Title: State of Wonder
Review: I’m not
quite sure how I feel about this book. It was ok. I didn’t really get into it
until I only had a quarter of it left to read. However, by that time I was
really excited to see what was going to happen.
I’m a stay at home mom, and so I can only pick up a book for a few
minutes here and there all throughout the day. I struggled at the beginning
because of all the annoying flashbacks. Which after reading the entire book, I
still don’t see the point in having them at all. I had to backtrack a lot to
see where in time we were. It was
confusing to me, but that could just be because I couldn’t sit with the book
for long periods of time.
Ann Patchett is a good writer. I
love the way she sets up the scenes. I have not previously read any of her
other books, though I have heard good things. I feel as though she set up the
story for entirely too long there was no plot for about half of the book. I got
bored with waiting for something to actually happen. When the story finally got
going, it ended. The ending felt so rushed to me. It not only ended, but it
left a lot of unanswered questions. I don’t want to spoil the story, so let’s
just say I would love some closure. I don’t’ need it all tied up in a nice
pretty bow, just not so many loose ends.
I wonder if I should round this up
to three stars because the book had a lot of great characters, a lot of twists
and turns that I didn’t see coming and I honestly had no idea where the book
would go. I loved the Bovenders, I loved that Dr. Swenson and her abrasive,
ever businesslike attitude and demeanor. It was perfect. I didn’t ever truly
fall in love with Marina, the protagonist, but I liked her well enough for the
story. I adore how she set up scenes that keep you glued to the book. She grips
you whether it is the anaconda, the surgeries, or just a simple conversation or
native encounter. I particularly liked when she wrote, “There was no one clear
point of loss. It happened over and over again in a thousand small ways and the
only truth there was to learn was that there was no getting used to it.”
Like I said, she does some great
writing.
All in all, for me, the cons of this
book outweigh the pros. Too slow,
finally gets good then abruptly ends.
Thanks go to Heather for this
review.
Publisher: Published June 7th 2011 by HarperCollins Publishers (first
published 2011)
ISBN: 9780062049803
Copyright: 2011
Pages: 353
Quick Review: 2 out of 5 stars
Why I Read It: Sent me by the publisher for review
Where I Obtained the Book: TLC book tour
Synopsis: Award-winning "New York Times"-bestselling
author Ann Patchett (Bel Canto, The Magician's Assistant) returns with a
provocative novel of morality and miracles, science and sacrifice set in the
Amazon rainforest--a gripping adventure story and a profound look at the
difficult choices we make in the name of discovery and love.
Author Biography: Ann Patchett is an American author. She received the
Orange Prize for Fiction and the PEN/Faulkner Award in 2002 for her novel Bel
Canto. Patchett's other novels include The Patron Saint of Liars, Taft, and The
Magician's Assistant, which was shortlisted for the Orange Prize. She is the
recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship and received the Nashville Banner
Tennessee Writer of the Year Award in 1994.
Other Reviews:
I haven't read anything by Patchett myself but I've heard her writing itself is amazing ... I definitely need to give her work a try.
ReplyDeleteThanks for being on the tour.
I thought the anaconda scene was amazing as well! I heard Patchett read that scene from her book at a book signing and I almost ran screaming from the room because the air was so tense!
ReplyDeleteI also liked the anaconda scene and I liked the book (my thoughts:http://manoflabook.com/wp/?p=5355). As you mentioned, the literary aspect was astounding.
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