---
product_id: 1829672
title: "Flight Behavior: A Novel (P.S.)"
price: "€ 40.92"
currency: EUR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 8
url: https://www.desertcart.be/products/1829672-flight-behavior-a-novel-p-s
store_origin: BE
region: Belgium
---

# Climate change narrative Used book in good condition Monarch butterfly ecological theme Flight Behavior: A Novel (P.S.)

**Price:** € 40.92
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Summary

> 🦋 Unlock the butterfly effect of storytelling — where nature’s warning meets unforgettable prose!

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** Flight Behavior: A Novel (P.S.)
- **How much does it cost?** € 40.92 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
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## Why This Product

- Free international shipping included
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## Key Features

- • **Award-Worthy Prose:** Experience Barbara Kingsolver’s poetic and vivid descriptive writing.
- • **Eco-Driven Storytelling:** Dive into a novel where climate change meets compelling human drama.
- • **Thought-Provoking Characters:** Follow Dellarobia’s transformative journey amid environmental upheaval.
- • **Authentic Appalachian Setting:** Immerse yourself in the rich, raw portrayal of Appalachian life and struggles.
- • **Critically Acclaimed Bestseller:** Join over 10,000 readers who rated this #1,389 Literary Fiction hit.

## Overview

Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver is a bestselling novel blending environmental urgency with rich Appalachian storytelling. This used copy in good condition invites readers to explore a poetic narrative centered on monarch butterflies as symbols of climate change, featuring complex characters and vivid prose that have captivated over 10,000 reviewers.

## Description

Flight Behavior: A Novel (P.S.) [Kingsolver, Barbara] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Flight Behavior: A Novel (P.S.)

Review: Enjoy the dance of a talented author - For months the book sat in my "to read" pile. Then I pulled it out and placed it on the coffee table. It teased me as I savored the anticipation building to the moment I opened the cover and began reading the poetry of Barbara Kingsolver's prose. Flight Behavior, Kingsolver's latest novel, did not disappoint me from the first word to the last, although there were some plot techniques that disconcerted me. The environmental theme interwoven throughout the plot was executed with a unique choice of characters as the mouthpieces. Using the monarch butterfly as the harbinger of ecological disaster captivated me from the first description of the main character, Dellarobia, when she encounters the unusual sight of thousands of monarchs clustered on tree limbs at the top of a mountain in Appalachia. She believes she's seeing the apparition as a warning against the adultery she's is about to commit, until her epiphany on the mountainside. Here's the vision from Dellarobia's viewpoint: "Unearthly beauty had appeared to her, a vision of glory to stop her in the road. For her alone these orange boughs lifted, these long shadows became a brightness rising. It looked like the inside of joy, if a person could see that. A valley of lights, an ethereal wind. It had to mean something." Kingsolver received criticisms for her "preachy" tone on climate change. Readers who love her previous works, yet disagree with her politics in this novel, gave her harsh scores and reviews. I'm reviewing this book on its merits. But be forewarned - this book is entertaining and educational, if you want it to be. If however you're the type of person who doesn't wish to read anything other than what repeats what you already know and believe and if you believe the claims by scientists of climate change are bogus, don't read this book. You'll learn nothing and walk away muttering about the "tree hugger" author. I loved the book for creating a fictional "what if" picture. What if the monarchs, so unsettled by climatic changes in their wintering spot in Mexico, decided to roost in the Appalachian Mountains? Kingsolver creates a main character in Dellarobia who is a victim of her decisions in life and her circumstances. But never once did I feel sorry for this young mother burdened with the grief of the unmentioned dead baby that tied her down to the husband who is clearly not her match made anywhere. Dellarobia is going through her own "climate change" as she becomes an assistant to the scientists who have come to the mountain to study the anomaly. She becomes our interpreter of the complicated nature of shifting atmospheric patterns and the potential destruction of an entire species. The plot is woven around Dellarobia's problems and that of the monarchs. One of the foils for Dellarobia is her mother-in-law Hester who is very unsympathetic and seemingly mean in the first half of the book. As Hester's story unfolds, Kingsolver is able to deftly turn Hester into a completely sympathetic human character, flaws and strengths both on display. I didn't like the transition between chapters. Often, Kingsolver would bring the reader to the brink of a breakthrough in discovery of both the human drama and the plight of the monarch, and then the chapter would end. I would eagerly begin the next chapter only to find the plot had moved ahead a few days. I also felt the ending was very quickly tied up in a nice little bow. Some of it was symmetrical, but much of it seemed as if Kingsolver was told by her editors to shorten the book so she rushed the resolution. Even with the few things I found disconcerting, I would still recommend this book if for nothing else than to enjoy the beauty of a skilled writer dancing her dance for our enjoyment. See for yourself: "A movement of clouds altered the light, and all across the valley, the butterfly skin of the world transfigured in response, opening all the wings at once to the sun. A lifting brightness swept the landscape, flowing up the mountainside in a wave Dellarobia opened her mouth and released a soft pant, anticipatory gusts of breath that could have become speech or laughter, or wailing. She couldn't give it shape."
Review: Excellent - with minor irritations. - In the opening chapter, as Dellarobia made her trek up the mountain, intent on violating her marriage vows, I thought this was going to be another chick-lit piece of fluff. Happily, the assignation didn't happen and the story quickly redeemed itself with serious content. Likewise, it was heartening that the author resisted the opportunity to include an affair between the heroine and the renowned scientist. This has to be one of the most stunning pieces of descriptive prose I've ever read, describing the terrain, the people and the irremediable poverty of the Appalachian region of America. Kingsolver outdoes herself without being cloying. She provides just enough rich, graphic description to set the scene, then goes on to fill each chapter with succinct, satisfying narrative. The book's central theme - global warming - is presented in a way that the lay person can understand. The example of the Monarch butterflies is something that hits so close to home it should be enough to scare the daylights out of even the most stalwart debunkers. All is nicely woven into a believable story with believable characters. One minor irritation: The heroine's name. The author might have given her something less awkward. Failing that, a shortened version ("Dell" or "Della") or even a judicious, greater use of pronouns might have saved the reader having to endure reading the long and bizarre "Dellarobia" eighteen times on each page. Kingsolver must have had a "hot key" programmed to save typing it out every time. There are some really great moments in the story. I think my favorite was where Dr. Byron cut the urbane and clueless TV newswoman down to size, while our heroine's best friend videotaped the whole thing and sent it viral. Nice. I was a bit disappointed with the ending. The reader is left wondering if the Turnbow home survives the flood, and whether Della's separation from her husband is permanent or only for the duration of her continuing education. I would have been nice to have at least a few small hints about the heroine's future. Overall, a good read. Go for it.

