The Poisonwood Bible: A Novel

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Summary: Reality and myth in the Congo
Review: Barbara Kingsolver has written another enthralling character study/adventure that takes us into the depths of the Belgian Congo, through the horrors of civil war, and finally into a sense of redemption for the characters if not for the Congo(Zaire) itself. The Poisonwood Bible is a three generation tale, which begins with a zealous, if unrealistic and wrathful Baptist preacher, his wife and four daughters, who come to the Congo against all advice seeking to "save" the heathen from their pagan and primitive ways. Nathan Price, the preacher, is an increasingly hateful and vengeful man whose dreams of converting the natives only bring him ridicule and distrust. In contrast to "the darkest of Africa" Nathan is the one who is in the dark as he stubbornly refuses to understand and to love his would be congregation. While he is alienating the natives, his family becomes more and more distant as well, despite his firey punishments and evil dispensations. The story is told alternately by his wife and the four daughters, all with distinctly different personalities and perspectives on their mutual situation. Through them aa narrators, we come to understand the culture and its people, and are able to see the reality that exists. Besides the daily rigors of living in an extremely dangerous and primitive tropical environment, the characters are forced to live through the terror of civil war and the accompanying atrocities that follow in the new so-called democratic government. Kingsolver presents a well-researched chronicle of the Congo's struggle to attain autonomy along with the international politics that have caused betrayal and heartbreak for much of Africa. Finally, we see in the attitudes of two opposing men of God the damage as well as the good that can be done in undeveloped countries. We also see their individual beliefs played out in the daughters' lives as they find their place as adults whose lives have been strongly influenced by a partial childhood in the depths of Africa. This is a good book, both for its characterization and its plot. There is much food for thought here, not only for those living in primitive cultures, but for those of us here who can influence what may occur in those cultures.

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Summary: Possibly the best book I have ever read
Review: Please forgive me if I fall into the trap of hyperbole, but I have simply been consumed by this amazing novel. The Poisonwood Bible is truly a precious gift; religious arrogance and political injustice are blended into a compelling story line, where the characters are addictive and the prose is crafted with elegant care. With each page, I found myself more deeply assimilated with the fear, anger, hope, guilt and confusion that afflicts the book's five protagonists. For Ruth May Price, I truly grieved in a way I have not grieved for a fictional character's passing since I witnessed the deaths of Lennie Small in "Of Mice and Men" and Paul Baumer in "All Quiet on the Western Front". As Africa absorbs the souls of Barbara Kingsolver's characters, my soul, too, has been absorbed; this book walks with me, sleeps with me, invades my idle thoughts and inspires tears at unexpected moments. For a work of fiction, there is no greater compliment.

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Summary: Like Africa, this book gets under your skin.
Review: How can an overstuffed American not be affected by this novel? My toddler son threw away half his lunch yesterday (and most days). My infant daughter has more clothes than most Africans will have in a lifetime. The house is full of toys and more are waiting in closets for the holidays. Some parents here CHOOSE not to vaccinate their children when African children die of preventable diseases by the boatload. Toys, clothes, vaccines, food - how much we all take for granted. Although I loved the first half of the novel for its characters and its plot, I love the second half for reminding me that we are a wasteful, shallow people. I want to have Adah's intensity, Leah's passion, but, despite thinking about the world's problems from time to time, I feel more like Rachel. Thank you Barbara Kingsolver for this wonderful book and thank you for "wearing your politics on your sleeve".

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Summary: Obviously overrated author and work
Review: I don't like Kingsolver's work but was persuaded by the many positive reviews to try yet again. What a waste of time. These characters are so flat and unbelievable--esp. the tyrannical father. I mean, I know that kids often perceive their parents in this way, but are parents really like this? I don't think so. Moreover, I felt like the role of the Congo in this story was a gimmick--this story could just as well have been told in an American setting, which Kingsolver could have done more believably, because she apparently needs a bibliography to prove to her readers that she knows something about the Congo. It was hard to like or sympathize with the characters or believe in what they were going through.

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Summary: Terrific character development with a great story line.
Review: If found myself drowning in the heat and discomfort of Africa. I loved every moment of this book, even the political developments.

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Summary: A reason to read fiction
Review: The characters in Poisonwood Bible are confronted with two essential questions: "Why are we here? What then must we do?" If you're a careful reader, by the book's end you'll not only know how you would answer, you'll understand why others choose to answer as they do. A great book, moral to its core, Tolstoyian.

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Summary: This was one of the best books I have ever read.
Review: The character development was magnificent and the story told by each of the daughters with their different perspectives was fascinating. I actually didn't want it to end it was such a pleasure to read. Delicious and thought provoking.

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Summary: A masterpiece from one of the most excellent female authors
Review: this is the crowning achievement of barbara kingsolver, obviously a labor of love, and so rich it is to be savored as slowly as the fluid style allows. historically accurate, with a true inside view of events that are not fully reported on in this country, masterfully developed characters that are obviously related, yet incredibly unique. this book is one of my top three...i don't lend it out, i buy copies for friends.

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Summary: Not The Kingsolver We Know And Love
Review: I have read all of Kingsolver's previous works, including her essays. This book pales in comparison. You knew where the characters and the story were going long before they got there. I wish I could say I enjoyed reading it. This is the first time I have ever put down one of her books without finishing it.

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Summary: Spell binding fictional history
Review: Barbara Kingsolver captured my heart as we see the Congo of the late 50's through the eyes of a zealously neurotic, (psychotic?) missionary's four female children and his wife. The Price family arrives to find political unrest and a tribal culture that captivates and hones the heart and soul leaving all of them bewildered, embattled, and scarred, tearing the foreign family structure to the ground. It makes one realize the strength of our cultures.