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bluehound's review against another edition
5.0
The first few chapters are a little hard but keep going. It turns into a book to remember and love. Also look for it in audio. The author reads it and she does all the inflections of the characters and is worth listening to even if you've read it already. It is funny, sad, hopeful and delivers all it promises. One of my favorite books.
suzzeb22's review against another edition
4.0
I actually did learn from this book. I researched Patrice Lumumba a little and also how Mobuto came to power etc. after reading The Poisonwood Bible. Barbara Kingsolver most definitely has an admirable prose style and a great ability. Her characters are convincingly real and maddening, at times, like Rachel, the oldest daughter. I kept thinking that there was no way she could act this way but of course, we all know people that really do think and act in these ways. I felt the melancholy of Africa and the beauty when I read this book. I would recommend it highly.
shimmery's review
5.0
This has got to be one of my new favourite books. I like to read anything that makes me think about things in a way that I haven't before, and, as one of five daughters, I love books that explore sister relationships.
What I find so impressive about this book is that all of the women in it are equally strong. Allowed to narrate part of the story each, the four Price girls and their mother have strikingly different writing styles and characters. Dragged to the wilds of Africa together, the girls are forced to cope growing up under the rule of their strict father, a missionary who has come to the Congo from the United States in an attempt to convert all the inhabitants of their new village.
It proves to be more educational than any of them could have imagined. This book made me both cry and laugh -- the humour is so subtle in places and Kingsolver takes a lot of time over her choice of language.
A wonderful, clever, thoughtful book, this is a definite must read.
What I find so impressive about this book is that all of the women in it are equally strong. Allowed to narrate part of the story each, the four Price girls and their mother have strikingly different writing styles and characters. Dragged to the wilds of Africa together, the girls are forced to cope growing up under the rule of their strict father, a missionary who has come to the Congo from the United States in an attempt to convert all the inhabitants of their new village.
It proves to be more educational than any of them could have imagined. This book made me both cry and laugh -- the humour is so subtle in places and Kingsolver takes a lot of time over her choice of language.
A wonderful, clever, thoughtful book, this is a definite must read.
ada_elisabeth's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This was the perfect way to start out ✨ sad book summer✨. The only acceptable way, really. 5/5 for the fact that I teared up not once, but twice while reading this.
Let's begin with what I loved about this book, because there was a lot:
I loved the unique voices/narration styles of each of the characters. It took me a while to appreciate this, but I really liked how different each of the girls' voices were: Ruth May, the baby, was obviously innocent, hilarious, and naive, while Leah's style was very straightforward and to-the-point. Although I initially didn't like Rachel's jaded whining, I found her parts to be easy to read and even funny at times, especially once I caught on to her malapropisms. Adah was undeniably my favorite because I felt her perspective to be the most similar to what mine would be: I found her questions to be the most introspective, her observations to be the most interesting, and her poems and palindromes to be downright delightful. Although Adah was a clear favorite of mine, Ruth May was not far behind, and her death was predictable yet tragic. I nearly cried when she died, but I really started to tear up when Leah said "As long as I'm carrying Ruth May piggyback through my days, with her voice in my ear, I still have her with me." Ouch. I also liked Orleanna's sections of narration at the beginning of each section and Ruth May's piece at the end: they bookended the story in such a great way.
- The side characters were also extremely fleshed out and realistic. The different quirks and idiosyncrasies of each character made them multi-dimensional and exceedingly human. Even Nathan, who was frankly insane, had a well-developed character. Although I complained many times about the length of this book, I really do appreciate the way the story unfolds over several decades, following the girls as they grow into women and continue with their lives. I almost wish more of the novel had been dedicated to their adult lives; I found them to be much more interesting than chapter after chapter of teenagers in the Congo.
- The writing was simply phenomenal. The simple elegance of the syntax and the extremely well-curated word choice made this such an amazing read. Even in characters with more simple ways of speaking, such as Ruth May or Rachel, Kingsolver's masterful writing shines through.
Things I didn't like:
- This book was LONG. Over five hundred pages, making it the third(?) fourth(?) 500+ page book I've read this year, which I'm pretty sure is more than I read in the entirety of 2023. It took me weeks to get the the three hundredth page, only for me to sit down on the first day of summer break and finish the entire thing, reading over two hundred and forty pages in just a few hours. I don't actually have a complaint about this book's length, because I think it was perfect for what it was, but I wish I had had more time to read during the school year.
- Anatole and Leah. There relationship in adulthood was sweet, but he was too old for her. I rest my case.
5/5 stars, nearly perfect. Shout-out Jen for giving me this for my birthday, sorry it took me so long to get around to it lol.
There were so many beautiful, beautiful passages in this book that I had some difficulty selecting a quote, but I've picked one that sums up the entire thing pretty well:
"To live is to be marked. To live is to change, to acquire the words of a story, and that is the only celebration we mortals really know. In perfect stillness, frankly, I've only found sorrow.
Let's begin with what I loved about this book, because there was a lot:
I loved the unique voices/narration styles of each of the characters. It took me a while to appreciate this, but I really liked how different each of the girls' voices were: Ruth May, the baby, was obviously innocent, hilarious, and naive, while Leah's style was very straightforward and to-the-point. Although I initially didn't like Rachel's jaded whining, I found her parts to be easy to read and even funny at times, especially once I caught on to her malapropisms. Adah was undeniably my favorite because I felt her perspective to be the most similar to what mine would be: I found her questions to be the most introspective, her observations to be the most interesting, and her poems and palindromes to be downright delightful. Although Adah was a clear favorite of mine, Ruth May was not far behind, and
- The side characters were also extremely fleshed out and realistic. The different quirks and idiosyncrasies of each character made them multi-dimensional and exceedingly human. Even Nathan, who was frankly insane, had a well-developed character. Although I complained many times about the length of this book, I really do appreciate the way the story unfolds over several decades, following the girls as they grow into women and continue with their lives. I almost wish more of the novel had been dedicated to their adult lives; I found them to be much more interesting than chapter after chapter of teenagers in the Congo.
- The writing was simply phenomenal. The simple elegance of the syntax and the extremely well-curated word choice made this such an amazing read. Even in characters with more simple ways of speaking, such as Ruth May or Rachel, Kingsolver's masterful writing shines through.
Things I didn't like:
- This book was LONG. Over five hundred pages, making it the third(?) fourth(?) 500+ page book I've read this year, which I'm pretty sure is more than I read in the entirety of 2023. It took me weeks to get the the three hundredth page, only for me to sit down on the first day of summer break and finish the entire thing, reading over two hundred and forty pages in just a few hours. I don't actually have a complaint about this book's length, because I think it was perfect for what it was, but I wish I had had more time to read during the school year.
-
5/5 stars, nearly perfect. Shout-out Jen for giving me this for my birthday, sorry it took me so long to get around to it lol.
There were so many beautiful, beautiful passages in this book that I had some difficulty selecting a quote, but I've picked one that sums up the entire thing pretty well:
"To live is to be marked. To live is to change, to acquire the words of a story, and that is the only celebration we mortals really know. In perfect stillness, frankly, I've only found sorrow.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death and Child abuse
Moderate: Animal death, War, Violence, Animal cruelty, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Sexual harassment
schneid100's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
3.5
jfos's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.25
gwardyy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sophiajkessler's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
chloexcoy's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
nataliewonders's review against another edition
5.0
I read this book for class and absolutely hated it. However, then I read it on my own and loved it. It really all depends on the context that it is read in. It is a classic story of family with a few twists and turns, this book focuses in on family and especially the role of a father.