Pigs in Heaven

Greer Family #2

by Barbara Kingsolver, C.J. Critt (Reading)

Picking up where her modern classic The Bean Trees left off, Barbara Kingsolver’s bestselling Pigs in Heaven continues the tale of Turtle and Taylor Greer, a Native American girl and her adoptive mother who have settled in Tucson, Arizona, as they both try to overcome their difficult pasts.

Taking place three years after The Bean Trees, Taylor is now dating a musician named Jax and has officially adopted Turtle. But when a lawyer for the Cherokee Nation begins to investigate the adoption—their new life together begins to crumble.

Depicting the clash between fierce family love and tribal law, poverty and means, abandonment and belonging, Pigs in Heaven is a morally wrenching, gently humorous work of fiction that speaks equally to the head and the heart.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Literary Fiction, Adult Fiction, Novels, Book Club, Native American

343 pages, Audiobook

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Barbara Ellen Kingsolver is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist, essayist, and poet. Her widely known works include The Poisonwood Bible, the tale of a missionary family in the Congo, and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, a nonfiction account of her family's attempts to eat locally. In 2023, she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for the novel Demon Copperhead. Her work often focuses on topics such as social justice, biodiversity, and the interaction between humans and their communities and environments.
Kingsolver has received numerous awards, including the Dayton Literary Peace Prize's Richard C. Holbrooke Distinguished Achievement Award 2011 and the National Humanities Medal. After winning for The Lacuna in 2010 and Demon Copperhead in 2023, Kingsolver became the first author to win the Women's Prize for Fiction twice. Since 1993, each one of her book titles have been on the New York Times Best Seller list.
Kingsolver was raised in rural Kentucky, lived briefly in the Congo in her early childhood, and she currently lives in Appalachia. Kingsolver earned degrees in biology, ecology, and evolutionary biology at DePauw University and the University of Arizona, and worked as a freelance writer before she began writing novels. In 2000, the politically progressive Kingsolver established the Bellwether Prize to support "literature of social change".

Reviews

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

The funniest part about my adoration of Barbara Kingsolver is that my favorite book of hers is not The Poisonwood Bible. In fact, of the three books of hers I have read now, that is probably my least favorite. Prodigal Summer still probably ranks as my favorite, followed very closely by this one, Pigs in Heaven. My biggest disappointment upon finishing this novel occurred when I went back to the library to find another Kingsolver book and discovered that the only one they had was actually a prequel to this novel! I hadn't known The Bean Trees came first in the telling of these character's stories, and I was tremendously disappointed to find out that I already knew the story of The Bean Trees without having read it in Kingsolver's vivid, elegant prose.
What I love about her writing is that it is so beautiful without trying to be so. You get a stunning picture of southern and midwestern landscapes and a true sense of people's lifestyles and ethnicities without her, as an author, shoving these facts and descriptions in your face. Somehow, she blends them into the language so seamlessly and so convincingly that you end up feeling them rather than knowing them. This is the mark of a truly successful writer, as far as I am concerned. And the mark of a truly successful book is one in which I do not find myself wanting to edit as I read. That is not something she achieved with The Poisonwood Bible--I badly wanted to edit the ending of that novel--but Pigs in Heaven kept me page-turning relentlessly without one critique, in spite of my ability to predict the ending.
Now there was a real accomplishment, because I hate to predict endings. But somehow, Kingsolver and those pigs pulled it off. I look forward to her next novel.

[Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent.

The story of a Cherokee child's adoptive mother's struggles to keep her daughter when the Nation wants the girl back.

No real villains here except the conflicting needs of multiple characters and for the sad but resourceful history. Also a vehicle to explore the Native American culture in contrast to and as a component of American culture.

Students of history can see similarities between the Cherokee and Scotch/Irish who ironically and tragically supplanted them in the Appalachians. Labeled as feminist by most critics, this reads like an entertaining tale told by a cool aunt. Kingsolver is a masterful writer and makes frequent use of simile, metaphor and subtle allegory that is almost Shakespearean in design. Dickens influence is present also.

A fundamentally good book: a good story told by a good storyteller.

*** It is a component of a great book that you will think about it again, even years later. There is a scene where the little girl sees her grandfather again after years that still gives me goosebumps. Great book.

