A review by elisegmusic
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

reflective slow-paced

4.0

The year before Congo’s independence from Belgium, the Price family, led by missionary Nathan, journey to a little Congolese village in order to spread the word of God and baptize the children. Narrated in parts by the mother, Orleanna, and four daughters, Rachel, Leah, Adah, and Ruth May, we experience Congo with them, meet the different people who teach them to farm and speak the language, and experience the climate and the dangers of the land, including lions, crocodiles, and snakes. 

This novel was slow, as with other Kingsolver works, but it was a beautiful, immersive journey. Each character was painted really well, both the main characters and the side characters living in the village. If you want to learn more about Congolese history, this novel definitely helps with that goal, as the family lives through the independence, the death of Lumumba, and the takeover of Mobutu. 

I found the ending a bit drawn out. The main story lives in the time period the family spent in Congo together, but then we also see how each character spends the next 30 years of their lives. I found that, while it helped me learn more about the Congo, it didn’t really add much to each of the characters or the storyline. 

Overall a beautiful book that is definitely worth a read.
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