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She is one author that does an excellent job reading her own work. Not all authors can do that. She has the perfect accent for the southerners in this novel set in the Tennessee mountains. However, when she did Ovid Byron who is an American, born in the islands. I just felt his accent fluctuated from Island to East Indian at times but that's a really minor complaint. The audio was terrific.

Dellarobia (she said she was named after the Scandinavian Christmas wreath her mother admired) is very discouraged with her life. She married at 17 when she "fell" pregnant and then lost the baby. This ended her dreams of going to college. She put effort into making the best of her life; she and Cub, her husband, have gone on to have a son and now a daughter who is now a toddler. We meet her as she's decided to climb up the mountain near her home and meet with a young man (younger than her) who has turned her head. It's not that she hates her husband or that he is mean or bad in any way. It's just her dissatisfaction with her life and she knows this is wrong but is feeling driven. Until she comes near that top of the mountain and sees what looks like a living, cold, flame. She doesn't have her glasses and is quite nearsighted, she really can't focus on this vision but it turns her around from her mission. She thinks of the bible passage of the burning bush.

Cub's family are farmers, her in-laws are not loving; she feels that she can't please her mother-in-law no matter what she does. Her own parents died young. Her father-in-law, Bear, is very much the authoritarian head of the family. Cub and Dellarobia live on the family property. They belong to the same church, a Southern Baptist, and Kingsolver did a wonderful job with the pastor's character. She could have colored him in stereotypic shades but she did the opposite and made him caring and charismatic in a very good way.

The monarch butterflies are the center of the action and the changes that happen in the family and community. Kingsolver delivers wonderful characters, in addition to Dellarobia and Cub are their delightful children the thoughtful and curious 8 year old son Preston, and the active and mischievous toddler Cordelia. Mother-in-law Hester has her rough edges but when Dellarobia asks her pointed questions, she shares an interesting viewpoint.

There are some tense moments with the butterflies and one very well-drawn one with a lamb. Kingsolver's writing is poetic, some phrases made me smile, or catch my breath. This review is getting too long and I don't want to spoil this wonderful story. I highly recommend it and my other favorite Kingsolver, Prodigal Summer

Nice review! I really loved this book as well!

Amy wrote: "Nice review! I really loved this book as well!"

Thanks Amy!

Lovely review! I also listened to the audio. I characterized her attempt as a vaguely “Caribbean” accent for Ovid.

Barbara, your glowing review and 5 star rating have led me to begin reading the book, a book that I would not have found on my own. So far, I'm enjoying it. Thanks! ;0)

Great review! I really admire Barbara Kingsolver. Her books have really stayed with me for a long time. Environmental themes are becoming more popular in fiction right now, and she was way ahead of the curve. I really liked this book and Prodigal Summer. Prodigal summer disappointed me at the time though, only because I thought the two main characters were eventually going to meet and become good friends. I might read one of these books again.

I would recommend any of her books for our February tag, though I haven't read her latest work (which didn't get high ratings). I also liked her book The Lacuna which was a little ahead of the curve by featuring a gay main character. It also includes McCarthyism, Frida Kahlo, and a Russian Communist who stayed at her house when the MC was there.

Just picked up a copy at the wonderful used book store just up the road! Not sure when I will get to it, but I will. Prodigal Summer is one of my most favorite books, ever.

Excellent review, I just finished this today. I've always been a big fan of Kingsolver and this one was so well done!