[Nicole R · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just couldn't get into this continuation of Taylor and Turtle's story despite how much I loved meeting them in The Bean Trees. Pigs in Heaven catches up with the ladies three years after the close of the last book. They are happy and living in Tuscon but when they take a trip to Hoover Dam their lives change. The Cherokee Nation learns of Taylor's not-quite-legal adoption of Turtle and cites the Indian Child Welfare Act to request her be returned to the tribe, sending Taylor into a panic. Taylor must choose between giving up the daughter she loves and knowing that she can't provide Turtle with the culture she is entitled to.

Pigs in Heaven lacked the charm and heart that The Bean Trees had; I understand that Taylor didn't want to lose Turtle but her actions just didn't jibe with the headstrong and independent personality that was developed in the first book, her actions definitely weren't in the best interest for Turtle, and it was a bit melodramatic for me. I wasn't really a fan of Jax or Annawake either, I just couldn't relate to them very much; Jax was borderline weird and I'm totally not into the emotional, insecure, musician types and Annawake viewed things as black or white but she got better as the story went on. The best characters were definitely Cash and Alice, two older people who had lived through their share of heartaches and we're even aware their lives were missing something.

Overall, if you really like The Bean Trees it might just be best to stop when you're ahead.

[Emma Deplores Goodreads Censorship · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a theory about the genesis of this novel. By the time she wrote her first novel, the beloved The Bean Trees, it’s clear that Kingsolver was already deeply invested in social justice issues. But she missed one when her protagonist, a young woman named Taylor, traveled through Cherokee tribal lands in Oklahoma just long enough to unwittingly rescue a battered native toddler dumped on her by a frightened aunt. And when Taylor returned, with the best of intentions, it was to fraudulently adopt the child without the knowledge of the tribe.

As I envision events, a Cherokee reader talked to Kingsolver about this, pointing out that Cherokee have large extended families who would miss the child; that after a long history of genocide and other abuses at the hands of white America, including the removal of children, tribes need to hang onto their kids if they are to survive (hence the Indian Child Welfare Act, which among other things prohibits outside adoptions without the tribe’s consent); and that Taylor, who is physically and culturally white despite a Cherokee great-grandparent, is unequipped to teach Turtle about her heritage or how to deal with racism.

So Kingsolver, as we all should do when confronted with our oversights, recognized the problem and set out to fix it. And this sequel was born.

Pigs in Heaven picks up three years after the end of The Bean Trees. Turtle gets her fifteen minutes of fame when she witnesses an accident, and a newly-minted Cherokee lawyer named Annawake – who has a personal stake in ICWA – hears her story and realizes something is fishy. After a visit from Annawake, Taylor panics and takes off with Turtle, but her mother, Alice – just out of a brief and unsatisfying marriage – takes a different tack, going to stay with a relative on tribal lands in hopes of amicably resolving the problem and getting to know Turtle’s extended family.

I actually liked this book better than The Bean Trees; Kingsolver has clearly matured as an author. The plot is more focused and cohesive and flows smoothly, without ever feeling slow. It follows several major characters while keeping everything moving and the reader eager to know what will happen next. It examines the central issues from all sides and with empathy for everyone involved, all of whom make mistakes but are trying to do the best they can for Turtle. Yes, it can be predictable, but in this case I don’t see that as a flaw; this story is built not on suspense but on family relationships, and I enjoyed sinking into the characters’ journey and guessing at where it would lead them. The writing style is good and endows the book with warmth and wisdom.

Meanwhile, Kingsolver seems to have done her research, or rather the friends she credits in the acknowledgments did a thorough job of educating her. I read a legit Cherokee book right after this in part to check her facts, which checked out. But there are also subtle things, like the story that’s told to two different people and slightly differently each time, that readers familiar with Cherokee culture will likely appreciate. If anything, life on tribal lands seems a little idealized – there’s a lot of family values, community and tradition, with social problems acknowledged but kept out of sight – though much of this is related through Alice’s point-of-view, and I suspect that her experiences as a visitor to tribal lands were, reasonably enough, based on Kingsolver’s.

