Book Review

Just finished reading The Poisonwood Bible. My sweet friend Morgan gave it to me a few months ago; and, honestly, I put off starting it because of the large “O” on the front cover. (I usually steer clear of anything recommended by Oprah.)

So, how do I give you an accurate evaluation? Did I like the book? Hard to say...The author is talented. She weaves a masterful and intriguing story. But what I walk away with is, how lamentable, she missed the mark. I believe she was aiming at two broad targets: redemption, and the rising of the human spirit out of adversity. But the truth is, no matter how adroit one is with words or evoking emotion from ink, an unredeemed person can never accurately portray or comprehend redemption. Their Realism will always turn out Impressionistic. Truth cannot be seen by the blind.

As to the second broad theme, the human spirit overcoming adversity; it is a myth, and in a way, I believe this is clearly seen in the characters. I say it is a myth because the human being is utterly dissolute and hopeless. He is incapable of saving himself. The thin veneer of success and triumph is so opaque, it is of no consequence. White washed tombs. Walking dead.

I really had no problem with the father. He was clearly the malfeasant, a classic Pharisee. A damaged soul believing he could earn salvation by working out of duty and legalism, all the while nailing his own coffin with judgement and intolerance. He was a fruitless tree-a tumbleweed. He preached poison not life.

The mother as well, she was a broken, misled, and timid follower. She was preached a false gospel, which she ultimately rejected, but her rejection of the lie did not bring her any closer to the Truth. The blind being led into the inferno of hell, escapes and runs away, only to drown in a pit of regret.

The four daughters, or three that survive, all end up living a life of utter emptiness. Although I believe that the author wanted us to see that you could walk through hell and come out a survivor, what I saw was quite the opposite. They all missed the road signs to safety, to true repentance and redemption.

The book would have been better if it had ended a chapter sooner. The sheer propaganda of the last chapter left a bad taste in my mouth. More than just anti-climactic, but disenchanted.

Lock, stock and barrel. Was a description of the three girls made by the mother and Adah.

Rachel was lock. She shut out the real world around her. She was self-absorbed, selfish and utterly alone. Rachel survived by sticking out her elbows and picking up her feet and letting herself be carried away by the masses. Epicureanism. She lived in a house of cards, believing all the time it was the Taj Majal. She had locked her heart off from love. Believing she was really living, she was only sleep walking through life. Living like the physical was eternal and eternal was make-believe. Shallow self-love.

Adah was stock. The author evolved her character the most, and would probably call her the heroine. Adah went from handicapped to healthy. From slow to successful. Adah was portrayed as the one who could look honestly at herself and her circumstances. To take stock of things and respond honestly. Yet, she was deceived. Science became her god. She said she believed that God was in everything, and yet she believed that god was nothing. In her evaluation (stock) of life she had clear and perfect vision. She was the Gnostic. A faith that there is no god is religion. Self-knowledge.

Leah was barrel. She barreled through life ahead of everyone. She was the most like her father in that she was trying to earn redemption. She gave her life away in service to her family and the Congo. She was the Stoic. Yet in the end, it only catapults her in an eternity of darkness. Work based salvation. Self-determination.

Where the author sees lock, stock, and barrel, I see the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life.

The book ends with a word from the dead daughter’s perspective. Waxing philosophical about forgiveness and moving on(restoration). But you realize that the real message is, forgive yourself, restore yourself. You are a victim just like the rest of humanity. Forgive yourself and move on. But we can’t forgive ourselves. We were not the ones offended. The creator of the universe, the perfect and holy God most high was offended and rejected. There is no hope when you reject the one you offended and spurn his redemption.

This book, while giving me much to think about, solidified in my mind the belief that an unredeemed and unrepentant soul can never understand true repentance or redemption, and for that lesson, and others, I value the book.