Journal Entry 1 by esq228 from Phoenix, Arizona USA on Saturday, April 16, 2005

Just purchased from local book fair bag sale. 

Journal Entry 2 by esq228 from Phoenix, Arizona USA on Thursday, August 11, 2005

Offering as bookring even though there were only 3 people interested...anyway, the order is...

kinedi (UK)
mirp (Ireland)
your-book-fairy
Gypsieyzs
back to me... 

Journal Entry 3 by esq228 from Phoenix, Arizona USA on Wednesday, September 07, 2005

And we're off...posted today (airmail) to kinedi in the UK. 

Journal Entry 4 by kinedi from Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom on Tuesday, September 13, 2005

Arrived in the post yesterday. Thanks very much. 

Journal Entry 5 by kinedi from Edinburgh, Scotland United Kingdom on Monday, September 19, 2005

I really enjoyed this novel having previously also tremendously enjoyed 'The Poisonwood Bible' The book is set deeply in the American South where people speak 'funny' and all the characters are somehow linked to each other without really knowing it or initially appreciating the relations. The characters are all well described and it certainly gripped me to find out what would happen to them. The aspect I was struggeling with though, which is probably a shame from the author's point of view, are the constant references to wildlife, nature, insects and bugs etc. Every chapter is under a different heading like 'Moth love' or 'predators' which is vital to the relationship of the people described but I am Big City Girl so to be honest I found that a bit boring and could not really relate to it. I found myself skimming over those parts until the 'human' characters took centre stage again. All in all though it was a really good read and I loved the people and their different ways of love very interesting.I am looking forward to reading some more of her material. Thanks for organising this bookring esq228.

The book will travel with me to Canada in 2 weeks where I will post it to your-book-fairy in the great city of New York ! 

Journal Entry 6 by mirp from Dublin, Co. Dublin Ireland on Monday, October 03, 2005

This beautiful edition of Prodigal Summer arrived in the post today. I'm currently reading another 'ring' book but I hope to start this one in a couple of days. I have to say, it looks very appealing and I'm looking forward to reading it.

I'm not well at the moment :( Don't have the concentration for reading so I'll send this on to the next person on the list.

Posted 18/10/05 

Journal Entry 7 by your-book-fairy from South Orange, New Jersey USA on Wednesday, November 02, 2005

This one came in the mail last night. I also just finished the Poisonwood Bible and read The Bean Trees and Pigs in Heaven earlier this year, so I'm glad to have sort of made 2005 my Year of the Kingsolver. I've got another bookring ahead of this one on Mt. TBR, but I'm excited to say that I am well ahead on my schoolwork and have plenty of time for reading these days!

Thanks to everyone who got the book this far, I'm looking forward to it! 

Journal Entry 8 by your-book-fairy from South Orange, New Jersey USA on Monday, December 12, 2005

I feel like I've had this book forever and was dangerously close to passing it on without reading it once things got busy at home, which would have been a first for me with bookrings and a real shame because I'd been looking forward to this one.

So I did hold it longer than I planned, but at least just barely over the one month limit that is good bookring manners. And in the end, hoarding the book longer than I wanted to was totally worth it. This was my favorite of the four books of hers I've read this year, though it's hard to put my finger on why. All of her writing centers around strong, unique women facing trying times, but the women in this book seemed easier to relate to... although it also seems many of her characters tend to have a self centeredness and stubbornness that can also make them hard to enjoy. I was surprised that I was really taken by Deanna at first and less so with Lusa, but by the end of the book I was a little fed up with Deanna and was really rooting for Lusa. Frankly, I ended up liking all the characters in the book, and that doesn't always happen.

I can see the point about a lot of the bug and animal references sort of getting in the way, so I was glad that they weren't in there as much as I expected. By the end I couldn't put the book down, wanting to know how things would tie together and how they would end up. This is the kind of book that I would want a sequel to, but at the same time I'm happy without one because I've already imagined how things will turn out.

I'll be getting this in the mail as soon as I have Gypsieyzs' address. Thanks for the ring, I'm so glad to have read this! 

Journal Entry 9 by your-book-fairy from South Orange, New Jersey USA on Monday, January 02, 2006

I wasn't able to contact Gypsieyzs, so this was mailed home to esq228 last week. Thanks again for sharing! 

Journal Entry 10 by esq228 from Phoenix, Arizona USA on Thursday, January 12, 2006

Arrived home safe & sound. It was a relatively short trip, but at least a few folks were able to share. 

Journal Entry 11 by esq228 from Phoenix, Arizona USA on Friday, February 17, 2006

This was my first Kingsolver read, and I was not disappointed. There is little to say that hasn't already been said, so I will just add that despite being a city girl myself, I was mesmerized by Kingsolver's ability to make nature appear so rich and sensual. To be honest, it made me want to go spend some time in the woods. And although I too have imagined what happens next, I would love it if there was a sequel!