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The Poisonwood Bible
- Narrated by: Dean Robertson
- Length: 15 hrs and 34 mins
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The Poisonwood Bible
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Summary
“A powerful new epic... [Kingsolver] has with infinitely steady hands worked the prickly threads of religion, politics, race, sin and redemption into a thing of terrible beauty.” - Los Angeles Times Book Review
The Poisonwood Bible is a story told by the wife and four daughters of Nathan Price, a fierce, evangelical Baptist who takes his family and mission to the Belgian Congo in 1959. They carry with them everything they believe they will need from home, but soon find that all of it - from garden seeds to Scripture - is calamitously transformed on African soil. What follows is a suspenseful epic of one family’s tragic undoing and remarkable reconstruction over the course of three decades in postcolonial Africa.
The novel is set against one of the most dramatic political chronicles of the twentieth century: the Congo's fight for independence from Belgium, the murder of its first elected prime minister, the CIA coup to install his replacement, and the insidious progress of a world economic order that robs the fledgling African nation of its autonomy. Taking its place alongside the classic works of postcolonial literature, this ambitious novel establishes Kingsolver as one of the most thoughtful and daring of modern writers.
Critic reviews
"Haunting...A novel of character, a narrative shaped by keen-eyed women." (New York Times Book Review)
"Beautifully written....Kingsolver's tale of domestic tragedy is more than just a well-told yarn.. Played out against the bloody backdrop of political struggles in Congo that continue to this day, it is also particularly timely." (People)
"The book's sheer enjoyability is given depth by Kingsolver's insight and compassion for Congo, including its people, and their language and sayings." (Boston Globe)
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What listeners say about The Poisonwood Bible
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- MISS D D J MACGREGOR
- 16-08-20
poisonwood bible
the narration needed to be clearer in her separation of the voices involved. because the narrator did not change her voice it was difficult to separate who was narrating at any one time.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 04-08-17
Great story, poor recording
Really brilliant story, set in real historical events. Disapointing quality of the audio though, which sounds really odd.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 24-08-20
If you’ve ever been to Africa...
... this book is for you...& if you haven’t inhale every word, colour, scent and delight. Tragedy and loss, political unrest are intermingled with a vine from the Congolese rain forest; let it wrap its tendrils around you.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Josie
- 28-12-15
Wonderful story brilliantly read
Possibly quite a slow read as the wording can be a bit dense but well worth it, the nuisances of this book were beautiful and interesting, I can honestly see this book becoming one of my all time favourites. It's a story that has held with me, I continue to think about and muse over it even well after reading.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mrs L M Russell
- 26-02-18
excellent
I totally loved this story. it was little women with a political edge. the characters telling their own story made them real with all their own voices and each one I related to and had sympathy for.. the situation in the Congo was well told and sympathetic and insightful, interesting as i hadnt know much about itl. I liked that it followed the family way after too without one of those open endings. A page turning interesting read. the narrating was a little fast to begin with but it actually kept the pace going and I got used to it.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- The Lens
- 06-01-23
brilliant
A well-researched, beautifully written story of an American family who move to the Congo to be missionaries.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- AJCW
- 25-05-23
Just as brilliant as all those years ago
It's an education. Brilliantly narrated and every bit as good as reading the book itself all those years ago. So thought provoking....... Highly recommended......
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Henry’s Glam-ma
- 19-03-23
Sublime writing. Meandering story
She’s an astonishing writer and I carried on listening to hear her lovely sets of prose. It does meander a bit, however is worth a listen as the reader gets invested in this family in the Congo and wants to know how they do!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- J Maye
- 27-09-23
Engrossing, moving, but too long.
This is a great book, but I found some aspects of the audio version off-putting, so I ended up getting a print copy as well. The narrator seemed too rushed, and failed to differentiate between the various voices. Plus, I couldn’t check back on things easily, as the individual mini chapters (within the book Parts) weren’t listed in the audio version.
The brilliant storytelling and descriptions of Africa transported me to the Congo, and the first half was compulsive reading/listening. Somehow the second half, after the crucial turning point, was less absorbing and seemed to be stretched out for too long.
The characters were vividly drawn although at times I felt the young girls’ philosophical observations (apart from those of the more shallow Rachel) seemed impossibly mature and earnest for their years - and at those points they felt more like symbols of certain truths or points of view than real characters.
A powerful, not-to-be-forgotten read though.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 31-07-19
Listen to and read this wonderful book
This is probably the best modern novel an American has ever written about Colonialism - physical, psychological and emotional - and so beautifully read in all the different voices that it took my breath away.
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