The Lacuna Barbara Kingsolver

[paisleyleaf]

There's a film on BBC 2 just now about Frida Kahlo that's reminded me I've got this book in a pile but not read it yet. (The size of it's putting me off, I think it's one of those hardbacks in paperbacks iykwim).
Anyone read it? Is it good?

I haven't but would like to, I saw it in the library the other day. I like her other work so I'll probably try it out.

Sorry, that was no help.

I actually thought it was very different from her previous work, and didn't like it as much - not that it isn't good, but I didn't love it the way I did her others, and found it quite hard to empathise with the characters much.

i gave up

Nothing comes close to the poisonwood bible, but I still liked the Lacuna. The main character is oddly characterless (maybe deliberately), but the bit parts are great - Frida Kahlo really jumps off the page.
it left me with a slight feeling that she was trying to make a point more than tell a story but it was still a good read.

About half way through - not sure about it although loved POisonwood Bible. Doesn't help that my copy had another book printed in it for about 50 pages (i.e. every other pag or couple of pages was another book and hterefore missed out bits of the right book......)

I gave up half way through - really couldn't get into it at all and wasn't getting that 'looking forward to picking my book up' feeling.

It's only the third time in my life that I have not finished a book. Loved the Poisonwood Bible though.

I have just finished it -thought it was excellent. Quite political. I agree with kingfix - I thought the depiction of Frida Kahlo was wonderful.

I didn't find Harrison Shepherd characterless. I think the device of it being these very honest notebooks works really well, because his nature is that he is very private, and not self absorbed ... it made it seem realistic to me, when then intercut with VB's impressions of him as the story moved on.

I loved it - really good read.

Read this, OK - but the Poisonwood Bible is still her best.

I really enjoyed it, I must read Poisonwood Bible.

loved it, was fascinated by the political stuff that I knew next to nothing about

Just loved this book - everything about it seemed fantastical but as the people who seem most surreal are.... surrealists, plus Trotsky, plus Rivera, it probably isnt that far fetched. The initial charactors are huge and overblown which Kingsolver contrasts so wonderfully with the mean-spirited McCarthyites. Neocons in the US seem to be increasingly portraying the 1950s as a golden era of endless halycon days for all. I thought La Lacuna was a pointed reminder of the reality for many.