My two issues with the book aren’t with the writing. One is that there are several continuity errors between the first book and this one. The legal first name (April) that Taylor gave Turtle on adoption vanishes; Alice and Taylor’s Cherokee ancestor changes from a grandfather to a grandmother (significant because clan passes through the female line); Taylor’s father goes from a mystery man about whom Alice would only say that he was nobody Taylor knew to an ex-husband about whom she’s not reluctant to speak when necessary. The other is more about judging other people’s parenting than anything else. Taylor makes several questionable choices that are never called out in the narrative, from moving herself and Turtle in with a boyfriend about whom she’s not that serious, to telling the real story of her abandonment on national TV – which is not only stupid because it’s inconsistent with official records, but publicly telling the story in front of Turtle and allowing it to be made light of seems hurtful. But real people aren't perfect, so characters shouldn't be either.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, which tells a compelling story about contemporary issues, with good writing and populated by sympathetic characters. I read it quickly and was fully engaged with the story and characters, which doesn't happen as often as I'd like these days. I recommend it, whether or not you read The Bean Trees first.

[Kendra · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm not sure what to think of this continuation of The Bean Trees. I have loved most of Barbara Kingsolver's books but I wasn't so crazy about this one. I still love her style of writing and I think that is the only thing that kept me moving through the book. The big downfall is that I didn't care for the story...in The Bean Trees, the main character, Taylor, finds a three year old American Indian child in her car as she is driving cross country. She ends up adopting the little girl. In Pigs In Heaven, the young girl (Turtle) is now 6yo and through a series of very improbable circumstances, the Cherokee Nation starts investigating in order to take Turtle away from Taylor. Most of the situations through the book would be hard to come by on their own but to have more and more of them keep happening...made the book very fake and very unrealistic. I kept saying, "oh give me a break". I’m not sure I’d recommend this one except that it is a quick and easy read…and a continuation of a story you may have already started.

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbara Kingsolver’s novel, “Pigs in Heaven” is not only an entertaining read but an informative experience of Native American culture.

The characters are unique and descriptions make this story come alive.

Kingsolver continues to a superb storyteller with the ability to craft images. Being the second part of a two part story. She seemed to grow her characters since the first book in the series.

The whole experience of the two books was fun.

I highly recommend this novel as a delightful experience!

[Jonas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so very grateful to have rediscovered Barbara Kingsolver. Her voice is timeless and her message resonates in our world today. Pigs in Heaven is a story of family and the extent people will go to maintain their family. Taylor’s adoptive daughter is a Cherokee Indian. A young lawyer, Annawake, challenges the adoption stating that according to law Cherokee children cannot be adopted without consent from the Cherokee Nation. This is an important book and a well-written story.

The narrative sheds light on the Indian side of history that we are not taught in school-genocide, forced assimilation, separating families, and boarding schools. We may know about the Trail of Tears, but not all of the trauma and horrors born from that event. In a time when statues of Columbus are being taken down and Americans are beginning to honestly open their eyes to examine the past, Pigs in Heaven gives us a fictitious glimpse into the past and the realities of Native people today. I bought the book on 7-31-01 and finished it on 7-1-20. It was meant to sit on my shelf for 19 years. The right book finds you at the right time. I hope a copy of Pigs in Heaven finds its way to you.

[Renee Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

PIGS IN HEAVEN is the sequel to Barbara Kingsolver's book THE BEAN TREES. The novel continues the story of the Cherokee child named "Turtle" and her adoptive mother Taylor Greer. In this sequel, we find Turtle and Taylor living together in Tucson along with Taylor's boyfriend, a life that is not quite what would be called the most perfect of environments. They live in poverty, barely making ends meet. Although Taylor does her best, her income is limited, but she gives Turtle a lot of love, and along with her boyfriend, Turtle has a new family. Turtle seems happy, and after years of being mute due to a history of abuse, she's learned to talk, and all seems to be going well.

Unfortunately, Cherokee attorney Annawake Fourkiller accidentally discovers the existence of 6-year-old Turtle, and learns that Taylor had illegally adopted Turtle outside the Cherokee nation. Annawake is ready to rectify this problem. As far as she's concerned, Turtle needs to be raised by the Cherokee. Taylor, however, does not see this, and does what she can to protect her child.

Turtle and Taylor are now on the run, fleeing from their home in Tucson and leaving the boyfriend behind. They live from motel room to motel room, eating what they can afford. It gets to a point where Taylor does not know what to do next, in fear that she and Turtle will be discovered and eventually Turtle will be taken away from her. Yet, she wonders if what she is doing to Turtle is the right thing to do. When Alice Greer, Taylor's mother, gets involved, the story takes a surprising turn, and soon Turtle's biological family gets involved as well. I was glued to the book, wanting to know whether Taylor gets to keep Turtle, or is told to hand over the child to the Cherokee Nation.

