A review by lmwanak
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

adventurous challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 

It deals with themes of colonization and racism; in fact, one of the narrators is extremely racist. And yet, whereas Babel triggered me enough that I had to stop reading, it is different for Poisonwood. Maybe because the narrators were white Baptists missionaries who traveled to the Congo and failed in their attempt to Christianize the village they settled in. The father's superiority is crushed, and his refusal to learn from his mistakes dooms his family. In this book, racism has consequences. There’s still a hint of superiority and exoticism in a few of the narrators’ voices. But it’s also interesting that one of the girls ultimately chooses to make the Congo her home and marry a Congolese man. 

Also, I really enjoyed how religion is depicted in this story. My favorite scene is when the previous missionary comes to visit with his Congolese wife. Brother Fowles, a Catholic, doesn’t worship the tyrannical God—if anything, his God becomes more pagan, more earthy/nature, and also more forgiving. He asks more questions than sermonizes, and the father grows more and more irate. This contrast of ideals ultimately proves the family’s downfall; not only does the village vote to not follow Jesus, but the father’s own family ultimately leaves Christianity. 

And yet, the father’s presence still haunts them all, which is sad considering he never speaks directly to the reader in the book. Even the mother’s presence feels like it’s in the background, her purpose and voice shaped by the father. It’s a tragedy, but I also don’t know of any other way of telling the story. 

Overall, I liked it, more for its storytelling conventions and deconstruction of the narrators. I need to follow this book up with Nisi Shawl’s Everfair, to hear actual Congolese voices.