39 pages 1 hour read

Barbara Kingsolver

Unsheltered

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2018

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Before You Read

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Super Short Summary

In Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver, the plot intertwines the lives of Willa Knox, a contemporary middle-aged magazine editor dealing with personal and financial crises, and Thatcher Greenwood, a 19th-century science teacher facing societal backlash for his support of Darwin's theories. Both struggle with deteriorating homes and unresolved social issues, seeking stability and support through family and community. The storyline includes sensitive topics, such as suicide.

Reviews & Readership

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Review Roundup

Barbara Kingsolver's Unsheltered offers a dual narrative that critics praise for its timely exploration of societal collapse and resilience. While some appreciate its rich character development and thematic depth, others find the pacing uneven. The novel's interwoven timelines receive mixed reactions, with some finding them compelling and others, disjointed.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Unsheltered?

Readers who enjoyed The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver or Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout will appreciate Unsheltered. This novel attracts those keen on multi-generational family sagas, social commentary, and historical fiction with contemporary parallels, blending personal and societal upheavals.

RecommendedReading Age

18+years

Book Details

Genre

Historical Fiction

Modern Classic Fiction

Topics

Relationships

Politics / Government

History: World

Themes

Relationships: Mothers

Society: Immigration

Values/Ideas: Science & Technology