just took too long for me to get there.
brendi92's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
pdez26's review against another edition
slow-paced
3.5
This book was well written, and I learned so much about the Congo. Did I love it? Personally, no. The pace was way too slow for me. Can I say it was a quality book, well researched, and written so wonderfully that I felt like I was in fact covered by ants? Yes.