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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
November 2007: There's lots to love about this novel. Like most Kingsolver, it's got an agenda, but like the ecological oneness she's pushin' in Prodigal Summer's this Pro-Lumumba, anti-imperialist agenda is one I can get behind. She underestimates her readers by infuriatingly externalizing internal conflict, and she seems to despise Rachel, which is tiresome. Nonetheless, it's a meticulously researched and almost always engaging novel. Plus it's the longest novel I've ever taught, and it's gotta say good things that so many kids actually read it.
September 2011: Trying this as summer reading this time around. Still didactic, still brazenly polemical, still insulting to careful readers, and still--in it's better moments--truly exceptional. The perfect 4 star book for me: a stimulating mess of almost-realized ambitions.
October 2012: As much as I (mostly) love this book, I may be done teaching it for a while. The rereading this year didn't yield much of that ol' "fresh and strange."
September 2011: Trying this as summer reading this time around. Still didactic, still brazenly polemical, still insulting to careful readers, and still--in it's better moments--truly exceptional. The perfect 4 star book for me: a stimulating mess of almost-realized ambitions.
October 2012: As much as I (mostly) love this book, I may be done teaching it for a while. The rereading this year didn't yield much of that ol' "fresh and strange."
I bought this audiobook in August 2012 for some reason. Someone's recommendation somewhere? I do not recall. Finally, this past Monday, I was looking for a new book to read. I was using the length of the book as the criteria. I am stressed out at work with deadlines. I couldn't face something marked as 20 or 40 hours. I chose this one marked as 15 hours. It didn't take long for me to become utterly engrossed in the tale. The story is told from the point of view of the 5 women starting in 1960 when the Rev. Price takes his wife and 4 daughters to the Congo to convert all the so-called primitive peoples to god-fearing Christians with his thunder-and-brimstone Baptist techniques. The points of view are definitely varied to say the least!
The story starts with their arrival in the Congo in 1960. Their reactions to life in the Congo as compared to their life in Georgia is both funny and sad. The girls are 15 (Rachel, the oldest), 14 (Leah and Adah, the twins) and 5 (Ruth May). None of them are prepared. The reverend has no voice. His ignorance of what life in the Congo or in Africa in principle is revealed through what his daughters and wife say - or don't say. They all came here expecting their life to be the best life. Instead, lots of questions are raised all around. I lived in Kenya for 5 years (and not as a missionary). What I experienced is not what they experienced, but the questioning about cultures is the same.
Throughout the book, we are given a brief history of the modern Congo as real-life events touch on the lives of these fictional characters. I knew nothing about Kingsolver, the author, before I read the book. It turns out she did live in the Congo briefly as a child. I should add, for accuracy, that the Congo of the story becomes the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Heart of Darkness Congo.
And throughout the book, we are given a very good story. I had to wait in the post office today for 45 minutes. I was approaching the end of the book so I had no problem waiting. I sat back and enjoyed listening to the tale being told.
The story starts with their arrival in the Congo in 1960. Their reactions to life in the Congo as compared to their life in Georgia is both funny and sad. The girls are 15 (Rachel, the oldest), 14 (Leah and Adah, the twins) and 5 (Ruth May). None of them are prepared. The reverend has no voice. His ignorance of what life in the Congo or in Africa in principle is revealed through what his daughters and wife say - or don't say. They all came here expecting their life to be the best life. Instead, lots of questions are raised all around. I lived in Kenya for 5 years (and not as a missionary). What I experienced is not what they experienced, but the questioning about cultures is the same.
Throughout the book, we are given a brief history of the modern Congo as real-life events touch on the lives of these fictional characters. I knew nothing about Kingsolver, the author, before I read the book. It turns out she did live in the Congo briefly as a child. I should add, for accuracy, that the Congo of the story becomes the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Heart of Darkness Congo.
And throughout the book, we are given a very good story. I had to wait in the post office today for 45 minutes. I was approaching the end of the book so I had no problem waiting. I sat back and enjoyed listening to the tale being told.
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Anyone who thinks this is less than five stars is wrong. I say that dispassionately and without any of my usual jealous sense of ownership. This book is a masterpiece of writing. Rarely do I ever put a book down and have “oh my God” rip from my mouth.
Fabulous. A great book about the folly of missionary activity and the weakness of our culture in strange surroundings. Just beautiful.
Fabulous read, exploring the story of one family's ill-fated mission to the African wilderness through the first-person narrative of their four young daughters.
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
adventurous
dark
funny
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
I loved how this book was written. For the author to sit down and cover the events of 35 years - both personal and historical - from the perspectives of 5 different female narrators, aging some of them from childhood to middle aged adulthood, was just phenomenal.
I also learned so much about the history of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and was inspired to dig deeper and learn more. I appreciated the attention given to the history and the important political figures, and the way the truth was woven into the stories of the 5 narrators.
I also learned so much about the history of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and was inspired to dig deeper and learn more. I appreciated the attention given to the history and the important political figures, and the way the truth was woven into the stories of the 5 narrators.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Racism
Moderate: Violence, War
I want to slap the father across the face. Great book though, really makes me think about the differnt way we percieve what is going on around us.