Book Review: State of Wonder

RATING:

4 cookies out of 5

What's it about?

State of Wonder by Ann Patchett is a story about Dr. Marina Singh, a former OB/GYN who, after a grave mistake during an emergency c-section, changes her career and becomes a pharmaceutical drug researcher. When one of her colleagues dies in the amazon, where a fertility drug her company is funding is being developed, Marina goes to the jungle lab to find out exactly what happened to him. Inevitably, it becomes a journey of self-discovery as she begins to understand herself and her actions along the way.  

Favourite quote(s):

“The question is whether or not you choose to disturb the world around you, or if you choose to let it go on as if you had never arrived. That is how one respects indigenous people. If you pay any attention at all you’ll realize that you could never convert them to your way of life anyway. They are an intractable race. Any progress you advance to them will be undone before your back is turned. You might as well come down here to unbend the river. The point, then, is to observe the life they themselves have put in place and learn from it.” 

“It is said the siesta is one of the only gifts the Europeans brought to South America, but I imagine the Brazilians could have figured out how to sleep in the afternoon without having to endure centuries of murder and enslavement.”

“Hope is a horrible thing, you know. I don't know who decided to package hope as a virtue because it's not. It's a plague. Hope is like walking around with a fishhook in your mouth and somebody just keeps pulling it and pulling it.” 

Who would enjoy it?

Anyone who enjoys medical terminology, adventure, scientific discovery, new, exciting environments, and stories with a strong female lead.

What I liked:

I really loved this book. It was incredibly intelligent, and I found myself re-reading many of the passages simply because the scientific and philosophical points being made were fascinating.  Marina is a relatable character who braves her fears with the same uncertainty many would, and watching her adapt to life in the amazon (no western clothes, unshaved legs) is very liberating. The dialogue was also incredibly riveting, as are the adventures she encounters (such as a particularly intense battle with a boa constrictor) and I felt that there was a great ebb and flow between exciting scenes and thoughtful ones. And the way the novel concluded was, while possibly predictable, still successful at bringing me to tears.

What I didn’t like:

Marina’s time in the amazon was easily the best part of the novel, but it felt like it took an unnecessarily long time for her to get there. She spends far too much time in a small town outside of the jungle, battling bugs and illness and anti-malaria drug nightmares, but not really going anywhere, which was irritating. You do wonder if there’s a point to it all, but ultimately there isn’t; it feels that the author is just giving more meat to the story in order to extend its length. Despite the beautiful prose, that was a downfall.

Overall:
A great summer read! Thrilling, and informative and emotional and wonderfully descriptive. I don’t re-read books too often (except for Harry Potter, of course) but this is one I am certain I will return to.