Rating: 
Summary: Disturbing & Compelling !
Review: This book took me a long time to read, but it was so worth it. At first I was so mad at the father. How could he be so unfeeling towards his family to stay in Congo when everyone else is leaving? How could he ignore both his wife and daughters and claim to be an emassary of Christ? Then I got mad at the mother. What type of mother would let her children be abused? What type of mother would put up with a husband who would stay in the Congo indefinately? I really felt sorry for those little girls. Then the unthinkable happens, one of them dies and it forces actions upon the characters. The mother, loses herself and just walks right out of the country. This forces each of her children to take a different path. Each reacting to the circumstances. This book is narriated by each of the four girls and through this you learn each personality. The girls then go on to tell what happened throughout their lives (until the oldest is 50). It was interesting to see how each one reacted differently to their experiences in the Congo. I found this book so heavy that at times I could only read one chapter at a time. But it also compelled me to finish because I wanted to know how each girl ended up and what her motivation. Beyond that, the involvement of America in overthrowing governments just made me sick. How could we as a nation be involved in something like this? A really disturbing reality. Above all....Read this book
Rating: 
Summary: Vivid African Portrait Lacks Credibility - Read with Caution
Review: Kingsolver draws on her childhood years in the Congo to provide a vivid portrayal of demented missionary life during the last days of colonialism. She has the ability to enhance your imagination of the life in equatorial Africa; unfortunately, the overbearing feminism and missionary phobia reduce the novel to a monologue of her prejudice. It is ironic that only the viewpoints of four daughters and the wife are presented while the missionary father is not able to provide his perspective. I caution you to compare this fiction to the non-fiction of such 1960's contemporary missionaries as Mother Theresa, Viggo Olsen, or Helen Roseveare or to the african commitments by Albert Scheitzer, Mary Slessor or David Livingstone. This book is worth reading, but the reader should be aware of the slanted perspective of the noble native versus United States imperialism, pristine Africa versus missionary incursion, and a morality of self-designed naturalism versus an intelligent, personal creator. Enjoy the book!
Rating:
Summary: Incredible!
Review: I think my headline says it all. This book is amazing. It took me almost two weeks to read, but it was worth every moment. Run, run, run (or click, click, click) and get this book.
Rating:
Summary: Powerful, haunting, and historically accurate
Review: An outstanding story with an absolutely truthful historical reflection of U.S involvement in The Congo in the 50's and 60's. The chapters written in Adah's voice are exquisitely done.
Rating:
Summary: best book I've read all year
Review: This book encompasses a story of people while delving into basic issues of decency, humanity and institutional racism. It is a great story and very informative!
Rating: 
Summary: Okay
Review: This book was okay but I really can't understand all the tremendous hype. For my money (which isn't much) the character I liked best was Nathan. The women were weak, simpering fools and, as a former reviewer noted, it is hard to identify with fools. I wish the author had done more with Nathan. He was strong. A real man. I liked the way he dominated the women. But Kingsolver rarely let us see much of this enigmatic and fascinating man. Had the book focused on the wonderful character of Nathan and his thoughts and feelings I probably would have given it five stars. But it was still an interesting story.
Rating:
Summary: A most moving and engrossing book!
Review: This book was probably the best I have read in the past few years! Though long, it was difficult to put down. I found the beginning sections humorous (sometimes in a sad way). The middle to end chapters moved me to tears frequently - I needed to put the book down a few times in order to recover from the emotional impact. The writing from the perspective of each main character (except the missionary? ) was fascinating, amusing, and informing. I can't put more into words, except that I absolutely loved this book. For anyone who has a little child (as I do), be prepared to be moved very deeply.
Rating:
Summary: Great Start, Lousy Finish
Review: This book starts out great and I was totally involved but it just runs out of steam in the second half as the characters become charicatures and the politics are crammed down our collective throats. Still, it's worth reading for the first half alone and you can just skim the rest.
Rating: 
Summary: A story that stays with you
Review: The Poisonwood Bible is an excellent chronicle of one family's evolution. My only complaint is that it peaks too early, with the novel's climax coming around page 350 -- with 200 pages left to wind down. I felt like each of the characters was very rich and well developed. My favorite was the mother, whose voice we rarely got to hear. But when she did narrate a chapter, it seemed she was answering all the questions the reader would be asking/demanding of her. I felt very emotionally attached to these characters, as the author did a formidable job of developing their fully believable, individual personas.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful writing Marred by One-Note Characterizations
Review: How could Kingsolver have ruined her book with such an obvious error? Nathan is a strident paper doll that flattens the whole story. Just as bad, the author has all the narrators using the same ironic tone to describe him, deadening their voices as well. At the same time, Kingsolver doesn't have the guts to show him doing something trully terrible. I don't trust an author who can't let the reader make up his own mind, and as a consequence I couldn't trust her views about ANYTHING in the story. I'm giving this two stars for her descriptions of the African landscape, and that is all.
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