Many important issues are brought up in PIGS IN HEAVEN. Should a child of American Indian heritage be allowed to live away from his or her tribe? Should the child be allowed to be raised among the white people, never knowing his true heritage? Turtle was completely happy with Taylor, and she did not know any other mother or life. The issue of whether it was a moral crime to separate the two is a big theme, with a fitting conclusion at the end of the story.

I really enjoyed this book, having already read THE BEAN TREES, which I loved as much as this one. Both stories center on the welfare of Turtle, an endearing little Indian girl that will capture your heart. However, after reading PIGS IN HEAVEN, I doubted that what Taylor did was right. It actually gave me a different perspective on the first book.

The two books should be read in sequence, but reading one or the other will not detract from the enjoyment of either

[jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

After my intense experience with The Bean Trees, there was no question that I would follow up with Pigs In Heaven as quickly as the library could deliver it to me. The audiobook is read by C J Crit, the same person who read The Bean Trees audiobook. That continuity was nice - it really felt like volumes one and two of the Taylor & Turtle chronicles. While I was relieved to have more of Turtle's story, and feel some kind of resolution of their family's story, I can readily admit that I preferred The Bean Trees, although only a smidge. BT felt more like an unexpected gift, unwrapped carefully and totally surprising. PIH felt more formulaic and a little too "gotcha!" But it's a fantastic read if you can forgive the semi-contrived plot points.

The language in this book is beautiful, in the way that Barbara Kingsolver calls out the most extraordinary visuals and metaphors. Barbara Kingsolver writes sentences like Storm clouds with high pompadours have congregated on the western horizon offering the hope of cooler weather, but only the hope. There are a million more examples, but it would really be better if you read the book & found them yourself, catching your own breath when her words shift your perception.

Also, this is an epic roadtrip story, one of the best type of stories you can read. Additionally, the characters spend a ton of time in Washington and Oklahoma, two places I have major soft spots for in literature.... since I live/d in both.

[Jeannie · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 I loved this one! Loved the characters, the story and the writing! I recommend reading The Bean Trees first although, this could be read as a stand alone.

Highly recommend!

[Heidi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was looking forward to this sequel to The Bean Trees, which I quite liked. Taylor and her adopted Cherokee daughter Turtle are back, three years later. They got their 15 minutes of fame when 6-year-old Turtle witnessed an accident, saved somebody, and went on Oprah to talk about it. Unfortunately, a lawyer from the Cherokee Nation saw Turtle on Oprah and threatened to disrupt Taylor and Turtle's happy life together.

I was so disappointed. The entire purpose of this book is to drive home The Point. Instead of being the fleshed-out characters from The Bean Trees, Taylor and Turtle are both two-dimensional characters whose sole purpose is to provide some semblance of plot between yammering on about The Point. The lawyer character was only created so she could spout off facts relating to The Point.

And what is The Point of the book? The Point is to tell us that Cherokees were unfairly driven off their land 200 years ago, and to mention that there's more to the Cherokee tribe than poverty and unemployment. I mean, it's not even original. And I'm annoyed that Barbara Kingsolver stole characters from a book I loved in order to pontificate for 350 pages about how the Cherokee Nation has been mistreated and unfairly judged.

[Lisa of Troy]

Mentioned in The American Novel Since 1945 focusing on the adoption of a Native American child

[Charlotte · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a diligent reader of The Bean Trees, I still love the profound characters in the book, but was sorely disappointed with the idiotic choices made by one of the main characters. Taylor Greer’s suitable decision making capabilities seemed to disintegrate at a record eating pace. She broadcasts nationwide via the Oprah Show that her adopted Cherokee daughter (Turtle) was abandoned in her car. Legally it’s documented that Turtle’s birth parents willingly gave her to Taylor, so should we be at all surprised when a Cherokee lawyer shows up at Taylor’s door, demanding she give her daughter back to the Cherokee tribe? Then to make matters even better, Taylor immediately uproots her six year old daughter to take her from everything she’s ever known and hide out in some far-away city to avoid detection. Taylor is so hard strung for money; she can barely scrounge up enough to survive on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to last them for a couple months at a time. I was very amused by the fact that Turtle was going to be taken away to live a better life with her tribe, and to prove them wrong Taylor uproots the kid to live in the worst sort of poverty the child has ever known. I thought it was totally irresponsible for Taylor as a parent to set this kind of example. To a point the motherly defense is expected and absolutely necessary, but Taylor didn't stick around long enough to sufficiently deduce the best option. Really kids are little people trapped by the decisions adults around them make, and ultimately it’s the children that suffer some of the toughest consequences made by those decisions. In this case Turtle certainly suffered.

