Cover of The Poisonwood Bible

Literary · Historical

The Poisonwood Bible

In 1959, a fervent Baptist missionary drags his wife and four daughters to a village in the Belgian Congo. The women narrate in turn as the family unravels and the country around them moves toward independence.

First published
1998
Pace
slow
Length
long
Format
Standalone

Read this if you want a layered family story that also looks critically at colonialism and good intentions.

Skip this if you want a quick read, since the middle section is slow and the tragedy is deeply felt.

The feel

Content warnings

  • Death
  • Child death
  • Racism
  • Religious extremism

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