The story of a family who, led by their Baptist preacher father, go on a mission to the Belgian Congo in 1959. The story is told by five narrators, the mother and her four daughters. It is an amazingly beautiful tale of not just the innerworkings of one family, but set that on the backdrop of a completely different world and a raging political war. The story follows these daughters through their lives and how this mission changed those lives completely.

Everything. This book is absolutely amazing. The language is so descriptive and the story is poignantly told. Using five different narrators works so well with the story. You get so many points of view, and instead of confusing the reader, it just brings the reader closer to each character. You really feel as if you know the characters. The ending is absolutely fantastic. It's not completely close ended, but you get a definite feeling of closure, which is just so amazing. Wonderful, wonderful book.

I don't think there's anything I didn't like. There's a lot of politics involved, but since four of the narrators are children, what's going on is generally brought to any level.

Read it again! It was great reading and not knowing what was going to happen, but reading it again the reader would be able to pull out even more information then they got the first time.

Amazingly happy and sad at the same time. Africa's history is so chaotic, and throughout the book the reader gets a first hand account of not only Belgium cruelty, but America's. It's hard to face the mistakes of your own country, but I think it's an important side to look at.

Barbara Kingsolver is wonderful. I have also read another book by her entitled "Bean Trees". She's an amazing author with a hypnotizing style and gorgeous word use. I can't wait to read more by her.

It is absolutely fabulous. It makes you laugh, cry, think, and just feel. These characters will become a part of the reader, and make the reader the better for it.

I do recommend it to everyone!

This is an absolutely fabulous novel that everyone should read. I recommend it to anyone, and sincerely hope you'll check it out sometime.

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Created May 30, 2003 at 2:46pm • Submit your own review...