I'm a fan of all Barbara Kingsolver's earlier works and looked forward to becoming immersed in this novel. It's written in Kingsolver's flowing style and is full of wonderful vivid images of a land I've never visited. It's an epic story that covers many years in Mexican and American history. However, unless you are extremely familiar with the history of the period, you are likely to be left struggling.

The problem with this book is that it is over-long and, being written in a diary style, too disjointed to flow well. I felt Kingsolver tries to include too many episodes in the life of its central character Harrison Shepherd that none are done in depth. We read of events, but don't learn about the characters feelings behind the action. This reporting of events meant I failed to engage with the characters as they all came across as dull.

Left at the waterfall this afternoon when I visited to search for a geocache.

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If you are new to BookCrossing and find this book and this site; welcome! Enjoy the site, the book and hopefully the BookCrossing community. I hope you'll join BookCrossing (it doesn't cost anything to join!) and if you do, please feel free to send me a Private Message, by clicking on the name “swan-scot”, to ask for help with anything.

Found it! I'm in Leeds now, so let the journey begin.