The lacuna

Name: The lacuna
ISBN: 9780060852573

a novel

Barbara Kingsolver

First published 2009 · 784 pages

A sweeping, intimate epic that plunges you into the vibrant art world of 1930s Mexico before pulling you into the chilling paranoia of McCarthy-era America.

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What it feels like

Reading this novel feels like unearthing a secret archive of diaries and letters, pulling you intimately into the mind of a quiet observer swept up in the tides of history. The narrative unfolds at a steady, deliberate pace, immersing you first in the sun-drenched, chaotic vibrancy of 1930s Mexico City among revolutionary artists, before shifting into the shadowed, claustrophobic paranoia of McCarthy-era America. It is a deeply atmospheric and melancholic experience, exploring the fragile space between who we are and how the world perceives us. The prose is richly textured and lyrical, demanding to be savored rather than rushed. It will thoroughly delight readers who crave sweeping, character-driven historical epics that blend political intrigue with profound emotional intimacy.

Mood: atmospheric
vibrant
shadowed
nostalgic
Tone: reflective
observant
earnest
intimate
melancholic
Pace: steady
Themes: the search for belonging · art intersecting with politics · the danger of public perception · dual identities · the weight of history
The writing: Richly textured and deeply evocative, weaving diary entries, letters, and news clippings into a seamless, lyrical tapestry.
The arc: Moves from the vibrant, chaotic awakening of youth in a colorful foreign land to the claustrophobic dread of being hunted by one's own country.
Who it's for: Lovers of sweeping, immersive historical fiction who enjoy getting lost in the minds of quiet observers caught in the crosshairs of monumental events.

Content notes

political persecution
historical homophobia
assassination
suicide ideation

About the book

In her most accomplished novel, Barbara Kingsolver takes us on an epic journey from the Mexico City of artists Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo to the America of Pearl Harbor, FDR, and J. Edgar Hoover. The Lacuna is a poignant story of a man pulled between two nations as they invent their modern identities.Born in the United States, reared in a series of provisional households in Mexico-from a coastal island jungle to 1930s Mexico City-Harrison Shepherd finds precarious shelter but no sense of home on his thrilling odyssey. Life is whatever he learns from housekeepers who put him to work in the kitchen, errands he runs in the streets, and one fateful day, by mixing plaster for famed Mexican muralist Diego Rivera. He discovers a passion for Aztec history and meets the exotic, imperious artist Frida Kahlo, who will become his lifelong friend. When he goes to work for Lev Trotsky, an exiled political leader fighting for his life, Shepherd inadvertently casts his lot with art and revolution, newspaper headlines and howling gossip, and a risk of terrible violence.Meanwhile, to the north, the United States will soon be caught up in the internationalist goodwill of World War II. There in the land of his birth, Shepherd believes he might remake himself in America's hopeful image and claim a voice of his own. He finds support from an unlikely kindred soul, his stenographer, Mrs. Brown, who will be far more valuable to her employer than he could ever know. Through darkening years, political winds continue to toss him between north and south in a plot that turns many times on the unspeakable breach-the lacuna-between truth and public presumption.With deeply compelling characters, a vivid sense of place, and a clear grasp of how history and public opinion can shape a life, Barbara Kingsolver has created an unforgettable portrait of the artist-and of art itself. The Lacuna is a rich and daring work of literature, establishing its author as one of the most provocative and important of her time.

Description from Open Library.

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