The Bean Trees - Barbara Kingsolver

 

The Bean Trees was a holiday read for me, and I was already familiar with Kingsolver's work having read The Poisonwood Bible a few years back.

The novel begins by introducing our plucky protagonist Taylor Greer, who hails from rural Kentucky and gives a summary of an impoverished childhood. Her main goals as she goes through her teenage years are to avoid pregnancy - something many of her peers fail at - and to get out of the idle town.

As soon as she's old enough Taylor makes a break for it, driving off into the sunset in a rackety old truck with nothing but hopes for a brighter future. But during a chance stop at a garage to patch up her ailing vehicle, a desperate woman deposits a small, malnourished child in Taylor's car with a plea for help. The sorry mother is unable to care for the child and has passed her on to the nearest responsible looking person she could find. All of a sudden, and despite years of avoiding motherhood, Taylor finds herself a parent. The baby, whom she names Turtle, is underdeveloped and remains largely silent, but the pair quickly form a strong bond and against her first instinct, Taylor is fiercely protective of her new daughter.

This novel is slow, meandering and sleepy - perfect for a beach read. If you're looking for a book with a lot of plot, this isn't the one for you. Admittedly, I often steer clear of these types of novels myself, however The Bean Trees is just bursting with joy, hope and love. Taylor's journey towards freedom is paved by small yet wonderful encounters and experiences, and leads her to find a true, albeit disfunctional, family.

If you're a fan of Kingsolver's wordiness, vibrant description and excellent characterisation, I recommend you give this book a try. You might be unsure at first, as I was, but what blossoms from the pages throughout the novel is a powerful message about hope and belonging.