Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver was published in 2018 and it sat, unread, on my bookshelf for a long time.
I knew Barbara Kingsolver books were always well received by the critics. I was also aware she’s won multiple awards, including the UK’s Orange Prize for Fiction (now known at the Women’s Prize for Fiction) and the National Humanities Medal.
I’m not sure what took me so long to read Unsheltered, other than my ‘to-be-read’ pile being so huge. However I knew her latest novel, Demon Copperhead had been a huge success. I was therefore inspired to finally dust off my copy of Unsheltered.
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Plot
The story focuses on two families living in the same crumbling New Jersey house more than 150 years apart.
Willa Knox is a middle-aged journalist who is struggling to make ends meet. She and her husband have moved into the old family home in Vineland with their adult daughter, Tig. However, the house is falling apart and they are constantly facing financial difficulties. When her son, Zeke, experiences a tragedy, Willa has to fight not only for the survival of her home, but for her family too.
As Trump is campaigning for presidency, Willa is forced to confront opposing views on climate change, the environment, race and immigration. Trump’s candidacy gives a voice to those who are now unafraid to voice their controversial views.
In the 1870s, Thatcher Greenwood is a science teacher who has just moved to Vineland. Thatcher is struggling to make a name for himself in a town that is suspicious of new ideas. He becomes friends with his neighbour, Mary Treat, a real-life botanist and scientist who corresponds with Charles Darwin and helps Thatcher with his research.
As Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution is met with derision and fear, Thatcher struggles to convince his work colleagues of the validity of Darwin’s work. Mr Cutler, Thatcher’s boss, is reluctant to see progression and new ideas and sets out to sabotage Thatcher’s career..
As both stories unfold, it becomes clear that the two families are connected not just by their house but by their struggles to survive in a world that is changing faster than they can keep up with.
Unsheltered Book Review
I really enjoyed this book. It was very character driven and luckily I liked both Willa and Thatcher.
I found Willa and Tig’s relationship felt really authentic. While Willa sometimes felt baffled by her daughter, the love was still there. I could empathise with her as a mother, and could I relate to her desire to want to protect her family.
I really enjoyed how Willa and Thatcher’s stories were connected. Not only did they live in the same dilapidated house, but the social and political issues mirrored each other, despite the different eras.
The story is obviously quite political and as my political views aligned with Willa’s, I didn’t mind that. However I could imagine other readers could have found it a bit irksome. While Trump is never actually named, it’s very obvious who they are referring to.
I found both Thatcher and Willa’s stories to be equally compelling as they both dealt with real societal issues and the impact it has on their family.
I also really loved reading about real life naturalist Mary Treat and her communications with Darwin. If it was difficult for a male scientist to defend the Darwin’s theories, I could only imagine how difficult it must have been for a woman.
I really liked Barbara Kingsolver’s writing style. It was witty in place and poignant in the others. I particularly loved this quote, relating to the books title:
“Teach them to see evidence and not to fear it, to stand in the clear light of day…unsheltered.”
I thought the title was really clever. ‘Unsheltered’ related to not only the structurally unsound house but also the bravery to stand alone when fighting for a cause.
Overall, I really enjoyed Unsheltered and as my first Barbara Kingsolver novel, it definitely inspired me to read more.
What to read next
If you enjoyed Unsheltered, I would definitely recommend reading more books by Barbara Kingsolver. Demon Copperhead is such a brilliant read. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, The Women’s Prize for Fiction and was won of my favourite reads of 2023.
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