39 pages • 1 hour read
Barbara KingsolverUnsheltered
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2018A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
In Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver, the plot intertwines the lives of Willa Knox, a contemporary middle-aged magazine editor dealing with personal and financial crises, and Thatcher Greenwood, a 19th-century science teacher facing societal backlash for his support of Darwin's theories. Both struggle with deteriorating homes and unresolved social issues, seeking stability and support through family and community. The storyline includes sensitive topics, such as suicide.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Barbara Kingsolver's Unsheltered offers a dual narrative that critics praise for its timely exploration of societal collapse and resilience. While some appreciate its rich character development and thematic depth, others find the pacing uneven. The novel's interwoven timelines receive mixed reactions, with some finding them compelling and others, disjointed.
Who Should Read Unsheltered?
Readers who enjoyed The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver or Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout will appreciate Unsheltered. This novel attracts those keen on multi-generational family sagas, social commentary, and historical fiction with contemporary parallels, blending personal and societal upheavals.