The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver ----------------- 3 Stars

I had never read a Barbara Kingsolver book until I took on Demon Copperhead (review here) a couple of summers ago. I heard some good things about that book and, of course, Kingsolver is quite a name in fiction. I really enjoyed Demon Copperhead, and I knew that The Poisonwood Bible is probably her most famous book. While I did, ultimately, enjoy The Poisionwood Bible, I didn't find it as entertaining and enjoyable as the book I read a couple of years ago.

I also add the word "ultimately" above, as I felt this book really started slowly. For me, it was such a slow start that I almost considered quitting. Coming in at nearly 600 pages, it's not a short or easy read. And, I found the first, nearly 200 pages, to be a pretty excruciating beginning. Sure, it was great getting to know the main characters and understanding some of their motives and interest. However, most of the first quarter to third of the book is setting the stage of their lives in Africa. While there were some interesting stories and useful details included about a life very different than the one I am used to, there was really very little excitement or conflict.

Thankfully, the book starting picking up the pace and offered some much more interesting plot turns and action as it continued. I found myself fascinated in learning more about the history of the Congo (the setting for most of the novel). It was exciting to learn that so much of the story was based on real life events and people. The short biography Kingsolver offered of her own childhood growing up in Africa also made the book more appealing.

Finally, I also enjoyed that much of the final quarter was sharing the future lives of the main characters over multiple decades. I always appreciate learning how characters end up and what their future ends up becoming. However, many books tend to not spend the time offering a glimpse of the future. 

The biggest drawbacks for me, besides the very slow start was simply the difficult I had connecting with the characters. While quite different from me and offering a quite varied perspective on the world, most of the novel centered on the female characters and their lives growing up in war-torn Africa. I also struggled with some of Kingsolver's writing style. While I appreciated her well written narratives, some of the descriptions of events, scenery, etc. were too descriptive for me, as I began to lose interest in some of her writing.

On the whole, I see why this book was so popular and was a Pulitzer finalist. It's a fine story, well written and taking on some serious issues of the world and being human. While this may be the last Kingsolver book for me, I remain open to seeing what might strike me of interest in the future.