The Lacuna – Barbara Kingsolver
This is the story of Harrison Shepherd. His parents are separated, and he grows up in the 1930s, living variously with his American father and Mexican mother. Having not started reading the novel yet – the real-life discussion group will be meeting on March 27 to talk about it – I don’t have many more details than that; but it’s by the author of the Poisonwood Bible, it won the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2010, and it’s supposed to be very good.Please don’t post any plot-spoilers before the March 27 meeting date (details of which, if anyone fancies coming along, will be appearing here: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=171217802926408) but do get reading – and posting any non-plot-spoiling reviews/comments. Thanks!
ewebber
Ace, I have just sent it to my kindle – I just need to find the charger :-S
kirsti
i read it in october/november last year and I still have images in my head – the characters and story are so well written and the whole thing incredibly clever & impressive on many levels – I hadn’t read any of her other books but certainly would now. A fabulous one for book club – an interesting discussion guaranteed!
merryama
I’d actually been meaning to read The Poisonwood Bible – also by Barbara Kingsolver – for ages; so am going to try to whizz through that before I get started on The Lacuna. Anyone else out there already read it?
ewebber
Loving the descriptions of the Mexican Zocolas
ewebber
@merryama when are you meeting to discuss? I am still only halfway through 🙁
merryama
@ewebber It was actually last night! Would be interested to hear what you make of the book once you’ve finished though; it went down quite well at book club but I personally was slightly disappointed – mostly because I was comparing it to The Poisonwood Bible which was simply fantastic. I felt the characterisation in The Lacuna was weak – I guess Harrison Shepherd is a private person by nature, but since he is the narrator I felt you didn’t get to know him very well and only saw other people through his somewhat distant eyes… Some really interesting themes about the relationship between art and politics, about censorship, and I loved the whole idea of lacunae and trying to work otut what the gaps were in terms of story telling… But one of the most important gaps was a convincing central character with whom I could identify.I’ve just posted details of the next book – and you’ll have a bit longer to read that one!