[Heidi Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Barbara Kingsolver. As usual, this is many intertwined stories in one. This centers on the question of what defines a family? A horribly abused and orphaned Cherokee child is given to a stranger passing through a parking lot, and years later, the adoption is called into question. The Cherokee Nation must approve all adoptions of Cherokee children to non-Cherokee parents. So who's right? The adoptive mother who has loved and healed this child, or the nation that understands her history? It seems an obvious choice at first, but the answers seem less clear as we see more from the perspective of the young Cherokee lawyer pursuing the case. On one side, it's nature vs. nurture, but it's never a purely theoretical debate. You really come to question what is actually best for this child. In a good way.

[Eliece · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sequel to The Bean Trees and I actually liked it better which is rare for me. The story centers around Taylor's illegal adoption of Turtle and the Cherokee nations attempt to get Turtle back. It studies the question of "best for the individual" vs "best for the group" and acknowledges both sides of the problem. The characters are very well written and developed. Barbara Kingsolver really takes you into the heart of her story. I also liked the exploration of what makes a family and how people need other people to survive.(minus a star for some rough language and a weird random scene with Jax in the middle, but then I had to give another star back because it is just so good.)

[╟ ♫ Tima ♪ ╣ ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the sequel to the wonderful novel, The Bean Trees. For some strange reason, the books do not label each other as sequels, but the so very much are.

Basic Summary: This picks up 3 years after the conclusion of The Bean Trees, when Turtle (who was thrust upon Taylor at a bar on the side of the road in Oklahoma) has fully settled into life with her Non-Indian mother in Arizona. Everything changes for them after Turtle is the only witness to a man falling down a spillway at Hoover Dam; an event that makes her a primetime hero. She's featured on Oprah, with other children who have saved lives, and is spotted by Annawake Fourkiller - a lawyer for the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma. Annawake instantly knows that Turtle is Cherokee and begins finding a way to have her returned to the tribe where, Annawake feels, she best belongs. Shenanigans and hijinx ensue in this moving tale of family, Cherokee culture and the gentle way of the South.

This book was delicately written, soft-spoken with such unexpected power. I had tears in my eyes by the end of the book, eagerly devouring each page -- anxious to find out what would happen to Turtle. Barbara Kingsolver does an unmatched job of creating depth in her surroundings. It is evident that she cares very much about the seemingly innocuous details of the Cherokee tribe culture, the southern dialects, the NW weather.. everything she put to words, she put with her heart.

I loved this book.

Favorite Quotes:

1) "I think TV does all the talking for you and after awhile you forget how to hold up your end".

2) "Cash wanted to know every single how and what, in order to muffle the sound of 'why?'."

3) "Everybody's got their troubles, and their reasons for getting a clean start. People's always curious for the details, but seem like that's just because we're hoping somebody else's life is a worst mess than ours".

4) "He's not really running away, Angie explained, he just don't have a real good understanding of where home ends and the rest of the world picks up".

[Em Lost In Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I started reading this book I have no clue about the story is (blurb didn't help much). I thought it was my fault as I was reading the second book without reading book 1. So within first two chapters I thought I was reading a mystery but since the mystery was solved by the third chapter, I was clueless again about the direction of the story. But it was a recommendation so my friend asked me to have faith, hence I kept reading.

So the story is about a Cherokee child, Turtle, who became famous after appearing on Oprah Winfrey Show. Since the child in question was an adopted one and relatives of her were looking for her. Now the single mother, Taylor, who adopted the kid was told that adoptions papers are not right and she has to go again the whole procedure. But Taylor had come to love Turtle as her own. When she was given the Turtle, she had signs of abuse and she was unable to speak. Taylor is scared of what if things repeat themselves and Turtle again end up being abused. So she left the town for a far away place doing odd jobs to meet up day to day needs.