## Features

- Used Book in Good Condition

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #39,181 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #901 in Women's Domestic Life Fiction #1,389 in Literary Fiction (Books) #1,474 in Contemporary Women Fiction |
| Customer Reviews | 4.3 out of 5 stars 10,356 Reviews |

## Images

![Flight Behavior: A Novel (P.S.) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/7194i4dH35L.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Enjoy the dance of a talented author
*by B***T on April 18, 2013*

For months the book sat in my "to read" pile. Then I pulled it out and placed it on the coffee table. It teased me as I savored the anticipation building to the moment I opened the cover and began reading the poetry of Barbara Kingsolver's prose. Flight Behavior, Kingsolver's latest novel, did not disappoint me from the first word to the last, although there were some plot techniques that disconcerted me. The environmental theme interwoven throughout the plot was executed with a unique choice of characters as the mouthpieces. Using the monarch butterfly as the harbinger of ecological disaster captivated me from the first description of the main character, Dellarobia, when she encounters the unusual sight of thousands of monarchs clustered on tree limbs at the top of a mountain in Appalachia. She believes she's seeing the apparition as a warning against the adultery she's is about to commit, until her epiphany on the mountainside. Here's the vision from Dellarobia's viewpoint: "Unearthly beauty had appeared to her, a vision of glory to stop her in the road. For her alone these orange boughs lifted, these long shadows became a brightness rising. It looked like the inside of joy, if a person could see that. A valley of lights, an ethereal wind. It had to mean something." Kingsolver received criticisms for her "preachy" tone on climate change. Readers who love her previous works, yet disagree with her politics in this novel, gave her harsh scores and reviews. I'm reviewing this book on its merits. But be forewarned - this book is entertaining and educational, if you want it to be. If however you're the type of person who doesn't wish to read anything other than what repeats what you already know and believe and if you believe the claims by scientists of climate change are bogus, don't read this book. You'll learn nothing and walk away muttering about the "tree hugger" author. I loved the book for creating a fictional "what if" picture. What if the monarchs, so unsettled by climatic changes in their wintering spot in Mexico, decided to roost in the Appalachian Mountains? Kingsolver creates a main character in Dellarobia who is a victim of her decisions in life and her circumstances. But never once did I feel sorry for this young mother burdened with the grief of the unmentioned dead baby that tied her down to the husband who is clearly not her match made anywhere. Dellarobia is going through her own "climate change" as she becomes an assistant to the scientists who have come to the mountain to study the anomaly. She becomes our interpreter of the complicated nature of shifting atmospheric patterns and the potential destruction of an entire species. The plot is woven around Dellarobia's problems and that of the monarchs. One of the foils for Dellarobia is her mother-in-law Hester who is very unsympathetic and seemingly mean in the first half of the book. As Hester's story unfolds, Kingsolver is able to deftly turn Hester into a completely sympathetic human character, flaws and strengths both on display. I didn't like the transition between chapters. Often, Kingsolver would bring the reader to the brink of a breakthrough in discovery of both the human drama and the plight of the monarch, and then the chapter would end. I would eagerly begin the next chapter only to find the plot had moved ahead a few days. I also felt the ending was very quickly tied up in a nice little bow. Some of it was symmetrical, but much of it seemed as if Kingsolver was told by her editors to shorten the book so she rushed the resolution. Even with the few things I found disconcerting, I would still recommend this book if for nothing else than to enjoy the beauty of a skilled writer dancing her dance for our enjoyment. See for yourself: "A movement of clouds altered the light, and all across the valley, the butterfly skin of the world transfigured in response, opening all the wings at once to the sun. A lifting brightness swept the landscape, flowing up the mountainside in a wave Dellarobia opened her mouth and released a soft pant, anticipatory gusts of breath that could have become speech or laughter, or wailing. She couldn't give it shape."

