The Bean Trees Book Review

The Bean Trees begins when Taylor (whose real name is Marietta) decides that it's time to leave Pittman, Kentucky, where she lives with her mother, and make something of herself. Her life changes dramatically when, sitting in her car and ready to leave the restaurant and continue driving, a Cherokee woman puts a child wrapped in a blanket on the front seat of Taylor's car. The woman asks Taylor to take the child and then disappears in a pickup truck. Taylor made a big decision by taking responsibility over a child who she later names turtle. Looking for a place to live, taylor responds to an ad in a newspaper and rents a room from Lou Ann Ruiz. an immediate bond forms between Taylor and Lou Ann when they realize that they both are from Kentucky. Lou Ann, whose husband left her, and her young son, Dwayne Ray, and Taylor and Turtle provide a sense of family for each other. The secure environment and love that taylor gave to turtle paid off because she was learning and talking more until something happened that made her stop. Taylor not having custody of turtle gave them more complications but didn’t stop Taylor from being the mother that turtle deserved. 

I really enjoyed reading this book simply because I had a connection with the mian character. She reminded me of one of my family members who took in a child who wasn’t theirs but made them and treated them like their very own. I reccomend this book if you have feminist beliefs, intrest in political issues, and the importance of family and the need for community as emotional support systems for individuals facing hardships.