When people ask you what your favorite book is, you would often expect them to reply with, "that's a great book!", or "I haven't read that yet". For me, the typical response I'm given is "I hate that book!", and the reason they give behind it is hardly a good reason at all.
My favorite book - and an underrated one at that - is Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible.
If you haven't read it, I would obviously recommend that you do. The Poisonwood Bible tells the story of a family who moves to the Congo because the father, Nathan Price, drags his family there on a mission to "save" the people of Africa. Nathan is a Baptist who feels he can change the lives of the people in the Congo, and promises his family they will only reside there for a year. The trip lasts much longer than a year, and Nathan's wife and four daughters learn to adapt or not adapt to the environment. Some love their new home, while others try to find a way out.
This book will have you in tears (if you're one of the people who learns to love it).
The themes of this book, like many others written by Barbara Kingsolver, are feminism, forced religion, and individuality. There could be many other themes embedded in this novel as well, but these are the most reoccurring themes.
This novel is remarkably raw - which is why most people dislike it. It's realistic and heartbreaking but pulls you further into the story the more you read. The majority of people love a whole, peaceful ending in a book. To close a book and be completely content with the ending is a great feeling, but the outcomes of such books are unrealistic.
The Poisonwood Bible demonstrates likely situations and likely outcomes. While it is written pragmatically, it is also written just as beautifully. The first sentence of the book reads, "Imagine a ruin so strange it must have never happened." This line is powerful throughout the book because it tells the story of ruin and redemption within a family dealing with similar and individual hardships. These stories are meaningful and moving, and I will never understand why people don't like an ending that isn't entirely happy.
That sounds ridiculous - but why does every ending need to be happy? Endings to a story do not always need to be fortunate. People struggle through life and grow after trauma, which is what each character in this book does.
The Poisonwood Bible is too real, and a dramatic read. If you haven't read it, please consider doing so. I hope it will bring you as much heartbreak and joy as it did to me. It's incredibly emotional, and the ending will leave you feeling unresolved - but that's the best part.
