Sharona L

I enjoyed this book and it will leave a lasting impression. I knew nothing of the colonial history of The Congo and it’s struggle for Independence and was fascinated to learn and go on google side journeys as I read. On this broader canvas Kingsolver writes the multiple perspectives of a white American missionary family, their engagement with their inner selves and the people and culture of their Congolese village. Their experiences, motivations and impacts are diverse but ultimately shaped by their varying circumstances from 1959-1990s. Kingsolver’s writing style is easy and evocative but perhaps too romantic and fatalistic in exploring the complexity, beauty and horror of colonial Africa in transition. Definitely an engaging starting point to explore and look beyond American and European perspectives.