One of the best books about growing up and motherhood it has ever been my privilege to read. Kingsolver has a voice and she uses it in a very satisfactory way. ( )

Tess Davis
August 23, 2009

The Bean Trees
The Bean Trees begins with the main character Taylor Greer, who I thought was a strong character for many reasons. She knew what she wanted in life, which did not include staying in Kentucky any longer, and that she did not want to become pregnant like all the other girls in her small town. Taylor wanted to escape and find adventure in life. Since the story was told from her point of view it made it very enjoyable to read because it was humorous and filled with her thoughts. She was independent and opinionated, yet did not seem very good at expressing affectionate emotions. I also thought Taylor Greer was very responsible because she cared for Turtle. Turtle was an abandoned child who was abused, that Taylor found and cared for. I thought it was funny how Taylor named the child Turtle because of how clingy she was, just like the mud turtles back at her home in Kentucky. It was heartbreaking to me that Turtle had been abused physically and sexually.
The character Lou Ann Ruiz was very different from Taylor. Lou Ann and Taylor became friends because Lou Ann needed a roommate when her husband left and Taylor and Turtle needed a place to stay. Lou Ann was sensitive, unlike Taylor, yet always seemed to be stressed or worried about something. Despite their differences these girls became friends right away. I thought of Lou Ann as a concerned and accountable mother who always put her baby son Dwayne Ray first. The aspect of this character I did not like was that she always seemed to be paranoid and a little uptight. However, both of these characters were from Kentucky, good friends to each other, and cared for a child.
A touching moment from the story was when Taylor selflessly helped a Guatemalan refugee couple, named Estevan and Esperanza escape to an illegal immigrant sanctuary. In return, the couple reciprocated; by pretending that they were Turtle’s parents so that Taylor could keep the baby and not lose her to social services. For me, this was one of the most moving chapters in the entire story. Despite having several great story lines and good character development, there were also two themes that were reoccurring throughout the book.
One theme that I found very important in this book was the role of women in society. Over many years women have had unequal treatment, compared to men, and have gone through many hardships, which I feel this book displays. At such a young age Turtle had been forced to face a terrible hardship and maybe if she wasn’t a woman she would not have had to go through that. The story also talked about how Lou Ann went through some troubles with men. Esperanza, a Guatemalan refugee, had already faced troubles that came with being a woman along with being an illegal immigrant. She had very limited education and little job opportunities compared to men, but she ended up overcoming her difficulties. Even though this book is set in the early 1980s in Arizona, I feel that women still face many of these struggles today. This story displays the many roles of women in general and not just as individuals.
Another significant theme I recognized in this book was the effect that nature and the environment have on everyday life. The character Mattie, who owned the tire shop that Taylor worked at, had a beautiful garden in the back of her shop. The beauty of this land made all who saw it respect the environment and care for other things as well. The garden and the bean trees symbolized the cycle of life. Crops would be planted and they would grow and flourish with the help of many things such as the sunlight, rain, and soil, just like the surroundings in our lives that help us grow. Then the plants would be harvested to eat. Finally, they would die off for the winter and come back in the spring, thus finishing the cycle of life.
I really enjoyed The Bean Trees because of the strong characters that were able to overcome many difficulties. I liked how the book was told through Taylor’s point of view because it showed that she has strengths and weaknesses just like everyone else. Lastly, the underlying themes of the book easily relate to everyday life and the struggles many people face throughout their lives.

We are first introduced to Taylor Greer and Turtle in this novel. Taylor is a carefree spirit, who leave Kentucky to head west to Arizona. She is left with an abandoned toddler, Turtle and is suddenly responsible for the welfare of this child. Kingsolver brings many interesting characters into this story, while infusing some real-life issues. Excellent book ( )

This is the first book that I've read by Barbara Kingsolver, and I wasn't impressed. She does have a beautiful knack for describing characters and their varying personalities, but it's as if she doesn't know what to do with them after they've been introduced. The actions don't match what she describes. She's very inconsistent. For instance; the main character is supposed to be very close to her mother, but rarely calls or writes. In fact, when her mom gets remarried, she doesn't even attend or visit. Doesn't this seem odd for such a close and tight relationship? She then supposedly found a friend in a girl at a fast food joint, but drops the friendship as soon as she's fired from the joint. Why introduce such a character and describe a fondness, then drop them like a hot potato? She then fell in "love" with Estevan; a man who is married and she barely knows. All she knows for certain is, "that he speaks fine English". Now, really...what a nitwit! Barbara Kingsolver portrays the main character as an independent young woman (at the beginning), but as soon as she's threatened with a little snag (Turtle being taken away) she becomes helpless...and uncaring. I felt that the only reason she kept and fought for Turtle was jealousy. As soon as she saw the love and adoration between Turtle and Esperanza, she realized that she wanted her?? The main character is completely selfish and this was a horrid story. I will give Barbara Kingsolver the benefit of the doubt and try one more book, but if she continues to tease me with her entry of lovely characters and then the unexplainable disappearance of them, I shall put her on my forever "do not read" list. ( )

I enjoyed this novel - not my favorite by Kingsolver, though. A young girl has just graduated from high school and leaves her mother behind (they are very close) to see what she can make of her future. At one of her stops, a woman approaches her car and gives her her baby. The girl doesn't really know what to do but can't say no. It is apparent that the baby has been horribly abused - she does not talk or laugh. She stops at a motel, where she is able to find work. Eventually, she gets on the road again. Her car breaks down, and she ends up a tire place where she again finds work. The owner of the tire place houses illegal immigrants and is a kind, no-nonsense woman. The girl moves in with a woman whose husband has just left her. This woman worries about everything and is very insecure. Her character is a very likable one. This is a story of this girl growing up and learning to trust herself and her instincts, while learning how to love this little baby and ease her out of the protective shell she has created.