Monday, December 7, 2009

The Lacuna

It was a love-hate relationship at first.
I had a hard time warming up to the format of the book.  I started it on our 10 hour drive to Virginia for Thanksgiving, and I didn't bring a second choice, so I kept at it.


It didn't disappoint.
Set in Mexico and the U.S. in the 1930s, 40s and 50s I love the way it weaves in real people, real events and real places.  Symbolism, historical events, culture, food, foreign policy, the human element and the machine that is the United States Government as it has evolved over the past 80 years.
It's been a long time since I've read any Barbara Kingsolver.  The Bean Trees and The Poisonwood Bible were a couple of her books that I REALLY liked.  Now I'll add this to the Barbara Kingsolver power list.  FIVE stars.  I got lucky and scored a large-print edition when I requested it from the library.  Glasses were optional.

6 comments:

Becky said...

WHERE do you come UP with these books?!?! Try "Pomegranate Soup" next. I read that on my plane ride home. :)

LL said...

SERIOUSLY! the amount of reading you do is impressive!!!

Swimmingmom said...

Way to be a reader! I really want to be, really. I need to get back in the swing of things. I've only read one Barbara Kingsolver book - Animal Dreams. It's been so long, I can't remember if I enjoyed it! Next on my list of books to read is The Lovely Bones.

Courtney said...

My to-read list just went over 60.

Unknown said...

LL, I can't begin to tell you how thrilled I am to call 2009 the year of rediscovering reading. It was a wonderful decision to gift myself permission to read AT LEAST one book per month this year. Happily, I have surpassed my goal.

Swimming Mom, that same book was on my list when my sister told me not to read it. Too dark. Gladly crossed it off and moved to the next one. Too many books to read, and too little time! Let me know what you think if you decide to read it.

Yankee Girl, I can't even fathom a list of 60. I have shut myself off until Christmas. Then I'll start over again for 2010. Good Luck! And Happy Reading.

Annie said...

Jenny, I'm so glad you said that about this book! I am bogged down in the beginning so I keep choosing to read other things instead. Now I'll go back, knowing it will rise to Kingsolver's others. :)