Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Nick

Animal Dreams is an intuitive novel about Cosima Noline (also called Codi) returning to her hometown of Grace, Arizona in order to take care of her ailing father, Homero. Upon returning, she finds that many things have changed and that she is now more of an outsider than when she lived here many years ago. Cosima's sister Hallie, recently left America and went to South America to help the local people with farming. As Cosima becomes acclimated to her old "hometown", many plot developments occur. The major of these being Hallie taken hostage by the contras in South America. The novel also deals with morality, ideology and philosophy, this is a very multi-layered story.


This was my first novel my Barbara Kingsolver, and I absolutely loved it! Despite the fact that somethings I did not understand because I only saw them for face value, while other things I fully understood. The transition between Homero and Cosima was very well done! Kingsolver uses a plethora of rhetorical devices that make this novel even better. The Mexican/Spanish culture and Indian culture mixed together keeps this novel fresh and interesting.

I recommend this novel to those who are willing to read a story that will challenge your morals, theories and things of that sort!