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chandlerkircher's review against another edition
4.0
“Silence has many advantages. When you do not speak, other people presume you to be deaf or feeble-minded, and promptly make a show of their own limitations. Only occasionally do I find I have to break my peace: shout or be lost in the shuffle. But mostly am lost in the shuffle. I write and draw in my notebook and read anything I please. It is true I do not speak as well as I can think. But that is true of most people, as nearly as I can tell.”
“Sometimes I pray to remember, other times I pray to forget. It makes no difference.”
“If chained is where you have been, your arms will always bear marks of the shackles. What you have to lose is your story, your own slant. You’ll look at the scars on your arms and see mere ugliness, or you’ll take great care to look away from them and see nothing. Either way, you have no words for the story of where you came from.”
“If I could reach backward somehow to give Father just one gift, it would be the simple human relief of knowing you’ve done wrong, and living through it. Poor Father, who was just one of a million men who never did catch on. He stamped me with a belief in justice, then drenched me in culpability, and I wouldn’t wish such torment even on a mosquito.”
“Sometimes I pray to remember, other times I pray to forget. It makes no difference.”
“If chained is where you have been, your arms will always bear marks of the shackles. What you have to lose is your story, your own slant. You’ll look at the scars on your arms and see mere ugliness, or you’ll take great care to look away from them and see nothing. Either way, you have no words for the story of where you came from.”
“If I could reach backward somehow to give Father just one gift, it would be the simple human relief of knowing you’ve done wrong, and living through it. Poor Father, who was just one of a million men who never did catch on. He stamped me with a belief in justice, then drenched me in culpability, and I wouldn’t wish such torment even on a mosquito.”
kayliec735's review against another edition
5.0
(again me going through the five starred ones, different day, can you believe my consistency?)
This was the first book I read for AP Lit, we had to choose a book to read over the summer and I chose this one. I think I did? Oh yeah I did. The little description thing Bob wrote for this was that it was pretty versatile and useful for the AP test and in the course in general. Looking back, I probably should have read it closer to the AP test, then it might have been more useful. And I think for everyone the book read over the summer was the least useful just because you read it before taking the course, so you don't know what you're looking for while reading and how in depth you should be analyzing and you're not as skilled in analyzing in general. So whoops, but it's cool to see the growth. And I liked this book anyway. Since, yeah going into it I didn't know how to analyze stuff (or I thought I knew how, but after taking the course I really didn't), so I just took notes on everything I think. Or maybe I didn't I can't remember.
It was a good book though. I still remember it to this day and even think about it, especially when you get into those deep talks that concern religion and family stuff which happens a decent amount in college, expectedly so. It's pretty cool how each and every character was interesting. Like there was not one character that lacked, even Rachel, who could have been written off as the dumb surface level one. No, she had some complexity, but it wasn't necessarily REDEEMING complexity which is cool. Like she remains to be somewhat unlikeable. Actually none of the characters are especially likeable. You'll pity them, whatever, but they remain human. Not just with flaws that aren't flaws, but have genuine characteristics that makes you glad you're not friends with them. That kind of stuff. Humanizing characters can be kind of stupid in other novels, where their flaws are like not that bad. Like they're obviously not perfect but don't come close to the level of imperfection of real humans. These guys, Adah, Leah, Rachel, the dad the mom the little sister even the minor ones, they're all kind of unlikeable to an extent. Which I liked haha.
This was the first book I read for AP Lit, we had to choose a book to read over the summer and I chose this one. I think I did? Oh yeah I did. The little description thing Bob wrote for this was that it was pretty versatile and useful for the AP test and in the course in general. Looking back, I probably should have read it closer to the AP test, then it might have been more useful. And I think for everyone the book read over the summer was the least useful just because you read it before taking the course, so you don't know what you're looking for while reading and how in depth you should be analyzing and you're not as skilled in analyzing in general. So whoops, but it's cool to see the growth. And I liked this book anyway. Since, yeah going into it I didn't know how to analyze stuff (or I thought I knew how, but after taking the course I really didn't), so I just took notes on everything I think. Or maybe I didn't I can't remember.
It was a good book though. I still remember it to this day and even think about it, especially when you get into those deep talks that concern religion and family stuff which happens a decent amount in college, expectedly so. It's pretty cool how each and every character was interesting. Like there was not one character that lacked, even Rachel, who could have been written off as the dumb surface level one. No, she had some complexity, but it wasn't necessarily REDEEMING complexity which is cool. Like she remains to be somewhat unlikeable. Actually none of the characters are especially likeable. You'll pity them, whatever, but they remain human. Not just with flaws that aren't flaws, but have genuine characteristics that makes you glad you're not friends with them. That kind of stuff. Humanizing characters can be kind of stupid in other novels, where their flaws are like not that bad. Like they're obviously not perfect but don't come close to the level of imperfection of real humans. These guys, Adah, Leah, Rachel, the dad the mom the little sister even the minor ones, they're all kind of unlikeable to an extent. Which I liked haha.
maria_rb's review against another edition
4.0
I am re-reading this as I prepare to write a review of it. It doesn't much mirror my experience of growing up in Africa, but I know it comes close to the experiences of some we encountered (mainly missionaries who came to Africa for reasons having little do with furthering Christianity).
ellisrr1969's review against another edition
4.0
I liked the differences in voice from different characters. It made for very interesting and sometimes funny reading. It does make you stop and thing about all that we take for granted and whether we are better off or not.
There were a few times when it got a little slow or bogged down in the political situation, but it all seemed fairly relevant to the situation and it never lasted long.
There were a few times when it got a little slow or bogged down in the political situation, but it all seemed fairly relevant to the situation and it never lasted long.
chochobo's review against another edition
4.0
A very, very good friend of mine once gave me the advice that I should stop watching the Lost finale ten minutes before it ended, because in that ten minutes it went from transcendental to gut-busting, tearing-out-your-hair awful. I didn't listen, and I regret it to this day.
That's how this book is. For the love of God, stop before "What We Carried Out." The story up to page 385 is four, possibly five stars. The story after that is negative ten.
That's how this book is. For the love of God, stop before "What We Carried Out." The story up to page 385 is four, possibly five stars. The story after that is negative ten.
sbez05's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely loved this book. It kept me thinking about the arrogance of America and other such "civilized" nations, who controlled Africa and its resources like puppets under the pretense of goodwill. The story is told through 5 different voices - a mother and her four daughters who lived as missionaries in the Congo with their maniacally devout Father (who, ironically, saw nothing amiss about raising a hand to his wife and daughters). The characters were beautifully developed and grew with the story. This is an amazing book - my first Kingsolver, but definitely not my last.
kaitoro_walker13's review against another edition
dark
informative
fast-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
5.0
My god
krbfleming's review against another edition
4.0
I'd give this 3 1/2 stars. There were parts of this book I loved and couldn't stop reading; other parts not so much. I had a difficult time getting into the story but I quickly became enthralled. I was a bit disappointed in the second half of the book; but still thought it was a great story.