This took me by surprise — Kingsolver’s first book, published in 1988, and every bit as relevant today. She targets white privilege, racism and how society treats the poor, the racialized, women.

But overall it’s about how family finds you, even if there’s no blood relation. And it’s terrific. 

It’s a much smaller story, but the writing is stellar, and lyrical, and Taylor is a fantastic character.

Plus this: 

“…nothing on this earth’s guaranteed, when you get right down to it, you know? I’ve been thinking about that. About how your kids aren’t really yours, they’re just these people that you try to keep an eye on, and hope you’ll all grow up someday to like each other and still be in one piece. What I mean is, everything you ever get is really just on loan.”

This made me think of this essay by A.R. Moxon about how having something vs. owning it. 

This isn’t as immersive as the other Kingsolver books I’ve read, but apparently she wrote it while pregnant and suffering from insomnia. 

I loved this, and I’ve already recommended it to others.