Review: Unsheltered

In brief ★★★½

In Unsheltered, Kingsolver has written an overtly didactic book – one that asks readers to hold a mirror up to their values, attitudes and lives. She questions all crumbling assumptions about 21st century life (including that we can continue to consume endlessly without consequence), then excoriatingly parallels those ‘head in the sand’ views with the souls hanging on to creationism in the face of Darwinism.

For all its globally significant themes, Unsheltered is an easy read, alternating between the 1871 and 2016 with (mostly) endearing characters facing dire predicaments. But the heart of this tale is political, and Kingsolver wants her readers to understand that they can’t escape the challenges she’s unveiling, not even by diving into fiction.

I generally prefer my reading/escapism to be further from reality (2016 still feels too close), but can see how this novel will, in say 50 or 100 years, be held up as emblematic of the early 21st century. As such, it’s a book I appreciated, rather than adored, but one I would recommend to anyone seeking comfort in this difficult era.

I received an advanced copy of Unsheltered from Faber Books and Allen and Unwin in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

In depth

Plot: We follow two families living in Vineland, one in the 1871, one in 2016, both in homes that are crumbling around them. Thatcher Greenwood’s plight is arguing the merits of evolutionary theory amid a community wedded to creationism, whereas Willa Knox does contemporary battle on many fronts, most notably with the US healthcare system. Both storylines have antagonists and allies that parallel one another. Ultimately for Kingsolver, though, the politics is the plot – the way citizens navigate morality, government and truth.

The story digs into significant social and economic issues of both eras; two 21st century characters have regular arguments about the sustainability of global trade, while in the 1800s despotic capitalists and the restrictive role for women feature as core concerns.

She is equally preoccupied with cycles of life and death, particularly in the contemporary narrative, which help propel the story forward.

The novel is also an effort to shed light on the scientific career of Mary Treat, whose correspondence with luminaries like Charles Darwin was as an equal, even though society denied her a university education.

Interestingly, while Kingsolver is clearly trying to achieve a lot with this story, it never feels like too much at once – she balances the messages and plot elements like the master she is.

Themes: If I had to pick one central theme for this story, it would be truth. Be that scientific truth, truth spoken in childhood innocence, or ‘truth’ in the press – all are traversed throughout the story. The concept of shelter, both physical (i.e. property) and ideological (i.e. allowing one’s ideas and convictions to air openly), is also explicitly explored, as is parenthood, in all its complexities. Mary Treat’s story adds a feminist lens to the plot too.

Writing: Kingsolver’s prose is no hardship to enjoy – she evokes personalities, place and mood with ease, allowing readers to sink into the two families’ lives Unsheltered focuses on.

Her dialogue is rich (so many evocative Greek profanities!) and her settings have brilliant granular detail – from the exhibits at the local history museum to the glass terrariums of Mary’s parlour. At times there was a bit of ‘tell’ rather than show, especially during Willa’s reflective tracts about her childrens’ personalities early on, but this is made up for through their actions later in the book.

Kingsolver’s training as a scientist also shines through, with concise, evocative descriptions of the natural world (both flora and fauna).

This novel isn’t one for escapism, but it is of humanity, baring our flaws and asking us to do better.

Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver is out now, published by Faber & Faber, AU $32.99.