Unsheltered

A Novel

By: Barbara Kingsolver

Narrated by: Barbara Kingsolver

The New York Times best-selling author of Flight Behavior, The Lacuna, and The Poisonwood Bible and recipient of numerous literary awards - including the National Humanities Medal, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, and the Orange Prize - returns with a timely novel that interweaves past and present to explore the human capacity for resiliency and compassion in times of great upheaval.

Willa Knox has always prided herself on being the embodiment of responsibility for her family. Which is why it’s so unnerving that she’s arrived at middle age with nothing to show for her hard work and dedication but a stack of unpaid bills and an inherited brick home in Vineland, New Jersey, that is literally falling apart. The magazine where she worked has folded, and the college where her husband had tenure has closed. The dilapidated house is also home to her ailing and cantankerous Greek father-in-law and her two grown children: her stubborn, free-spirited daughter, Tig, and her dutiful debt-ridden, ivy educated son, Zeke, who has arrived with his unplanned baby in the wake of a life-shattering development.

In an act of desperation, Willa begins to investigate the history of her home, hoping that the local historical preservation society might take an interest and provide funding for its direly needed repairs. Through her research into Vineland’s past and its creation as a Utopian community, she discovers a kindred spirit from the 1880s, Thatcher Greenwood.

A science teacher with a lifelong passion for honest investigation, Thatcher finds himself under siege in his community for telling the truth: his employer forbids him to speak of the exciting new theory recently published by Charles Darwin. Thatcher’s friendships with a brilliant woman scientist and a renegade newspaper editor draw him into a vendetta with the town’s most powerful men. At home, his new wife and status-conscious mother-in-law bristle at the risk of scandal, and dismiss his financial worries and the news that their elegant house is structurally unsound.

Brilliantly executed and compulsively listenable, Unsheltered is the story of two families, in two centuries, who live at the corner of Sixth and Plum, as they navigate the challenges of surviving a world in the throes of major cultural shifts. In this mesmerizing story told in alternating chapters, Willa and Thatcher come to realize that though the future is uncertain, even unnerving, shelter can be found in the bonds of kindred - whether family or friends - and in the strength of the human spirit.

©2018 Barbara Kingsolver (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers

Entertaining but slow in places

I was really looking forward to listening to this book - but it fell a little short. The different voices were irritating to listen to, and while the book explored some really interesting themes I somehow expected more dramatic moments . Loved the lead protagonist Wilma - great to have a mid 50’s female as the central figure

Very thought provoking

Took me a while to get into this story. But I grew to really love the parallels between the two time periods. I learned a great deal about several subjects - botany, the ecology-reuse movement, and family relationships. Overall I would recommend this without hesitation.

Rich

Thank you Barbara Kingsolver.

I loved the interweaving or today’s issues and yesteryear’s. Amazing that in a hundred years or so society hasn’t gotten any wiser and we are still pushing the cart up a steep hill so to speak. This one took a little time to warm up to but it was both funny and alarming. I would like to hear more of Willa and her family’s adventure as well as Mary Treat’s.

lovely story, but the voice took getting used to

Initially, I didn't care for the authors voice/accents/voices. They seemed tacky and contrived. combined with the authors own half baked accent, I wasn't sure I could listen to the whole book. For example, Mary speaks so slowly & carefully, I thought the was actually 'slow' and inept or insecure or something, but I got used to it after a few chapters, & the story swept me away. (also I adjusted the speed of the reading, & that helped.) I love her writing so much, it was worth it. Bravo once again Barbara Kingsolver!

very entertaining

Beautifully written, Keeps the reader entertained with interwoven storylines involving some historical characters, while addressing urgent issues of our times. In my view, the book would have benefited from some editing to shorten the latter part, but this is a minor quibble.

Excellent Storytelling

I loved the audible version. Barbara's voice was perfect for telling this interesting and intriguing take.

Magnificent

Hearing the authors voice narrating is enriching, the natural extension of this gifted story teller,in her own voice. Barbara's creation in place, her subtlety & sensitivity with extended family and community players over five generation is woven with magic and grit. Place interacts in meaningful, characterlogical ways due to leaderships steely voice of truth exposed as lies but few in the community have courage to persieve. Superb.

I wanted to be wowed....

I love most of Barbara Kingsolver's novels, especially her early ones. This one reminds me of "Prodigal Summer." It is substantial metaphorically, but really gets bogged down in that and the "science" that she includes. I love learning new things, but I actually found myself bored and my mind wandered and I had to rewind and replay certain sections. If you are a BK fan, go ahead and read it. You may find the story grabs you differently. I will say, however, that her character development is EXTRAORDINARILY good. I found myself frustrated and irritated with certain characters and, actually, that is pretty cool. She creates a 3D personality.

So good I miss it now that it is finished

I always treasure Barbara Kingsolver’s books and this was no exception. I learn so many detailed things about life I hadn’t paid attention to previously which are woven into a wonderful way of telling a story and introducing delightful characters and some not so delightful characters.

Disappointed

I have been a Barbara Kingsolver fan for a long time but I'm afraid this work of hers left me flat. Her writing is still dazzling but the story line and the characters just never came together for me. But I will say it's always great to hear her voice. Not awful but just didn't do it for me.