The Bean Trees is a book, even though it’s funny, is sort of boring. There are almost no plot developments and one of the main questions is left unanswered.

Although the plot development is slow, I have to admit; watching the characters develop was really interesting. Turtle, the toddler Taylor receives from an old lady as she’s ‘getting out’ of Kentucky, was sexually abused and traumatized when Taylor gets her. She doesn’t throw fits or cry or anything, but she also doesn’t speak!

You learn to love Taylor as a mother, because she’s easy going and doesn’t stress too much. You learn to love how much she loves Turtle, how proud Taylor is. Even though she isn’t her birth mother, she’s a mother in every other way.
It’s also interesting to see all the people who influence their daily lives. Lou Ann; a fellow mother, is superstitious and careful, is learning live lessons right next to Taylor. Mattie is in charge of Jesus Is Lord Used Tires tire shop, and is taking care of illegal immigrants in her upstairs bedrooms. She loves to help people, even if it’s against the laws.
The reason I hate the plot development is because it’s really slow. You learn a hurricane of things in the beginning and a hurricane of things in the end, with around a hundred pages of little plots in the middle. Plus, in the resolution, I don’t feel the ends were closed at all!
All in all, I think this is the kind of book you’d read if you had nothing else to do. It’s interesting enough that it’s better than shoving bamboo sticks up your nails or staring at a wall, but there are many other books out there that are more interesting…