Welcome to . . . Read With Us Discussion Day
Bonny and Carole and I are posting discussion question(s) today for our latest RWU book . . . The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. Join the discussion by commenting on our blogs. I’ll be answering your posts within the comment section for this discussion — and you can comment on other people’s comments, as well. Y’know . . . like in a real book group.
Let’s begin!
First . . . I’d really like to know what you thought of the book. What did you like best – or least – about The Poisonwood Bible.
Second . . . When I first read this book back in the late 1990s, I was most struck by the distinct voices of the four Price sisters and their mother as narrators. In fact, the thing I remembered most clearly about my original reading of PW Bible were the voices of those Price sisters! Reading it again this time around, I remain impressed by the way Barbara Kingsolver moved the story forward entirely through those distinct narratives voices.
What do you think? How does Kingsolver differentiate among the Price sisters (and their mother), particularly in terms of their voices? What is the effect of our learning about events and people through the sisters’ eyes? And did you relate to/”like” one sister more than the others?
I can’t wait to hear what you think!
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Don’t forget: We’ll be discussing the book on Zoom tonight – 7:00 pm Eastern Time. There’s still time for you to join us! Just let me know of your interest either with a comment or by sending me an email (see sidebar, above) — and I’ll send a Zoom invitation.
PS – If you are planning to join us on the Zoom, but haven’t received an invitation from me (I sent them last Tuesday evening), please let me know so I can get the Zoom link to you today.
Having never read any Kingsolver (I tried to read Demon Copperhead) I was a little wary of this book. I can remember many bloggers I followed in the early 2000’s distinctly not liking it. But, I love this book group and so I got myself on the waitlist. I listened to the book, and I am ever so glad I did! I did also look at the book on Kindle but, for me, this story was best told by listening!
Things I did not like… the idea that far too many missionaries have about “their work” yeah… all that just really turned my stomach. I don’t think the “beat them over the head” approach works for anything… and absolutely not that!
Things I liked… how, despite their miserable father, the girls allowed themselves to be changed!! I am not sure I think Orleanna changed… I have thoughts on her. But I think the girls did the absolute unexpected (except Ruth May… sigh, I saw that coming from the get-go)
Things I really loved… how fighting for a just cause can be one’s life’s work… despite it feeling/being impossible. I realized just how important those who are willing to make “the real right thing” their life’s work are!
All in all… I absolutely loved this book and I can’t wait to discuss it tonight!
I remember loving the book the first time around but remembered very few details. And I loved it maybe more this time, I think because I am a mother now and my perspective has changed in that respect. I know that for sure this time I could admire Kingsolver’s skill as a writer much more and have a greater sense of the different voices. I really appreciated all the women’s voices and how each served a particular purpose; if I had to pick, I’d say Adah was my favorite because (due to what others viewed as her deficiencies) she was the most aware of the reality of what they were doing there and the least interested in their purpose as missionaries. I also loved the creative way she thought and how her mind worked.
Read the book back in the 90’s too. Then followed up with the library audio version (known to be back then, often superior to the commercial version). It was very enjoyable, as I remember, hearing those voices in the flesh (so to speak), but surprisingly for me, not really necessary, as Barbara Kingsolver’s voices on the page rang so loud and clear that I could “hear” them without sound effects. Loved this book, obviously, but as an adult I tend to be disinclined to re-read most books. Nevertheless my memory of this one is a vivid, happy one…Was there a movie? It could not possibly recreate those “voices” satisfyingly, in my opinion.
Better qualify. My experience reading such a beautifully written story set in such an exotic part of the world was happy – but the plight of the characters was certainly not. Plus I was a different person back then – as paknitwit pointed out – and could toss off my feelings better then than now. Another reason not to re-read some books, I’m afraid.
I loved this book when I read it way back when and I loved it even more this time listening to it (what a fabulous narrator!!). Like Sarah, I really liked Adah – I loved that she turned words around, I loved that she was quiet but saw and heard everything. I also really, really liked Rachel. Her parts in the book were laugh out loud funny to me – all her malapropisms (the one I remember most was when talking about marriage she used the word monotony rather than monogamy – LOL).
I was fascinated by how Kingsolver differentiated the narratives of each sister. Of particular note for me were Rachel’s misuse of words (usually because she was trying to sound more sophisticated and educated than she was) and Adah had her alliteration and palindromes. I think Leah was my favorite because she seemed most open and interested in actually learning about the Congo and immersing herself into the culture.
I’m not quite done with my re-read. I love the different voices of the Price women. Like many of you, Adah is my favorite. And I have more compassion for Rachel than I did at first reading. And it’s interesting that Leah, who is most intent on pursuing her father, fills a role that is both completely natural (children often DO identify with a parent whose love they long for most) and allows us to see more of Nathan than we otherwise would. As for Orleanna – both victim and accomplice – She is frustrating to “watch” but I think her failures are truer than if Kingsolver had let her be more of a hero.
Kingsolver effectively differentiates among the Price sisters (and their mother) by giving each of them a unique narrative voice and perspective in alternating chapters. I loved how she used language to differentiate their voices. Rachel had her malapropisms and Adah’s chapters were filled with wordplay. By providing the reader with the internal thoughts of all the females, we gain a deeper understanding of each of their motivations, fears, and perceptions. I liked each of them for different reasons!
I liked that it was told by each female voice. I think Adah and Leah were my favorites. The way their lives ended up seemed to fit them.