OK, so I was sitting in bed last night, and it suddenly hit me: I have short changed Barbara Kingsolver's The Lacuna in a big way! Oh sure, I sang the book's praises when The Book Whores met back in July (in fact, I was the only one who really liked the book, in a group that included three Kingsolver fans). And yes, it made my Top 10 Novels of the Year list, just squeaking in at Number 10.
The reality is, it should have ranked higher on my list: ahead of The Road, Imperial Bedrooms, and heck, even Little Bird Of Heaven. I think it's one of those novels that is going to stay with me, but more interestingly, it is one that grew on me. I didn't love it at the start, but I fell in love with it, and by the end, I was genuinely moved. I blame Mrs. Brown, who made our protagonist Harrison all the more interesting. Her devotion to him is beautifully rendered, and I dare say she's one of the best characters I've encountered on the written page in the past year. Also earning The Lacuna extra credit is the way Kingsolver portrays the after effects of the Red Scare, a time period in history that I'm so thankful I missed, and which I feel I understand even better now than I did in 10th Grade Social Studies. This novel serves as a history lesson, and when you can learn history in an entertaining way via fiction, I say kudos to the author.
Some people took issue with Frida Kahlo's appearance in this novel, feeling that she didn't fit, but to that I say: you're wrong. One of our most vibrant historical figures lends color and, more importantly for such a depressing novel, humor. Some of her exchanges with Harrison are downright hilarious!
So yes, I liked The Lacuna from the start, but it took me a little longer to realize that I love it. Please give this book a chance.
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