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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
I knew very little about colonialism in the Congo going in, and I liked the 5 perspectives on the American and Belgian control. However, I can't help but to think there was a lot of the story missing here, and it was a slow 500+ pages.
emotional
reflective
tense
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
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver is a captivating commentary on intercultural missionary work. The novel addresses many themes of miscommunication and differences in cultures that make messages fail if they are inappropriately relayed. Another takeaway is that we all make an impact on the lives around us, and we are also changed by the lives around us. There were moments that some of the historical references and significance of characters went over my head, but overall doesn’t take away from the message. Especially as a Christian, this book shows that teaching others of the good news of the gospel is hopeless if you don’t understand and respect the culture that you are entering.
To this day, my favorite Barbara Kingsolver novel.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
slow-paced
Well written, but it was hard for me to get into. I read this for a Bookclub. It made for an interesting discussion. On its own, it's really just not the kind of story I'm looking for. It brings up interesting topics, but those were evident from the beginning of the story. Personally, I'm looking for a little more redemption in the stories I read.
Beautifully written with engrossing characters. I felt myself being drawn in and loved every minute.
I really enjoyed a lot about this book. I liked the slantwise look at the liberation of Africa (to paraphase the book's borrowed use of Dickinson). I liked the way it played with words and language and that it didn't try to put a bow on something as broken as a continent or this family. But I also found it a bit overwrought and a bit surface level, at the same time.
CONTENT WARNING:
Things to love:
-Story framing. I love that we are seeing this from the point of view of 5 women as they go from girls or new mothers through their lives. It was a complex look at trauma and family dynamics.
-Writing. I especially loved Adah's style.
-Perspective. Did the world need another book on the plight of Africa from a white American perspective? There have been so many. But this one I felt was mostly clever, that it used the privilege of that point of view to showcase how much it got wrong or missed.
Things I didn't care for:
-A bit on the nose. I got it. We were beating a dead horse in a way that started to veer from searing condemnation to handwringing.
-Missed emotional beats. For the amount of time we spent on certain aspects, there were emotional resonances that I missed because they were sort of just assumed into the story, even though we made a big deal of them later.
-Disjointed. This was a daunting task, to write with 5+ voices and stay with them as they transformed over 50 years. I saw the effort, not sure it was without flaws. I also felt like some of this book was written at a much different time from the rest, so the voices weren't as consistent and the editing in the parts I assume were written later wasn't as tight.
I see why this book made waves, but it did not quite meet the high hopes I had given the writing in the middle of the book.
CONTENT WARNING:
Spoiler
loss of a child, domestic violence, child abuse, starvation, war/genocide, so many bugs and spiders, house fire, torture, pedophiliaThings to love:
-Story framing. I love that we are seeing this from the point of view of 5 women as they go from girls or new mothers through their lives. It was a complex look at trauma and family dynamics.
-Writing. I especially loved Adah's style.
-Perspective. Did the world need another book on the plight of Africa from a white American perspective? There have been so many. But this one I felt was mostly clever, that it used the privilege of that point of view to showcase how much it got wrong or missed.
Things I didn't care for:
-A bit on the nose. I got it. We were beating a dead horse in a way that started to veer from searing condemnation to handwringing.
-Missed emotional beats. For the amount of time we spent on certain aspects, there were emotional resonances that I missed because they were sort of just assumed into the story, even though we made a big deal of them later.
-Disjointed. This was a daunting task, to write with 5+ voices and stay with them as they transformed over 50 years. I saw the effort, not sure it was without flaws. I also felt like some of this book was written at a much different time from the rest, so the voices weren't as consistent and the editing in the parts I assume were written later wasn't as tight.
I see why this book made waves, but it did not quite meet the high hopes I had given the writing in the middle of the book.
Alright, so, I`m re reading this for a school essay. Maybe you all can help me. Its about man`s inhumanity to man. How exactly can I put this all into words?
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No