Barbara kingsolver crafts wonderful tales and interesting characters. But she hits the reader over the head with her views on social issues. I am sure she is passionate, but I feel lectured. And the more accomplished she becomes, the more she abuses (in my view) her bully pulpit. My grandparents lived in Vineland from 1904 and I know the town well. It was fun to connect images and experiences from growing up to the names and places in the stories. I appreciate the research that goes into her books. My cousins and I learned many things about Vineland history, even though my cousins were schooled there.