I loved how author showed the relationships in this book. I loved the mother-daughter relation. The love they shared felt so real. Characters in this book are good if not great. They are simple and realistic. They never felt overwhelming.

There are many things in this book that I didn't like. I really felt that Oprah thing was over the board, then someone making the connection between Turtle and the lost child was flimsy. While reading the book I felt like I was reading three different stories, while two I liked and the third one didn't make any sense to me. Two stories blended really nice in the end and I felt author gave third story a hasty end.

This is a decent book with good story and characters.

[Susan Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am just floored about how good Kingsolver's early books are. The sassiness just oozes out so naturally, it is breathtaking. This is a woman on a mission, but she is cracking jokes the whole way. Very surprised at how different the mood is from her later books, which heretofore were the only ones I was familiar with. Pigs in Heaven definitely deserves a star more than Poisonwood Bible or Flight Behavior, therefore I am going back to take a star off those two, even though I was very impressed at the time I read them. Pigs in Heaven was loaned to me, but now I will have to have my own copy so that I can go back and underline Kingsolver's wonderful turns of phrases. Such as, "talking about the strange behavior of men is like baking soda to women's moods; it makes them bubble and rise," (or something like that). Totally delightful, very tongue-in-cheek, very sweet and very perspicacious. I will come back here with some more priceless ones.

[Joy D · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a sequel to The Bean Trees, in which a two or three-year-old Cherokee girl had been unexpectedly thrust into the arms of Taylor Greer while she was moving from Kentucky to Arizona. Taylor adopted the girl (in an unauthorized manner) and has given her a loving home. As the sequel opens, Taylor has moved in with boyfriend, Jax, a musician. Her daughter, Turtle, has been with Taylor for approximately three years.

Taylor and Turtle take a vacation to Hoover Dam, where a dramatic episode ensues, resulting in an appearance on Oprah Winfrey. Annawake Fourkiller, a lawyer for the Cherokee Nation, sees them on television, and decides to contact Taylor. Annawake’s brother had been lost to an outside family when they were young. She knows how difficult it is for native children in society and worries about her loss of tribal identity. Taylor, of course, does not want to lose the daughter she loves, and flees with Turtle.

The author portrays both sides of a difficult situation such that the reader can appreciate each viewpoint. The narrative is filled with both drama and humor. Kingsolver knows how to knit a story together and her characters are memorable. I very much enjoyed the first three quarters of the book. It gets a bit melodramatic and there are many coincidences near the end. I recommend reading The Bean Trees first in order to fully enjoy Pigs in Heaven.

[Carmel Hanes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Bean Trees and this many years ago, and decided to reread this one, since I was a big fan of Kingsolver back in the day (OK, still am for the most part). It held up well in the intervening years.

I've always liked the characters Kingsolver develops, and the social issues she tends to raise in her writing. This one was no exception. It was fun to revisit the quirky and likeable Turtle and those who cared about her welfare. It was enjoyable to experience a bit of First American's culture as the story morphed into a tug-of-war with no easy answers. And there's nothing like unexpected humor in the middle of drama to keep you from sinking into melancholy as you read. It was books like this that made me love reading.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

The moving, very satisfying conclusion to the two-part Greer family story (The Bean Trees was the first), from Barbara Kingsolver’s early writing career. In the first novel, Taylor Greer adopted the badly abused three-year-old Cherokee girl who was unceremoniously thrust upon her outside a diner. She named her Turtle for the fierce way the little girl clutched Taylor and wouldn’t let go (think snapping turtle) and grew to love her beyond anything else in her life. Now, the Cherokee Nation has learned of Taylor’s unorthodox (illegal) adoption of Turtle and begins proceedings to have Turtle returned to the Nation. Heartbreak and resolution ensue. Just gorgeous. I suggest you read The Bean Trees first.

[Sarah Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 Sterne.. ein sehr besonderes Buch, dessen zweite Hälfte vor allem mich mitreißen konnte.

[Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not the type of Barbara Kingsolver book that I most enjoy; I'm pretty sure I read the first from this series but can't reaslly remember any of it and I doubt I'll remember musch of this in a couple years' time, either. This is a "feel-good" book and I felt good reading it but I think it would have been better suited to a vacation at the beach or some mountain cabin because it's so light. There is a lot to be said in its sympathies for Native Americans, explaining some of the harm done to the Cherokee Nation, and seems to have a good explanation of the laws concerning adoption of its children in the light of honoring and continuing customs and traditions. I remember an outcry when black children were adopted into white families, even when no black families could be found. (I also have my problems with adoption laws but that's another thing...) I remember something similar with Romanian orphans when the government there preferred to have children languish in overcrowded orphanages rather than have Romanians leave the country, even if no one wanted them. However, the case made here is that the community adopt the children rather than continue the cultural genocide of Native American children forcibly taken from their families and placed in white ones. This is where the book was at its strongest.

And the weakest? The miraculous coincidence that solves the dilemna and wraps up the story in a nice, neat package, with a bow. It's one of the things which I generally hate in books. It's like the writer has written his/herself into a corner and needs some "deus ex machina" to get out of it. So, I was disappointed at the end. (Dickens can get away with this because he juggled so many plot threads at a time that I enjoyed it even when I KNEW that that the poor impoverished person would be found to be an heir to a fortune or have some rich benefactor would come along to save everyone's bacon.) Four stars because I mostly enjoyed it and I hope this ends this series.

[Anny · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're a fan of The Bean Trees, then you should definitely read this one. Is what I want to say, but I should add a disclaimer. Some suspension of disbelief (convoluted plot devices) was required and some readers won't be happy with the "discrimination" in the books (Cherokee good, white bad).

I personally had no problem with some plot contrivances to get the story going (witnessing a fall, get called by Oprah). I also liked how the author fleshed Taylor's character. While The Bean Trees portrayed Taylor as almost a super woman, not flinching despite any adversities, this book showed that she's not perfect. She was stubborn, made mistakes, broken down and had a confidence crisis throughout the book.

About the "discrimination" ... well, this IS a book about the Cherokee Indians and their plights. It would be like trying to write Uncle Tom's Cabin without putting prejudiced, antagonistic white people. How could it be done? There were enough good white people in the book and if the author didn't see fit to put enough bad Cherokee to create a perfect balance, I don't really mind.

[Jeanette (Ms. Feisty) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sequel to The Bean Trees. The story starts three years later, and you get to find out what ultimately happens to Taylor and Turtle and Taylor's mother Alice. A little longer and more complicated than The Bean Trees, but just as enjoyable to read. I love all the interesting, unique characters and the way she weaves all of their lives together.
I'm a contemporary woman, devoted to the single life, but I just might consider marrying a man who would do that to his television for me! :)

[Booknblues · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pigs in Heaven
By Barbara Kingsolver
4 stars
pp. 436.

I read Kingsolver's Poisonwood Bible many years ago, before it became an Oprah book and I loved it. I loved her use of varying points of view and the voice of the children of the family and her description of life in the Congo. So, I purchased Pigs in Heaven and let it languish on my shelves for so many years that the pages turned yellow and it acquired that musty book smell that I adore. I am sure I would have let it languish there a few more years if I were not challenged to read it.

Pigs in Heaven is the sequel to Kingsolver's The Bean Trees and as I have read that book and can vouch for Pigs in Heaven ability to stand on its own. In this book we find a young Cherokee girl, Turtle who is being raised by a white woman, Taylor Greer. When Turtle and her mother are seen on Oprah by hot shot Cherokee lawyer, Annawake. and thus begins the modern King Solomon tale of a struggle for a child, one for herself and one for her tribe.

Like Poisonwood Bible, Kingsolver is adept at telling a tale from multiple points of view. She can be quite lyrical in her writing and there were many sections which I loved:

"The air isn't any cooler outside the house, but being outdoors in her sheer nightgown arouses Alice with the possibility of freedom. She could walk away from this house carrying nothing. How those glass eyeballs in the china cabinet would blink, to see her go. She leans back in the proch swing, missing the squeak of its chains that once sang her baby to sleep, but which have been oppressed into silence now by Harland's WD-40. Putting her nose deep into the mug of bourbon, she draws in sweet, caustic fumes, just as she used to inhale tobacco smoke until Taylor made her quit."

My one criticism of the book is that everything is a little too neatly tied up with a bow. I don't see this occuring all that often in life and I'm not sure that these days I altogether appreciate it in a book.

