Reviews tagging 'Pandemic/Epidemic'

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

4 reviews

booksoversecondbreakfast's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

I feel so conflicted about this book. It was very thematically profound and it's one I anticipate thinking about often in the future, but it was also so boring and so slow at times. It felt simultaneously like a 2 star book, in that it was so uncomfortable to read at times and I really had to drag myself to finish it. But it was also felt like a 4 star book, because it really is a beautiful book, with elegant prose and powerful themes.

I liked the imagery of the eyes in the trees, and I like the parallel way in which Leah's four kids all had personalities that aligned with the four personalities of the original four sisters. I really loved Leah and Adah's characters and their character development, but I really disliked Rachel and the Father's. I think that's part of the point, but it just made it a not-so-satisfying book for me.

I think the book was good in that it got me looking into Central Africa. This was the first book I've read that takes place in that region. The theme of colonialism was just really rough to read about, and I found it frustrating reading a book featuring a family taking part in contributing so strongly to the forces of colonialism. I loved that the book still featured the resiliency of the Congolese people and of Africa as a whole though. I think if it weren't for that, I would have rated this book even lower.

I don't know that I will read this book again, but it has definitely impacted me, and has some quotes I anticipate looking back to. I don't regret the time spent reading it, but I've read much more engaging books before, so I feel like 3 stars reasonably fits this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Racism, Religious bigotry, and Colonisation

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Death of parent, Murder, War, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Cancer and Alcohol

fpcat99's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Colonisation, War, Classism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

bookswithcuppatea's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The five narrators have such different voices, such different perspectives on their lives in Africa as outsiders. Kingsolver has woven an extraordinary tale.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexism, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Suicidal thoughts

linddykal's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child death, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Violence, Xenophobia, Death of parent, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Infertility