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This book was published in 1990, but the audiobook version I listened to was recorded by Kingsolver herself in 2018. My initial reaction was that she should have gotten a professional narrator, but within the first hour, I changed my mind. Her voice in this story is so personal and she allows the emotion to come out in the narration. I felt it added an additional layer of meaning to the text, which is already a treasure. While I know that people are very focused on reading contemporary texts or older classic texts, don't sleep on this one. It is wonderful, gentle, and both sad and inspiring.
Some of the big “mysteries” in this book were pretty obvious, but overall a fast and enjoyable read.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by BJ Harrison and this review pertains to that version.
The narration is masterful, as I have come to expect from Harrison. This was a challenging story to narrate as there is a huge cast of characters to differentiate, but Harrison is up to the challenge. I can honestly say that I would never have finished this book in a written form, but the audio kept me riveted. I listened well past midnight and into the wee hours on a work night because once Rebecca was on trial, I couldn't stop until I was done.
The anti-semitism is offputting at first, but then it becomes the heart of the story as we see the evolution of several characters as they interact with Rebecca. She is the most fully developed character in the piece, and her integrity, faith, and gentle spirit inspired me as it did those characters who allowed themselves to know her. As this happened, my initial horror at the anti-semitism was transformed into hope that good people even in our day can overcome entrenched bigotry. I am glad I continued listening despite my initial reaction.