The title is based on a charming Cherokee myth of the formation of the Pleiades, I'm not going to disclose it here to encourage you to read the book.

[Moonkiszt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taylor's story is one I remember as my reading life accumulates many stories in its storage cabinet. Many are read and forgotten, and some stay, floating around, bumping up against others randomly, and some have a magnet pull that snaps it to a current read. The Bean Trees and Pigs in Heaven together comprise one of those magnet tales. . .when a new read makes me say ". . .ah this reminds me of Taylor Greer, and Turtle."

This has to be my 3rd or 4th reading of it. . .and it still improves each shining moment every single time. Gives me moment to learn more, think more, ponder more on all that has happened in the world, the civilizations that have crashed into each other and settle aside one another and try to make sense of the centuries since ancestral outrages and how best to deal with all of it. Hardest of all, how to reconcile everyone's idea of the One Right Way.

As it relates to the author, I have tried her other books and I never get very far. Still I love these two first books. I am re-committed to trying again, and would love recommendations on the Kingsolver you loved best, and why. . . .

[The Devine Ms Em · Rating 1 out of 5]

I loved The Bean Trees and was looking forward to the sequel. Things were going along fine until 1/2 way through the book when the author decided to lecture on how wonderful the Cherokee Nation is.

Turtle was sexually abused and physically abused while at their hands and the last half of the book is giving many weak reasons why it is important for her to know her people where she comes from?? Oh please. Seems that didn't work so well for Turtle in the first 3 years of her life.

Taylor made some stunningly stupid decisions in this book but I'd still say that Turtle was better off with her than being shared out like a rental car just because some lawyer stuck her nose in where it was not in the best interest of the child. IMHO

Recommendation? Read the 1st half of the book and then throw it away.

[Porscha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first Barbara Kingsolver I ever read. I had never heard of her, and I was 14, when the public library was having a discard sale. I liked the description on the back, so I picked it up. Maybe this started my love of Kingsolver... there's a good chance that's true. I think what really drew me in at that point was the story of a mother and a child who were trying to find themselves - and felt somewhat lost. I think I was feeling that way when I was 14 - I think most people feel lost when they're 14. Either way, it's a great read - one of those afghan by the fire kinds, you know?

[Kelsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a huge fan of The Bean Trees, this book was...disappointing.

Personally, I didn't think The Bean Trees needed a sequel, but when I saw that it had one, I picked it up. I love Kingsolver's writing, and I liked Taylor and Turtle a lot, but to me, this added nothing to their story, and was almost too melodramatic. Usually, Kingsolver's writing is subtle, brilliant, and beautiful, but this book came across as trying too hard to be poetic and emotional.

I couldn't relate to the new characters at all, and even Taylor grated on me, when I enjoyed her in The Bean Trees. I thought Annawake was too black and white in her thought process and decisions, and, honestly, I don't even really know why Jax was there in the first place. Taylor came across as extremely annoying and a know it all, which is generally how Kingsolver's protagonists go, but it was like Taylor completely changed over the course of the three years, between The Bean Trees and this. She got mad at the news coverage on Turtle. She got mad that an assistant wanted Turtle to wear a dress on Oprah. She got mad at this and at that and oh my gods, we get it.

Piggybacking off that too, there was so much that happened in the book that it became unbelievable. Kingsolver's stories are always so heart felt and touching, because she focuses on a few different characters, and their lots in life. They don't go off on giant excursions. They don't fight in wars. In this, however, Taylor's mother leaves her husband, Turtle and Taylor are on a vacation for a "small world tour," Turtle and Taylor help a man out of a well he fell into, their story is covered by the news, they go to Chicago to go on Oprah, Annawake figures out that Turtle is Cherokee, and that her adoption by Taylor is illegal, we're introduced to at least 5 new characters, we learn that Annawake is going to sue Taylor to get Turtle back to her culture, and this is all within the first six chapters.

I'm a huge fan of Kingsolver's, but this book just didn't do it for me, of which I'm greatly disappointed. I love native cultures, and learning about them, and the story of Turtle and her adoption, and coming back to her Cherokee culture is quite beautiful, but sadly, I suggest that, if you enjoyed The Bean Trees, skip this. It's not worth reading, just to ruin the beautiful story that introduces us to Taylor and Turtle, and their remarkable relationship.