Debbie's review
The Bean Trees
by Barbara Kingsolver
Debbie's review
The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver
Debbie's review
rating:
bookshelves:
fiction
recommended for: older teens and adults
Marietta Greer struggles to finish school in a small town where teen pregnancy and dropout rates are sky-high. A few years after graduation, she decides to drive west in her old VW bug. After the car runs out of gas in Taylorville, Marietta changes her name to Taylor. It is ironic that after vowing not to become a mother at a young age, she becomes the guardian to an abused Native American baby who is dumped into her car. I love this girly story. It is beautifully written, funny, and full of profound insights about what it means to be a mother. The female characters have varying levels of self-confidence and self-reliance. The contrast between Taylor and Lou Ann and the way they become a family is moving. The Bean Trees is unexpected and full of events that are completely random, just like real life.
This is not a YA novel, but higher level readers will appreciate the beautiful writing and the insights into what it means to be a mother.
This is not a YA novel, but higher level readers will appreciate the beautiful writing and the insights into what it means to be a mother.
