Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver

 Boy, did I get lucky! Len and I were in the Laramie airport, heading home from Don Polson's funeral, when I finished that stupid pickleball book. I threw it in the trash. And then, I noticed a bookshelf with FREE BOOKS for waiting passengers! And I hit the jackpot with this one... I have heard of it and have never read it. Well, it captivated me for the entire waiting period, both flights home, and for several days after. How did I miss this book before? It was published in 1990. Better late than never.

Kingsolver's analogies and descriptions are breath-taking. The way she describes the sisters and their relationship is amazing. All of her characters in this little town are interesting and so REAL. Their conversations are interesting and ring true. There is a mystery that unfolds about the family that Codi, the main character, unravels that is fascinating. The relationship between Codi and Loyd is delightful to read about as it develops. Honestly, this book was a marvel, page after page of beautiful writing and interesting content. I loved how Codi's help more or less saved the community from the devastating effects of the mine. I loved how she became a teacher and enjoyed reading about her relationships with her students. It was all so, so enjoyable, despite it being set in a dusty, hard environment. These people are hard working and interesting. And eventually, good things happen to them. I love it when good things happen to the right people! 

Even though I'm not familiar with this tribe or this environment, it rang true with my Lakota experiences in South Dakota. I loved the integration of the people of different backgrounds; and it was fascinating to read how Codi had felt like an outsideer all of her life. Her journey to recognize her belonging and her desire to belong was a beautiful introspective story in and of itself. And a great reminder that we see the world as WE are, not how it is!