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In The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver weaves the complicated tale of a Georgian family’s life-altering encounter with the Congo during its battle for independence throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The Price family consists of four opinionated daughters, a downtrodden mother, and an overbearing father whose evangelical mission work lands the family in the middle of a war-torn country increasingly distrustful of foreign influence. Each chapter alternates voice among the female members of the f
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Feb 17, 2010
Lacey Louwagie
rated it
really liked it
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review of another edition
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literary-fiction
I expected this to be one more book that didn't live up to the Oprah Winfrey, best-seller hype. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this one is actually worthy of its reputation. In particular, I'd heard and read a lot about Barbara Kingsolver's ability to make each viewpoint character's voice unique, although she did employ certain tricks to do so. The fact that I could tell who was talking even if I'd been daydreaming and didn't pay attention to the chapter marker was impressive.
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May 04, 2013
aili
added it
This is the problem with the stars; I'm not really sure I can assess this book on the bases of "liked it" "really liked it" etc. Some parts of this book were very beautiful; some parts of this book were disturbing. The story is one that should probably be read by more people, I had no idea that these events had happened (I'm trying not to give things away and its awkward). I loved the structure of the five voices and the differences between them.
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This is a compelling, sometimes however rather slow story, about the problems that occur when Western WASP culture tries to change others to meet their own ideals as seen through the eyes of the daughters of a zealous minister caught-up in the pre, and post-Aparteid of the 1960s. It's also a good book to read as beginning literature to get insight into that time period in Africa's history. It also further confirmed by bias against the concept of missionaries as culture-rapers. So yeah...
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I recommend that everyone read this book, though I think it will have more meaning to those who have spent some time in Africa. However, those who haven't, it will really help shed light on the many conflicts internal and external surrounding outsiders in Africa as well as the fall out of selfish good-intentions. I am just floored.
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Oct 21, 2007
Shaundrika
marked it as to-read
Jan 29, 2008
Lisa
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Mar 19, 2008
Terri
marked it as to-read
May 21, 2008
Margee Fagelson
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May 02, 2010
Rachel
marked it as to-read
