Rating: 
Summary: Not at her best
Review: I am a big Kingsolver fan, but I found _Prodigal Summer_ to be a disappointment - particularly after _The Poisonwood Bible_. Kingsolver's usually well-developled characters are lost in her not-so-subtle lectures on organic farming and other environmental issues. While these issues are important, her message comes across as preachy and almost condescending. This novel was not Kingsolver at her best.
Rating: 
Summary: Really Sad and Let-Down
Review: Barbara Kingsolver's "Prodigal Summer" was highly anticipated by me, and those around me, but sadly, it didn't live up to my high hopes. I was a huge fan of her previous work "The Poisionwood Bible" and was looking forward to a huge, and absorbing novel that I really had to work at. But, I just found this book lacking in so many areas. I could never relate or find anything remotly interesting. I was really letdown and felt like I had wasted my money. Try "Poisionwood" instead! It's much better.
Rating: 
Summary: I miss Barb's Bible!
Review: I'm about halfway through with this book and I am very disappointed. I became a fan of Ms. Kingsolvers during college when I was required to read "The bean Trees" for a class. After reading her "The Poisonwood Bible" i was an avid fan. However, "prodgal summer" does not seem to have the depth of her other works. It's fine to add in a little sex to her novels, just please don't make it the focus of the entire novel. Other than that, the book is a good read with lovable characters.
Rating:
Summary: Disapointed Kingsolver fan
Review: I am a Kingsolver fan. I think she is a poet with her words. Many can spin a story but Kingsolver uses the words themselves as an art medium. That said, however, Prodigal Summer was a major disappointment to me. In her other books her messages (moral-what we are to learn, etc.) were delivered in a subtle unconscious way. Prodigal Summer PREACHES and LECTURES and HITS you over the head with it's messages on environment, tolerance, etc. in an almost patronizing manner. Her characters this time are not nearly as realistic and spontaneous as in earlier books. They seem contrived for the purposes of Kingsolver's points. And what's with all the sex scenes? I don't understand the need to TELL all. What do writers think they are proving? Cheap thrills is how it comes across. Kingsolver's genius lies in her subtlety which this book almost completely lacks.
Rating: 
Summary: A must read
Review: Ms Kingsolver in my opinion is amongst the really great writers, writing today. I read The Poisonwood Bible, and then looked up her other writings and read Pigs in Heaven along with all other books I could get my hands on. Ms Kingsolver has an unbelievable insight into the feelings and emotions of women. She is able to put down on paper all this knowledge in the most beautifully written prose. Though I may not be able to identify with the life of her heroine's, I can always identify with the feelings and emotions. The Prodigal Summer is so beautifully written that it gave me a new view of the nature and beauty around us. I cannot scream at the sight of or kill another insect without some thought ever again. I cannot ever draw a conclusion or an imediate opinion of a person again. This book will make you think! I was unable to put it down, and felt sincere regret and sadness when it was concluded. I highly recomend this book to everyone.
Rating:
Summary: I'd love to be her friend.
Review: Thought-provoking, intelligent and sensitive all the way through.
Rating:
Summary: A great addition to Kingsolver's amazing collection
Review: I have been waiting anxiously for Barbara Kingsolver to write another book. Nevertheless, I was afraid that anything she would write after the Poisonwood Bible would be a disappointment. It was not. This book is beautiful, meaningful and enjoyable. Her talent for description is unparalleled. Reading it, I could feel the serenity of the woods and the farm. I could smell the earth and the grass. It was amazing. I loved all of the characters and enjoyed seeing them evolve. The book also packs a lot of information about wildlife, insects, trees, farming and plants, as well as a powerful message about man's place in the world. But the message wasn't overpowering and, unlike in her other books, she gives a nod to the other side of the argument. I was truly sorry when the book ended. I have been a major Kingsolver fan for years and have loved everything she has written. This book is no exception.
Rating:
Summary: Sensuous, lush, a real delight!
Review: I've read a few of the customer reviews, and folks, you're entirely missing the point. This is not an exploration of biology, it's a hymn to the Goddess Earth. I am a real Kingsolver fan. This book establishes new territory for her, as did THE POISONWOOD BIBLE. I was left breathless by the first chapter, where middle-aged divorcee, naturalist, and, of late, recluse Deanna Wolfe meets Eddie Bondo, who is the antithesis of everything in which she believes. Their inevitable animal attraction and coupling is just the prelude to a riotous summer in the Appalachians, where the world goes about its business of death and procreation. The same theme is being played out at the Widener farm where Lusa, a "bugologist" from the city of Lexington has come to live with her new husband, Cole. Cole's sudden death and the hostility of her hick in-laws are no match for the attraction of the fertile bottomland she inherits. Lusa's ascent out of despair and her growing bond with the farm and her self matches the intensity of the summer's increase. Garnett Walker, a crotchety, half-blind, retired ag teacher and his comical interactions with his neighbor Nannie adds a lovely balance to the earthiness of Deanna's and Lusa's affairs. This book is a celebration of life, a revel in the pantheon, a howl at the moon, a caress of Mother Nature's cheek. I just got finished reading it, and I miss it already!
Rating:
Summary: Interconnectedness
Review: Barbara Kingsolver NEVER, EVER disappoints. Her latest, "Prodigal Summer" is a compelling page-turner about the fundamental interconnectedness of all things. There are three main character: young woman Lusa, Middle-aged woman Deanna and old man Garnett who, of course, become interconnected by the end of this tale. Bugs are the last subject that I would expect to find interesting...but at the hands of Ms. Kingsolver, even bugs become fascinating - even sexy! The only problem with finishing a Barbara Kingsolver book is having to wait for the next one.
Rating:
Summary: Butterfly Lady
Review: Years ago, in a small Wisconsin city, I met an elderly woman whom I call "Butterfly Lady." She introduced me to the joys of observing insects. Also, she is the first person ever to raise luna moths in captivity. I thought about her when I read "The Prodigal Summer." Brought back a lot of memories of exploring the world of nature with my children. Also, brought back memories of visiting a cousin who lived on a farm. Brought me back in touch with a lot I had forgotten about the natural world. Also, I enjoyed the characters in the book. Being 75, I was a little amused by the constant references to "the old man", when Garnett is only a couple of years older than me. Kingsolver is going to find that life in the seventies is a good deal more exciting than she thinks it is. But that's a minor moan. She could not write a dull book if she tried. I think this is one of her best. It's a book I'll read again. John Purdy, Santa Fe NM
| 
