A Space for Barbara Kingsolver

Delicious.

That is the word that came to mind after reading Barbara Kingsolver’s new novel, Unsheltered.

Delicious!

Kingsolver is a woman who has mastered her craft of writing, and she is one of my favorites! I cannot recommend her book, enough. I know that this one got mixed reviews, but I don’t agree at all. I loved this book and loved the story, all 461pages of it!

She interweaves two stories: A contemporary family (around 2016 when Trump was getting elected), led by the matriarch Willa, her husband, father-in-law, two children, and a grandson. They move into a crumbling family house in New Jersey.  The other family is housed in the same location, and in the same small town, just a bit earlier in the 1880’s.

Kingsolver introduces us to Mary Treat, a real (and forgotten) female nineteenth-century biologist. And I loved learning about her and what she contributed to science.

Each chapter alternates between past and present, focusing on big issues like climate change, Obamacare, racism, suicide, evolution vs. creationism, and Trump.

Kingsolver’s language is rich, and the conversations between characters (both past and present) are lively and brutally honest. Each story takes place against the backdrop of major cultural changes: Climate change and Evolution.

Unsheltered challenges us to see a new way of taking shelter. Sometimes we need to become “unsheltered” to learn what’s really important: Community, connections, common humanity.

I hope you love it as much as I did!