The Lacuna

Although it's a job I'd love to try, reviewing books would be difficult for me. One of the hardest things would be finding new superlatives for something like "The Lacuna" (2009) by Barbara Kingsolver. Simply put, this novel has it all.

"...you can't really know the person standing before you because there is always some missing piece..."

The dictionary defines lacuna as "a gap or missing part; hiatus". Though the italicized phrase above was selected for inclusion here before beginning this post, I didn't realize Kingsolver had used her central conceit making this wise observation (just one of many in the book) until I started to write; such is the elegance of her prose. Reading her reminds me how artless some lesser authors can be.

"The Lacuna" also assumes a reader is paying close attention, an author trait I began appreciating more when tackling Hillary Mantel's "Wolf Hall" a few years back. Though the architecture of Kingsolver's book can be challenging, the rewards for not being spoon fed are significant.

Over the last 20 years, there has been just one book my wife, both my sisters, my oldest niece and I have all agreed was a masterwork - "Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver. For my money, "The Lacuna" is in the same league.