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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
A very good book. Thematic. Makes you think. Character development kept me engaged.
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Loved it! I did think the second half dragged on, but I loved the first half so much it still deserves 5 stars to me. I appreciated how Kingsolver used different narrators to express conflicting opinions on Americans in the Congo.
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Ever since I read Demon Copperhead last year, I can't get enough of Kingsolver's beautifully sharp and yet lyrical prose, and The Poisonwood Bible is a perfect example of the author's literary prowess. A story of one family's slow yet inevitable unraveling, set against the backdrop of 1960s Congo, it's thought-provoking and will definitely stay with me for years to come.
Incredible!! Learned so much about the Congo and politics around independence. Sets the bar so high for the next book I read haha.
There isn't very much I can or want to say about The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. I think there are better books out there that draw clearer, more concise lines between religion and colonialism. Shusaku Endo, for one, has written two fabulous books on this: Silence and The Samurai. The Poisonwood Bible, on the other hand, just feels overly long, with a final act that just sort of tapers off into nothingness. Once Kingsolver makes clear her stance on the issues, the rest of the book just feels like her (and her characters) going through the motion. I think the most compelling parts of this book are in between the lines, as well as the lyrical language that Kingsolver is able to conjure up. Otherwise, if like me you were hoping for well thought out criticisms of religion, colonialism and racism, you are not going to find it here.
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
6 star book. Masterpiece from beginning to end . Loved that the characters had so much depth and complexity to them. There are so many ideas and symbols to flesh out and explore. Really truly a wonderful book that makes you think as it reflects on the themes of guilt, religion and colonialism so extremely well. Brilliantly written as it felt like every bit was written with a purpose. Also very educational as I had no idea about the Congo's history but I felt like learning about it made me empathise with the characters: Is being ignorant and allowing evil to continue means we play a part in the world's atrocities and can we live with our actions.