Animal Dreams

July 29, 1991
Codi Noline, her self-confidence flagging after failures in med school and in a relationship, returns home to Grace, Ariz., where she renews a romance, comes to understand her father and worries about her sister, Hallie, who is helping farmers in Nicaragua. PW called this a ``well-nigh perfect novel, masterfully written, brimming with insight, humor and compassion.'' $40,000 ad/promo.

February 1, 2002
Codi Noline's return to her hometown in rural Arizona after 15 years of aimlessness reopens old wounds. But a suspenseful love affair and contact with the local community soon allow her to face old ghosts and embrace the present. First published in English in 1990, this award-winning best seller captures Kingsolver's typical wit, earthiness, and passion. A Spanish translator of fiction, Borr s (Obsesiones , Diagonal, 2001) uses dialect from Spain throughout, but most of it can be understood in context. For instance, he chooses the regional cuenco for "bowl," instead of the more familiar tazon or platillo. Likewise, a baby's "high chair" becomes the somewhat obscure trona, and "whore" turns into furcia instead of the more universal puta. Occasionally, Borr s's adaptation is less than accurate, as when "Emelina scraped toast corners into a blue enamel pail and ran a sinkful of hot water" becomes "Emelina recogio las migas de las tostadas con una paleta esmaltada azul y limpio la mesa con un buen cazo de agua caliente" ("Emelina picked up the toast crumbs with a small, blue enamel shovel and cleaned the table with a pot full of hot water"). Though Kingsolver's colorful use of language gets a little lost in the translation, her plot still holds interest and makes this book an enjoyable, sometimes memorable read. Dolores M. Koch, New York City