I have read other Kingsolver books and have had this one recommended by many people! With an Auto Repair shop in Arizona called Jesus is Lord Used Tires.... well, this has to be entertaining!

This was in fact much more than entertaining. I enjoyed it a lot. An easy read, but with very real people, just enough sense of humor in the writing and with the main characters to be sure nothing dreadful would happen, a keen eye for details that never becomes weighty. The last chapter is just great, the kind of ending that seems very possible and real and still leaves you feeling good. "...nothing on this earth's guaranteed, when you get right down to it, you know? ... your kids aren't really yours, they're just these people that you try to keep an eye on, and hope you'll all grow up someday to like each other and still be in one piece. What I mean is, everything you ever get is really just on loan." More homey than Kahlil Gibran. I have this reserved for Neuilly and will be sending it out soon.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

reserved for Neuilly, I'll be mailing this out tomorrow.

My first Kingsolver! I thought I had created a journal entry when I got this but it turns out I didn't - sorry! I went back and forth on my feelings of this novel. I enjoyed the different storylines and how they all joined. There was just one character that felt very unrealistic to me, and that felt more like a creation to make a point. That bothered me a bit. Otherwise the characters felt real and varied. It covered a lot without being too large of a story.

surprise book to accompany The Girl Who Fell From the Sky (bookring) on its way to Cinnycat.

This was the surprise book that I received with 'The Girl Who Fell From the Sky'. And wow, I can't believe I didn't think of it, as it is the perfect book to send with that one for a few reasons. Barbara Kingsolver started the Bellwether prize, which 'The Girl Who Fell From the Sky' received. Also, the plot lines for both books are a bit similar. I have read this one and many other Kingsolver books (Animal Dreams, Prodigal Summer, & The Poisonwood Bible being my favorites). It will be travelling again to the next reader on the book ray with 'The Girl Who Fell From the Sky' along with another book I've already picked. thanks for sending, MmeClinton!

Sent to JudySlump612 along with The Girl Who Fell From the Sky bookray. MmeClinton sent it to me, but I've already read it! It's the perfect book to go along with the ray though. Enjoy!

Received today from cinnycat with 'The Girl Who Fell From the Sky." After reading her journal entry about how well the two books complement each other, I'll have to consider following her example and sending them on together.

I quickly realized I'd read this quite some time ago. I enjoyed it this time, and remembered enjoying it previously, but surprisingly little of it had stuck in my mind - just the outline of the main problem, and its solution. Still, it's amazingly good for a first novel, and very easy and fun to read.

This time, the one detail I noticed was the character of Vergie, who comes across as racist and ignorant. So it was easy for me to dismiss her at once as a negative character. Then we find out that her companion, Edna, is blind, and Vergie has consistently been helping her in non-obvious ways. Kingsolver seems to be making the point that even a bigot can be caring and generous (within limits, admitted). I'm not sure I'm ready to be so tolerant to someone with so many offensive prejudices. But I like that Kingsolver is challenging me to examine the question.

If I remember correctly, I liked 'Pigs in Heaven,' which carries on the story of Turtle, even better than this. But that's just one person's opinion. Future readers, what do YOU think of this book?

On OBCZ shelf next to fireplace

I found his book at one of favorite ice cream shops and remembered that it had been recommended to me ten years earlier, so I nabbed it. It sat on my bookshelf for 3 years until I reached for it while packing for a summer vacation. Really enjoyed this book. Easy read, but challenges how we think about people, judge them, and sometimes try to fit them into little boxes. I'm not sure how I'll pass this book on. The ice cream shop has sadly closed after the owner underwent medical problems.

Passed on to my best bud : )

Shared with me by my oldest and dearest girlfriend.