Rating: 
Summary: not great, just good
Review: This is a novel about reverend Nathan Price, who takes his family to the Belgian Congo in 1959. Having been severely traumatized during World War II, he is left with massive feelings of guilt which he is only able to keep from drawing him into complete psychosis by adopting and cultivating an extremely rigid, bigoted missionary zeal. His wife and four daughters never seem to stop whining and complaining about the (African) situation Nathan has got them into. They never seem to empathise with Nathan's terrible plight. Oh yes, they would, once in a while, mumble something about the war, but, no, this never leads to any sympathy with the reverend, nor to any search for some form of dialogue, not even of the house-and-kitchen-psychotherapy kind. There's no point, they think. The reverend is too stubborn, he will not listen, whatever we say or do. We're just poor little victims, you know, women, trembling as we do before His all-powerful, almighty male nastyness. Unsurprisingly, the family thus heads for catastrophy. Now, not many readers may agree with my reading of Kingsolver's novel. However, having gradually become fed up with the novel's unusually large reservoir of clichés on gender relations and (post)colonialism ("ooh-my-look-at-us-poor-little-female-victims-and-wouldn't-you-agree-we-are-morally-superior-to-them-nasty-men-who-only-know-how-to-destroy-us-and-Africa-alike"), I kind of started to grow some sympathy for the reverend who, despised and discarded by practically everyone, and with almost nobody really being interested in the hows and whys of his agonizing, terrible personal drama, ends up in flames. Great novels know how to avoid clichés. At least they know how to bring them with some nuance, and with some sense of/for ambivalence, because they know why and how to cherish the insight that life is a little more complicated than what clichés -simple truisms at best; a pack of lies and sheer nonsense at worst, and most often- would suggest. In that sense, I don't think Kingsolver's novel is a great one. It's a damn good one, though. Kingsolver really does how to jot words on a page. Let me admit that. She knows how to speak with the voice of a 5 year old, a teenager, an African bush-intellectual, a women-eternal-victim, a patriarch-approaching-madness. She does it with superb verve and with amazing writing skill. I agree with the person who recommended the book to me : this is a good, a very good, a damn good pageturner.
Rating: 
Summary: Thought provoking and heart wrenching
Review: This wonderful story touched my heart in so many ways...as a southerner, as a baptist, as a woman, as a sister..as a human. This is one of the most touching books I have ever read. I learned so much about how humans following their own agenda can effect the whole of a nation. I put this on my Top 5 Favorites of ALL time!
Rating:
Summary: An Exquisite Book that Made Me Feel, See and Sense Africa
Review: Having lived in South Africa for 21 years and in Georgia, USA for 29 years Barbara Kingsolver's book "The Poisonwood Bible" hit a nerve. Barbara descriptions of life in Kilanga, Congo 40 years ago is astounding and brought back fond memories of my travels in villages in Mozambique, Zululand and the Transkei. The serene-looking faces, quick laughter and bare chested elegance of the village people fascinated me more than the tensed-faced, harried, self-conscious city folk I knew. Barbara's exquisite writing made me feel, see and sense Africa all over again. Each of the Price family members represented parts of me and helped me to understand myself better. Nathan's religious fanaticism, Orleanna's loyalty, Ruth Mae's innocence, Rachael's self-centeredness and the thoughtful keen-eyed observations of Adah and Leah, the twins. They were the true seekers of wisdom and truth. Barbara's comment about the USA and Western Europe's involvement in the bloodshed and devastation of Africa is shocking. The possible link between the CIA and Patrice Lumumba's death; the United States support of Joseph Mobutu's dictatorship and abuse of funds; Mobutu spending $20 million to bring two American boxers to Zaire so quote "all the world will respect the name Zaire" when his people were dying of starvation and disease; the Export-Import Bank loaning the Congo more than a billion dollars for a bogus power line so they can be assured a permanent debt and be repaid in cobalt and diamonds. I had not idea and feel outraged. Through the characters of the Fowles, Anatole, Leah, Adah and Orleanna, the author shows how the people who get off the treadmill of further, faster and more to return to nature and simplicity seem not only to survive but thrive.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible: One of the Most Brilliant Books I have ever read
Review: Barbara Kingsolver was robbed of the pulitzer prize for this epic look at 4 sisters, a mother, and a priest father who move to the congo to carry out the father's mission. You want to kill the father through the whole book. He looks only at his work and completely ignores his family and their quarrels about moving to the congo. The result of this? The destruction of what the poor mother worked so hard to achieve: a family. From a sister dying to the others moving away one by one to the father going mad. The book looks at every detail of these girl's, their mother's, and father's life. So brilliantly written that i doubt anyone could match it's power. The book is the GONE WITH THE WIND of this century. Do not base this on Kingsolver's previous works, it shines far too high above the rest. Oh! in case you wanted to know, my favorite part of the book is the fact that we hear the story from the four sister's (Adah, Ruth May, Rachel, and Leah) point of view as well as the mothers. I beg you to pick this up and read it! and don't go to the library! This one is worth bying, hardcover is necessary.
