The Lacuna
It has been nine years since Barbara Kingsolver’s last novel was written and now she is back with another fascinating look at historical fiction through the eyes of those that lived it. In The Lacuna we experience events where “the small mistakes or gaps (lacunas) that change history” (Kirkus) come into play. My favorite part of the book takes place in Mexico and portrays the relationships among Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo, Trotsky and the main fictional character, Harrison Shepherd. Although I knew a little about all of the historical characters and their political affiliations, Kingsolver weaves the facts of these lives into a complete and emotional story. Harrison Shepherd is the child of a Mexican mother and American father, so he lives between these two worlds. His experiences shape his character and inform his life’s work and his way of life. As usual for Kingsolver the writing is excellent. Here she describes how the world of Trosky’s wife living in exile might have felt:
In the years with Lev her world has been so constrained, with so few objects of beauty in it. She is not a bulldog, only a woman pressed into the shape of a small jar, possibly attempting to dance in there. It shows in the way she places a shell on a window sill, a red-painted chair in the corner: she is practiced in the art of creating a still life and taking up residence inside it.
If you love historical fiction, political intrigue paired with a young man’s journey of self discovery living between two worlds then try Kingsolver’s latest, The Lacuna.
Casa de Diego Rivera y Frida
cc licensed flickr photo by saguayo: http://flickr.com/photos/subzonica/38104743/
Frida Kahlo-Marian Anderson -Diego Rivera – Ernesto de Quesada (Coyoacan, Mexico 1943)
cc licensed flickr photo by erlin1: http://flickr.com/photos/erlin1/1801339851/
El Vendedor De Alcatraces by Diego Rivera-1941
cc licensed flickr photo by kamikazecactus: http://flickr.com/photos/kamikazecactus/3796452634/
Frida Kahlo, Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird
cc licensed flickr photo by libbyrosof: http://flickr.com/photos/libbyrosof/2267022653/
Diego Rivera, muralista mexicano (1886-1957); el revolucionario ruso León Trotsky (1877-1940), y André Breton, escritor francés (1896-1966)
cc licensed flickr photo by agigli: http://flickr.com/photos/8817422@N08/2106139290/
Trotsky_0722
cc licensed flickr photo by Omar Omar: http://flickr.com/photos/omaromar/3434049282/
Comments
3 Comments on The Lacuna
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Amanda on
Mon, 1st Feb 2010 2:04 pm
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Jenny on
Tue, 2nd Feb 2010 7:14 am
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Tracey on
Sun, 11th Apr 2010 8:11 am
Interesting. Originally I was going to ask how this was related to GLBT books but i see you left a comment at the challenge blog about it. I love when themes are understated and just in there without focusing on them.
I have been going back and forth about his one as I really like Kingsolver, but this one seemed soooo different. I had to so some research last year of Rivera and Kahlo, so I just might go ahead and pick this one up. Thanks for the review.
The section set in Mexico was my favourite too – I was really inspired to learn more about these people whose names I knew but that was about it. I found the book long but worth it. Thanks for posting the photos and for your review.
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