Animal Dreams

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Summary: Do Animals Dream?
Review: A good story about a woman who really doesn't know herself returning to her hometown and finding out who she is and where she came from. She renews an old friendship and rekindles a lost romance while reconnecting with her father and learning the history of her family tree. She also learns what animals dream about.

As a resident and lover of the desert southwest, I was interested in the accurate description of the landscape and the climate. I was also very interested in the explanations Loyd gives about the Native American's beliefs and history.

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Summary: Interesting plot hampered by simplistic political message
Review: Animal Dreams is a well-written and entertaining novel. I found it difficult, however, not to be distracted by the author's Manichaean political message: the Nicaraguan communists of whom she writes were uniformly benevolent, and the U.S. and its contra allies were consistently underhanded, even murderous. Reality was a little more nuanced than that, as the Sandinistas' failure to win any open national election since the collapse of the USSR demonstrates. In short, this is a generally good book, but Kingsolver detracts from the novel through (unfortunately frequent) detours into her rather cartoonish political philosophy.

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Summary: Intuitive writing
Review: The movement of this novel is more intuitive than straightforward. The town is in danger of extinction from the evil mines, yet this is a side issue. Her sister is in danger, living with revolutionaries in Nicaragua, but this is not the focus of the work. The focus is upon the growth and healing of the central character Codi, as these things go on around her. She learns to let down her defenses, believe in herself and the power of people around her, and step out of the protective shell she has built for herself into a world of laughter and tears.

Kingsolver definitely has a talent for this kind of subtle writing. Codi feels very real, and it amazes me that through all of these clearly transforming events, she does not bow down to the ever-tempting Moment of Epiphany. Codi has no epiphanies; she simply slowly moves forward toward healing and growth. To me, this feels more true to life, and yet incredibly hard to write. I appreciate the smoothness and honesty of this character development.

So the strength of this book is also its weakness - it's pretty forgettable, as most lives and learning are, honestly, pretty forgettable. I would not call this a powerful or profound novel, not one I fell in love with or will eagerly return to. It is a well-written, quiet little book. A good read, slightly better than escape literature, but not earth-moving. talk to me. [e-mail].

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Summary: TRULY AN INSPIRATION
Review: I am a college student and was assigned this book earlier this semester.To be honest I dreaded reading it,however when I picked it up and began to read I could not put it down.It is a very well written book that draws you in.Animal Dreams is about the sense of belonging.Codi is returning to her hometown to confront her ailing father and her past.In this book you will find a complex sense of culture,love,freindship,political issues environmentalism and as I said earlier, the sense of belonging.

I highly recommend Animal Dreams.In fact,I recommend Barbara Kingsolver altogether.In my opinion,She has not written a bad book.

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Summary: Amazing, interesting & thought-provoking
Review: This book has continued to haunt me with its beauty, its characters, and its social commentary a year after I read it. As Kingsolver so often does in her books, this story actually contains many interwoven threads, all bound together tightly yet so sparklingly different. There is the story of the main character moving back to Grace, Arizona and her readjustment. There's her relationship with her sister, her father, her lover, the community, her students/administration at the school where she works, etc. Her sister also provides an interesting thread as she works in Central America in an unpopular yet worthy cause. The book sheds light on relationships of the type mentioned above, while also providing insight into how the American media portrays foreign relations. And with all these interesting, thought-provoking threads, it is still a downright interesting story with absolutely beautiful wording. Kingsolver's best, in my opinion, and one of my all-time favorite books.

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Summary: A State of Grace
Review: I was so mesmerized by the characters and setting woven together so beautifully by Barbara Kingsolver that I finished this 342 page book in less than one day. The setting is Arizona in the town of Grace, which is an apt name for the Native American inhabitants who seem so at ease with their heritage and surroundings.

Codi Noline is a drifting 30-year old who decides to return to her home town of Grace to teach at the local high school for one year after abandoning her goal of becoming a doctor just short of completing her residency. Her soul-mate younger sister has gone to Nicaragua to help teach soil and crop management techniques. Codi misses her terribly, and they have a spirited and interesting correspondence.

Codi is also somewhat estranged from her father, Doc Homer, who is the town's only physician and now suffering from Alzheimer's disease. She revives her friendship with an old high-school flame, Loyd Peregrina, who is an Apache railroad man, and one of the most sincere and philosophical characters in the book.

She only plans to stay in Grace for one year and then move on, which is her way of avoiding planning for the future or making permanent attachments to people. The flashbacks, dreams, stories and legends of Animal Dreams explore Codi's relationships with herself, her father, her sister and the people of Grace in an endearing and memorable way.

The finely crafted prose paints a vivid picture of this beautiful country and the serene, peaceful people of Grace. Codi's journey of self-discovery is woven into a suspenseful love story which will leave you feeling in a state of Grace.

Rating:
Summary: If it had been written by anyone else.....
Review: I probably would not have finished it. Poisonwood Bible is my first exposure to this author, and I thought it was one of the best books I'd ever read. But...I had a hard time getting into this one. In the beginning the book jumps back and forth between past and present, as well as from different points of view. This worked very well in Poisonwood Bible, but was harder to follow in Animal Dreams.

Second, the protagonist--Codi Noline, is really not all that likable at the beginning of the story. It's only when you get about half way through the book, if you've managed to hang in there that long, that you learn why she's the way she is and hope for her to change. Ultimately, the growth of this character and others made the novel enjoyable for me in the end. The second half was much better and more emotionally fulfilling. I'm glad I stuck with it.

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Summary: Kingsolver's words are like poetry. . .
Review: An emotional masterpiece...A novel which combines every human emotion with masterful prose. It will seize you by the heart and soul...and it's beautiful scenes and imagry won't soon leave you. It was Kingsolver's ability to capture human emotions and experiences in such a new and delightful way that won me over. She has a wisdom when it comes to expression of all things human that seems rare. Her writing is one of a kind, and will delight anyone who reads it. Whether it is her novels, short stories, or essays, anything by Kingsolver is worth reading. I highly recommend this book, especially to those who are a a point in their lives where they are trying to find themselves. I first read this book as I was just starting college...I could relate to the characters and themes in this book in so many ways...because I was at a point in my life when I was trying to find my place in the world as well. Following Codi on her journey to find herself in the most unlikely place will fill you with wisdom and touch your heart. A must read!!

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Summary: I really love this book
Review: I have read this book at least 5 times. Every time I read it something new emerges that I had not seen before. It's a great story, but much more than that. Themes are woven through the book that continue to inspire awe in me for Ms. Kingsolver's craftsmanship. I put this book on the require reading list for my daughters. They don't have to read it now, just sometime (Mom's supplementary education). Those who have read it have loved it, whatever their age (16 and up)

Rating:
Summary: Excellent , Thought-Provoking and Insightful
Review: Like all of Ms. Kingsolver's books, Animal Dreams is so well written that you are accutely aware of the author's genius as you read. The characters are so well developed you can "feel" and "see" them. Intricate storylines are delicately and seamlessly woven together with beautiful prose, creating a "big picture" that is cohesive and thoroughly believeable. Without giving too much of the storyline away, Ms. Kingsolver's ability to subtly incorporate several social and political issues into her story - family relationships, Contras in Nicaragua, American Indians, ecology and corporate responsibility, to name a few - makes this book multidimensional. In my opinion, this is not Ms. Kingsolver's best book ... but she was well on her way to perfecting her incredible writing and storytelling skills while writing this book. It is an excellent, thought-provoking read.