The Lacuna

Sweeping. Barbara Kingsolver propels readers across the U.S. and Mexico border during the 1930s and 1950s in her novel, The Lacuna. Constructed as the presentation of diaries, memoir, letters, archivist’s notes and other sources, Kingsolver discloses the life and adventures of protagonist Harrison William Shepherd. In Mexico, he’s in the household of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, including during the time when they sheltered Leon Trotsky. Later, he’s called before the House Un-American Activities Committee. Any reader who likes historical fiction is likely to find these 500+ pages highly enjoyable. The title refers a gap, a missing piece, the hole in the story, that thing you don’t know. Kingsolver takes us there as she leads readers to care about Shepherd and his desire to be left alone.

Rating: Four-star (Highly Recommended)
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