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent - with minor irritations.
*by C***N on April 9, 2013*

In the opening chapter, as Dellarobia made her trek up the mountain, intent on violating her marriage vows, I thought this was going to be another chick-lit piece of fluff. Happily, the assignation didn't happen and the story quickly redeemed itself with serious content. Likewise, it was heartening that the author resisted the opportunity to include an affair between the heroine and the renowned scientist. This has to be one of the most stunning pieces of descriptive prose I've ever read, describing the terrain, the people and the irremediable poverty of the Appalachian region of America. Kingsolver outdoes herself without being cloying. She provides just enough rich, graphic description to set the scene, then goes on to fill each chapter with succinct, satisfying narrative. The book's central theme - global warming - is presented in a way that the lay person can understand. The example of the Monarch butterflies is something that hits so close to home it should be enough to scare the daylights out of even the most stalwart debunkers. All is nicely woven into a believable story with believable characters. One minor irritation: The heroine's name. The author might have given her something less awkward. Failing that, a shortened version ("Dell" or "Della") or even a judicious, greater use of pronouns might have saved the reader having to endure reading the long and bizarre "Dellarobia" eighteen times on each page. Kingsolver must have had a "hot key" programmed to save typing it out every time. There are some really great moments in the story. I think my favorite was where Dr. Byron cut the urbane and clueless TV newswoman down to size, while our heroine's best friend videotaped the whole thing and sent it viral. Nice. I was a bit disappointed with the ending. The reader is left wondering if the Turnbow home survives the flood, and whether Della's separation from her husband is permanent or only for the duration of her continuing education. I would have been nice to have at least a few small hints about the heroine's future. Overall, a good read. Go for it.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Wonderful writing
*by N***R on November 12, 2012*

This is a genuinely beautifully written novel - Kingsolver has mastered the art of the evocative sentence, the witty turn of phrase. But more than that, it is her characterization that carries the reader and turns this potentially preachy novel into a page-turner. Here, her focus is on small-town Appalachia, and her characters ones which, in other novels, would be sketched as ignorant Bible-belt hicks. The protagonist even references "Deliverance" to indicate the way these towns have been depicted. Instead of judging these characters, however, we are offered a very convincing window into their worldview, such that at the end of the day, it is the scientists and world-wise media who come across as unsympathetic and prejudiced. But by entering this worldview, Kingsolver runs the risk of coming across as patronizing - and occasionally, especially towards the latter half of the novel, she does fall into the trap of oversimplification. The line between the characters and the reader becomes dangerously blurred, for example in her explanation of the phenomenon of the butterflies to pre-schoolers, to which we, the readers, have to listen to. We are thus presented with the same explanations and thoughts on this strange occurrence (why the butterflies are over-wintering in Appalachia rather than their usual spots in Mexico), and on climate change in general, several times during the novel, at various levels of complexity. It is as if Kingsolver is convinced to bridge the same gap she depicts in the novel, between the scientists and the so-called 'hicks,' amongst her readers, such that anyone picking up this book will leave with at least a basic, pre-school level understanding of climate change. This is admirable, but potentially misguided - generally speaking her target audience is not going to be low-information readers (especially since this book retails at almost $15). Thus the novel becomes increasingly repetitive, especially as all of the major character development happens early on - there are certainly some surprises in the second half, but the character arc of all the main figures is set within the first few chapters. The butterflies themselves become a character in the novel, and you find yourself passionately rooting for their survival. The main event depicted in the novel (the displacement of the butterflies from their usual roosting place in Mexico to southern Appalachia) is fictional, although parts of the story are based on true events (the destruction of a Mexican mountain town through flooding, for example), and all of the examples of "global weirding" are eerily within the realm of possibility. Kingsolver is clearly passionate about the issue of climate change, and this is a powerful novel making a crucial intervention on this subject. You will leave this novel, probably having learnt new facts and theories, but definitely having extended your comfort zone and challenged your own prejudices.

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*Last updated: 2026-04-23*