Rating:
Summary: Compelingly Addictive Read...
Review: Barbara Kingsolver is half Alex Garland, half Maeve Binchy. "The Poisonwood Bible"is a romantic adventure story at heart and is a very addictive read even though it is an enormous book. Don't be scared off by the size...it's well worth the time and effort.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful, but a bit preachy near the end
Review: This is one of the best books I've read in years. The story is absorbing and teaches the reader a lot about tribal life in the Congo, circa 1960. The father in the book is a rigid, self-righteous missionary who shows as much disdain for his wife and daughters as he does for the Congolese people. The author did an excellent job of writing the story from the viewpoint of the women, while keeping each woman's personality distinct. (The father is not one of the narrators; but this seems fitting since he does not allow his wife and daughters the opportunity to vocalize their own opinions.)The only reason I gave this book four stars, instead of five, is because of the heavy-handed preachy, political tone the narration takes near the end. I would expect some of the characters to become political when thrust into the situation they endured. However, one of the preacher's daughters, who is most respectful of the Congolese, becomes so ashamed of her race that she wishes she weren't white. Here, I think Kingsolver went too far. Why not allow this poor creature to see that people of all colors are part of God's plan, that no person -- white, black, or otherwise -- is inherently bad for being born a certain color -- least of all this woman?
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book, gripping and impossible to put down
Review: The multiple narrators in this book DO make it worth every second of the long read. It gives a view of Africa, and the ruin of a family you can taste. Reading the persepective of five very different women on foreign soil, where they become the minority in a world that does not want to know them, makes the book impossible to forget. I think as far as literature goes today, this book is a great read. It is a little heavy, but definately worth the trip. I am sure many people who have never ventured to foreign soil where they have eaten bugs to survive, and been in a world of unknown can still identify with the madness, and the oppression in this story. An excellent read from a mature writer who is not afraid to share her deepest fears with the rest of us.
Rating:
Summary: Best Our Book Club Has Read
Review: The Poisonwood Bible was truly a work of art. My book club read it last month and thoroughly enjoyed it. We ran out of time before we ran out of life lessons to discuss from it. It was wonderful for a group read because after reading it, I just wanted to share the experience!
Rating:
Summary: Made a big impression
Review: I read voraciously, but live in a country where English reading material is not easy to find. Therefore I treasure my books and try to ration them out across several days. But my mom sent me "Poisonwood Bible" and I barely put it down... and it's a long book! Since reading it, I must have mentioned it to every person I've seen who is a native English speaker!
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointed
Review: I would recommend this book as a source for intereting information about Africa, but if you appreciate nuanced characters and a realistic plot, I wouldn't waste my time with this book. I enjoyed some of Kingsolver's previous novels, but I found this book to be completely phony. Each person in this book seems to be not a character but a mouthpiece to demonstrate "good" or "evil." The good characters (Leah) respect different cultures and adapt to them, while the bad characters (the father, Rachel) are racist and provincial. It is very simplistic. Because I couldn't relate to the pure good or evil of any of the characters, I wasn't much interested in their story. It just seemed to be trying too hard.
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