Book Review #73
State of Wonder
by Ann Patchett
Despite the book being well written, with a visceral sense of place, namely the Amazon jungle, along with a story line that held my interest, I was not riveted. The plot, which owes a great deal to Conrad's "Heart of Darkness," with echoes of Waugh's "A Handful of Dust" and even "Smila's Sense of Snow," is far-fetched. Also, with the exception of Easter, a deaf native boy, virtually none of the characters is likable. So I was rather disappointed, especially having read accolades about Patchett's "Bel Canto" and strong reviews of this book, including a blurb on the cover from Emma Donoghue ("Room") calling "State of Wonder" the author's "masterpiece." In spite of some twists and turns and a terrific final page, I was not all that impressed.
by Ann Patchett
Despite the book being well written, with a visceral sense of place, namely the Amazon jungle, along with a story line that held my interest, I was not riveted. The plot, which owes a great deal to Conrad's "Heart of Darkness," with echoes of Waugh's "A Handful of Dust" and even "Smila's Sense of Snow," is far-fetched. Also, with the exception of Easter, a deaf native boy, virtually none of the characters is likable. So I was rather disappointed, especially having read accolades about Patchett's "Bel Canto" and strong reviews of this book, including a blurb on the cover from Emma Donoghue ("Room") calling "State of Wonder" the author's "masterpiece." In spite of some twists and turns and a terrific final page, I was not all that impressed.
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