Product Description

As far back as she can remember, Codi Noline had felt an outsider in her hometown of Grace, Arizona. Her dispassionate father - 'an obelisk of disapproval' - had always kept Codi and her sister Hallie apart from most of the townspeople. But now Hallie is abroad and Codi, troubled and lost, is returning after a fifteen-year absence to confront her past and face her ailing father. What Codi finds is a town threatened by a silent catastrophe, some startling clues to her own identity, and a man whose view of the world could change the course of her life. And what she learns about herself though experiences, dreams and conversations becomes an invaluable tool to unravelling the discontent - and the 'something' that has haunted her since childhood.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #106187 in Books
• Published on: 1992-05-28
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

Review
'A rich, compassionate book' Alice Hoffman 'If you enjoy prose, you'll treasure ANIMAL DREAMS. A beautiful, memorable novel full of scenes and images that linger in the mind' Tony Hillerman 'ANIMAL DREAMS is one of those rare novels I could not put down and left me wondering whether to go back to the beginning or simply anticipate the next product from this woman's pen' LOS ANGELES TIMES

About the Author
Barbara Kingsolver is the author of the novels THE BEAN TREES and PIGS IN HEAVEN and the short sory collection HOMELAND. She grew up in eastern Kentucky and now lives in Tucson, Arizona with her husband and daughter

Customer Reviews

Beautifully written story of love and ecology
Like many people, I first encountered Kingsolver's work through the magnificent The Poisonwood Bible. After finishing it, I turned to her other novels - one of which was Animal Dreams. To a certain extent, it's a disappointing read in comparison with the scale of The Poisonwood Bible: it lacks the different narrators with their compelling and individual voices and the epic vision which she brought to the relationship between Africa and the 'First World'. However, Animal Dreams is written with the same compassion, the same insight into the lives and emotions of women, the same understanding of complex parent-child relationships, and the same passionate, fervant and whole-hearted sorrow and anger at humankind's lack of respect for the environment. The book is the story of Codi, returning to her home town where she was an unhappy teenager whose life was marked by two familial deaths, because her father, the town doctor, is losing his memory and becoming confused. Her sister Hallie is in Africa, helping to rebuild a community. Kingsolver charts Codi's relationship with the town, its inhabitants, her father, Hallie and Loyd, whom she dated a few times in high school, with skill and humour. Codi is an utterly believable character, traumatised by unhappy events in the past and unsure if she is willing to risk hurt again. Kingsolver's best writing occurs when she describes the landscape and the damage perpetrated upon it by greedy corporations, although the novel veers towards the didactic at times. I felt that Codi's relationship with Loyd is a little unconvincing. Loyd is never fully realised, and his Native American descent makes him virtuous, in perfect communion with the landscape, and able to heal Codi's emotional wounds; perhaps Kingsolver should have made him less of a paragon. I would love to see Kingsolver tackle her themes on a larger scale and tackle the 'great American novel', but this is certainly a moving and evocative read, which I definitely recommend to everyone.

Reminded me how beautiful writing can be
Barbara Kingsolver weaves words with the ease and artistry of those who are truly gifted. And Animal Dreams contains some of her most beautiful writing. Her images are so vivid they drew me in and wrapped me in their language. Her characters and relationships are true and as poignant and sad as they are strong and beautiful. I keep this book close by because it inspires me to write and to read beautiful work.

Very Enjoyable and Insightful Novel
Barbara Kingsolver deserves recognition and gratitude from the world for writing such a beautiful book as Animal Dreams. The novel mixes the themes of culture, love, and death with a woman's struggle to find herself in life. Her interesting quest seems to be to achieve tranquility with the world around her. Following this woman on her journey to find her place is an exhilirating and invigorating adventure. Animal Dreams is a beautifully written book that should be read by all who are literate.