I really enjoy Barbara Kingsolver's books, but I didn't start reading her until I fell in love with Prodigal Summer, published in 2000. I've read most of what she's published since then, which means I have all her early stuff to read. I started on the backlist with The Bean Trees, published in 1988, and it was fantastic!
Here's the GoodReads synopsis:
Clear-eyed and spirited, Taylor Greer grew up poor in rural Kentucky with the goals of avoiding pregnancy and getting away. But when she heads west with high hopes and a barely functional car, she meets the human condition head-on. By the time Taylor arrives in Tucson, Arizona, she has acquired a completely unexpected child, a three-year-old American Indian girl named Turtle, and must somehow come to terms with both motherhood and the necessity for putting down roots. Hers is a story about love and friendship, abandonment and belonging, and the discovery of surprising resources in apparently empty places.
As with most synopses, you get the plot but not the heart and the heart (and writing) are what makes this novel sing. Taylor is a very young woman, but she shoulders the responsibility of caring for an abused baby that is literally thrust upon her. She figures out how to feed, clothe, soothe, and protect this child, and in the process gains a supportive network of friends and allies who become family.
In some ways, the story is dated--of course, there are no cell phones, Amazon, smart watches, and all the other trappings of life in the 21st century--but the themes and stories are timeless. The subplot of Estevan and Esperanza, refugees from Guatemala who fled for their lives, leaving behind their kidnapped and probably murdered daughter, is particularly relevant these days.
The bean trees of the title are wisteria trees--their seed pods look like green beans. Turtle, Taylor's adopted daughter, has a mania for plants, especially vegetables, and she renamed the wisteria "bean trees." Cute, right?!
Fun Fact (and speaking of cute): I found Turtle's favorite book, Old MacDonald Had an Apartment House. Urban gardening without a rooftop garden plot. I may just have to get a copy for my gardening bookshelf!
I love this one, too. Animal Dreams is probably my favorite book of hers. Though I haven't read them all yet. :D
ReplyDeleteI've heard Animal Dreams is great, but next for me is the sequel to The Bean Trees, Pigs in Heaven.
DeleteNice review and I have been meaning to read Demon Copperfield but The Bean Trees sounds really good and I will try that one first. And it just so happens I've been looking for books set in rural KY.
ReplyDeleteThe Bean Trees does start out in KY, but most of the book takes place in Tucson, AZ, with some important bits in Oklahoma.
DeleteI have not read early Kingsolver either but I should. I'm quite interested to see what she follows Demon Copperhead with. It's neat to see you found Turtle's favorite book ... was that at the library? I like following Kingsolver's posts on Instagram ... and her garden.
ReplyDeleteI found Turtle's favorite book on Amazon, but didn't buy it. My library doesn't have a copy--I'm sure it is somewhat rare to find other than on Amazon these days. It does look cute.
DeleteKingsolver's topics are pretty far-ranging. I agree--it will be interesting to see what she does next. My bets are on an anti-oligarchy scenario.
I probably read this around 1990 and liked it well enough, but didn't start to love Kingsolver's work until about ten years later. I still say Prodigal Summer is my favorite, but I've yet to reread it. The Lacuna is on my list for later this year and then I'll start rereading, beginning with The Bean Trees.
ReplyDeleteThe Lacuna was one of the first Kingsolver novels that I read. I have mixed feelings about it--loved the part in Mexico with Frida and Diego, but the part in DC felt like a different story. I'll be eager to hear what you think about it.
DeleteThe Bean Trees is probably one of my lesser favourites by Barbara Kingsolver whom I absolutely love. But it's still a great book, no dispute. My favourites are The Mulvaneys and The Lacuna. But none of her books is so bad that I wouldn't recommend her.
ReplyDeletehttps://momobookblog.blogspot.com/2011/06/kingsolver-barbara-bean-trees.html