Product Description

Continuing the story begun in "The Bean Trees", this novel features the characters Taylor and Turtle as they witness an event whose repercussions will change their lives forever. By the author of "Animal Dreams" and "Homeland".

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #27419 in Books
• Published on: 1998-01-03
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 352 pages

Customer Reviews

Probably the best ending you'll ever read in a book!
The story involves 3 generations of women, the mother, Alice, the daughter, Tyler, and Tyler's adopted Cherokee daughter, Turtle. As a consequence of appearing on a TV show because Turtle has saved someone's life, all their futures change. This is a brilliant book, not just for the story (which is excellent) but also for the additional information on the American Indian's history and present problems. A brilliant book - with the best ending you will ever read!

Heart-rending story on the nature of family
This is the kind of book that you finish reading and then force on all of your friends. An examination of family, race and belonging as well as a fascinating insight into modern Native American life, this book offers no easy answers to the questions it raises. There are no goodies and baddies, simply people whose views of what is best differ. Proves once again that Barbara Kingsolver is one of America's greatest novelists.

Good, but "The Bean Trees" is better
Kingsolver is one of my favourite new discoveries. "The Poisonwood Bible" is so good it hurts, "The Prodigal Summer" oozes great characters and descriptions of both human and animal behaviour that take your breath away. Kingsolver still has her moments of brilliance in this novel; I wanted to copy out the description of Turtle's reaction to being in a plane and make everyone I know read it, but the whole is not as satisfying as many of her other works. "Pigs in Heaven" does not disappoint exactly, but the ironic, intelligent voice of Taylor Greer, which made "The Bean Trees" such a delight is missing, and with it goes much of the charm of the earlier work.