This was unexpectedly satisfying. The first third is a little off-kilter, but the story began to build, gain momentum, and suck me in. I think Barbara Kingsolver is just an amazing writer. She's one of those writers who says so much about a person, place, or moment in so few words. Her characters are so well-written I can see and hear them, and not just a visual of what they look like but I can see their mannerisms and thoughts. She has a knack for nailing people's idiosyncrasies and how those little things affect every interaction a character has. It's hard to summarize this book because it's got a lot going on, but it focuses mainly on family relations, typical or not, and the current remaining Native Americans in the Oklahoma area. First paragraph: "Women on their own run in Alice's family. This dawns on her with the unkindness of a heart attack and she sits up in bed to get a closer look at her thoughts, which have collected above her in the dark." I love that.