Lais Kaenna Kaenna itibaren Korovino, Tverskaya oblast', Rusya, 172466
This story follows three storylines. The first is Deanna's - she lives in the woods as a forest service employee and hasn't left the woods in about two years. Eddie appears and they begin a volutile relationship. Second is Lusa. She has married into a farming family; when her husband dies suddenly she begins to learn that she can belong to her inlaws and that they don't hate her. Third is Garnett Walker. He's a very conservative and bitter old man with a neighbor, Nannie, who farms organically and drives him crazy. The three story lines come together over the course of the book as connections are revealed. Themes: sex, evolution, gender, science of love and attraction, organic living, environmental protection, relationships, importance of progeny I love a book that weaves together the stories of many characters and Kingsolver did that here in a fascinating way. Everyone grew and learned and everyone had a joy or a tragedy (or both) that made them stronger. I did feel that a lot of the dialogue was preachy - it didn't seem authentic that a person would really give a whole lesson on environmental protection or organic farming in a conversation with someone else and it was very clear that conveying this knowledge was Kingsolver's motive. I loved the quick mention of Appalachian Trail thru-hikers since I am one!