Primo selection for long plane flights; Kingsolver gets off to a slow start; you have to get into it about 50 pages, and then you are hooked. Each character seems normal and eventually is revealed for the bizarre creature he or she actually is. Gradually sensing and "watching" this family crack up in the middle of Africa is hilarious and deep.The character of Nathan is rich--he just can't "get" why the indigenous people do NOT want, or need his religion. Once he realizes this truth, his mind slowly sizzles to a snap , and his family merrily rolls along.

I found this book enjoyable, if not extraordinary. The story of an eccentric Southern minister out to save souls by dragging his wife and daughters to the Congo in the turbulent 1960's.

The multiple perspectives created a complex web of truths that could not have been discerned if the author had chosen to tell the story from one character. While that was a definite positive, I did find some of the character's perspectives to be tiring and struggled to get through their chapters. The political overtones balanced well with the colorful personal struggles of each of the daughters. Overall it was a very good book, but I had to make myself get through the last quarter or so. It would have benefited from being about 100 pages shorter.

This book was hard to get into, but well worth the effort. In fact, I found it impossible to put down once I got rolling with it. Although the ending is a bit cliched, the quirkiness of the characters and the situation make it a memorable read.

This is without a doubt one of the best fictional works I've read in some time. It is done from a unique and multiple narrative perspective. I grabs your heart from the first few chapters till the very last, will hold your attention and thoughts for quite some time.

This is one of Barbara Kingsolver's most captivating novels. A well-meaning but dense missionary believes he can impact the natives of the Congo. The book is about the impact of the Congo on his family. I wanted to shake him several times. A great read.

A book written from 5 points of view? musing on word families in african languages? evaluating ancient cultural customs from a 1960's southern baptist perspective? telling the history of an African (euro-african?) nation from the inside out?
Fantastic!! This book has well-conceived characters with unique differences that anyone with a sibling will appreciate, and its setting in Zaire in the 1960's walks you through the tumultuous events that shaped Africa into what it is today. Read this book if you loved the movie "Blood Diamond." My favorite quote: "No other continent has endured such an unspeakably bizarre combination of foreign thievery and foreign goodwill."(pg 528)
A perfect read if you enjoy an intense, thought-provoking book.

I attempted to read this book a couple of times and could not get past the first two chapters! It sounded like someone who was trying to hard in an attempt to depict southern dialect. It bothered me so much that I cringed several times. I found it boring and really hard to follow. Other people told me if I could get past the first few chapters it picks up but I couldn't put myself through it to find out!

Chapters written through the perspective of several different women, kept me on my toes, also included the political history of the Congo. Loved it!

This book was my first experience with Barbara Kingsolver and I wasn't disappointed. Wonderfully written.

This book is way up on the top of my list of good books.

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An exceptional story, and well worth reading.

The story of a missionary family that moves to Africa. It is told from several points of view - the mother and each of 4 daughters. It is very shocking at times, heartwarming at others. It is an excellent book.

Wonderful book! Enjoyed every word!

It was a little slow going for me to start and the premise of flashback I had to get used to. However, once I did it was very intriguing and I enjoyed it a lot.

Just got around to reading the book in 2008. The ending analysis of what happened to the sisters seemed too glib and sterotyped. Very thought provoking about the role of religious evangelism in breaking down cultures.

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Riveting - a great read - really opens your mind to another life.

This is the large paperback. Not mass market size.

Editors' Choice
New York Times Book Review
Haunting
An ambitious, successful and beautiful novel.

Very good book. I lost alot of sleep while reading this because I could not put it down.

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