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State of Wonder

Ann Patchett

Start date: February 13, 2012

Finish date: February 19, 2012

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What Members Thought

Feb 05, 2011 Amy rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction, _own-home-library, _own-ebook, busy-as-a-bee-books-group, read-in-2011

Ann Patchett does it AGAIN! I was reluctant about reading this ... the description of the book did not intrigue me. In fact, I was sure that I wouldn't connect with it. But, the magic of Ann Patchett made it all okay! No matter what she writes about, I seem to love it!

Patchett's ability to take you into a world that is unknown to you, make it come alive, and write it all well is her magic! She is an incredible writer. The Amazon CAME ALIVE in this book. All because of Ann Patchett's incredible w Ann Patchett does it AGAIN! I was reluctant about reading this ... the description of the book did not intrigue me. In fact, I was sure that I wouldn't connect with it. But, the magic of Ann Patchett made it all okay! No matter what she writes about, I seem to love it!

Patchett's ability to take you into a world that is unknown to you, make it come alive, and write it all well is her magic! She is an incredible writer. The Amazon CAME ALIVE in this book. All because of Ann Patchett's incredible writing ability. All in all, the writing is lush, beautiful and engrossing. One of the things I love most about Ann Patchett is that each of her stories is a complete shift from that which she's written before. I never know where she's going to come from, where she's going to take me. For me, all of her novels are amazing - but amazing in completely different ways! And part of the treat in reading a Patchett novel is not knowing where you'll be going from the start. She defies my attempts to pigeonhole her every time!

Although State of Wonder isn't my favorite Patchett novel (I think Bel Canto and Run are overall better novels), it is an EXCELLENT book. Definitely worth reading!

The characters are wonderful, flawed, interesting and compelling. The major and minor characters seem to walk right out of the book, through Patchett' words. They come alive. I love that her characters are never cookie cutter men and women. They tend to be flawed, true and real. And the characters in this novel are no exception. The characters in this novel are multifaceted. They are good and bad - just like you and me!

One of the most impactful (and enjoyable) aspects of this novel is how Patchett makes the jungle come alive. The insects, heat, trees, critters and the suffocating heat/humidity come together for the reader in a way that makes the jungle a critical character in the novel. Each aspect of the jungle is conveyed incredibly!

I admit that the premise of this novel wasn't particularly compelling BUT Patchett surprised me and made it WORK. And made it work well. Although the focus is on the Amazon, fertility, anacondas, cannibals, pharmaceutical companies and a mystery, it is SO much more! Don't let the premise keep you away!

I recommend this novel for anyone who enjoys a good story with wonderful writing! If you've enjoyed Patchett's other novels, you won't be disappointed! ...more

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Nov 29, 2012 Judy rated it really liked it

In an obvious homage to Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, Dr. Marina Singh is asked to travel to the most remote jungles of the Amazon by the pharaceutical company for which she works for two reasons. The first is to recover the remains of her research partner, Dr. Anders Eckman, who died there and also to get a status report on the research being conducted by Dr. Annick Swenson. In her quest, she embarks on an engaging adventure that grapples with powerful questions of personal and medical eth ...more

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Sep 10, 2011 Marla rated it liked it

Shelves: adult, challenged, audiobook, book-club, zz-2011, zz-2013

Had to reread this book for book club in 11/2013.

Likes:
* setting in a remote part of the Amazon jungle surrounded by primitive Lakashi natives
* the lovely descriptions of daily bug-infested life in the jungle
* Easter, the abandoned deaf native boy from a neighboring tribe
* the brilliant Dr. Annick Swenson was fascinating and it was great how even the natives were in awe of her
* Miltin, the greeter/driver/guide for Vogel in Manaus
* main character - Dr. Marina Singh grew on me
* can't decide if I l ...more

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Mar 07, 2017 Carrie rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science, adventure, contemporary, audiobooks, literary-fiction, uno, amazing-race, amazon-rainforest, scientists, south-america

I found this book to be very intriguing.

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Jan 08, 2012 Julie Wann rated it really liked it

Shelves: contemporary-literature, audio-books

Beautiful writing. Engaging story.
The ending left so much for the reader to imagine, and I would have liked to have some of the loose ends tied up.
This was my first Ann Patchett book, and I will definitely read more.

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