A New Novel by Barbara Kingsolver
by ballybeg
In November, fans of Barbara Kingsolver will be in for a long-anticipated pleasure. Her first novel in nine years, The Lacuna, will be published by Harper Collins. Reminiscent of her novel, The Poisonwood Bible - ok, different continent, different turmoil, male protagonist, no missionaries - The Lacuna promises to be signature Kingsolver material: broad in scope, meticulously researched (she spent seven years on this one), set in turbulent political territory, and encompassing a passionate, emotional journey for the main character. Unlike most previous Kingsolver novels, some of the characters in The Lacuna are "real" - Diego Rivera, Frida Kahlo and Leon Trotsky.
Lacuna is a word which means literally "a gap", but it has many rich contexts of use , which right away piques my interest in this story - you can bet Barbara will have a point to make with that title! (Read here for some insights into her process.) And, of course, the personas of Rivera, Kahlo and Trotsky are embedded with color and intrigue and depth - all the better to weave your fictional character around. For some background on the era and characters, the dvds The Life and Times of Frida Kahlo & Storm the Skies are instructive. The book Frida's Fiestas is a delight. And, of course, there is the excellent film Frida, which portrays the complex web of relationship between these three legendary figures.
The long wait is nearly over.
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