Play Book Tag discussion

Dellarobia wanted to go to college even though she was the only one in her high school class in mountains of Eastern Tennessee with that dream. Instead she got pregnant and consequently married while a teenager. Ten-ish years later, she feels stuck and frustrated by the daily grind of life as wife and mother and sets out one morning ready to possibly destroy her life and family just to step of out unaltering life. Instead she happens upon a glorious sight (hazy without her glasses on) of the mountains glowing in orange. It turns out that a population of Monarch butterflies didn't make it to Mexico for its annual winter migration and alighted on the Turnbow mountain instead which sets the whole community on fire. The somewhat insulated community, family and Dellarobia soon find themselves visited by scientists, climate change activists and tourists to see and study the Monarchs' misplacement and some find their own worlds extended and opened up if they choose it.

I'm not sure how well Kingsolver is able to give voice to those living a difficult existence in Appalachia with few resources but I appreciate the new perspective on life there. The Turnbows are wealthy in family, friendship and community but not much for wealth and job opportunities. I enjoyed Dellarobia's own metamorphosis as she reflects on her own life and what her priorities. She gains so much confidence in herself as she learns from and works with research on the butterflies. Five year old Preston is truly the star of the book and I'm glad that he had strong role models who support him. While the book was definitely devised with a message on climate change in mind, I thought that the message was supported well by the story.

I've read most of Kingsolver's work and appreciated the push to include this one as well.

I'm most interested in your review, Jen, as I'm reading the book now. It's an intriguing story. Everything you've mentioned in the review is what I've been encountering as I'm reading.

Vivid in my mind are the beautiful monarchs I watched this past fall as they migrated through on their journey. I stumbled upon them in an apple orchard near where I live. I can understand how the sighting of the butterflies changes life for Dellarobia and those around her. I love your terming it Dellarobia's metamorphosis.