I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful book, which was my introduction to Ann Patchett's work. The novel is meaty and literary, but still eminently readable. Any description of the plot would be reductionistic. The book is set in the Amazon and deals with a wide variety of issues, including pharmaceutical development, medical ethics, fertility, and culture clash. I think most readers of literary fiction would enjoy this book. I definitely hope to read more Patchett in the future!

This book is headed out to MmeClinton, who had it on her wishlist. Enjoy! :)

What a wonderful surprise to find this beautiful hardcover Ann Patchett novel awaiting me as I arrived home after a long day of faculty meetings! I thought Bel Canto one of the finest novels I've ever read, so I recommend it to you ReallyBooskish.... and thank you so very much for thinking to send this one on to me!!! Gros Bisous!

Review: State of Wonder (Ann Patchett) This has been sitting way too long in the TBR pile! I like Ann Patchett's writing and dearly loved Bel Canto. This one is a mighty sprawling canvas that periodically engulfs the reader in imagery and the wide diversity of characters. Marina, of Indian origin, works for a Minnesota pharmaceutical company which has for years funded the research of Dr. Annick Swenson deep in the Amazon into the development of a fertility drug that would allow menopausal women to get pregnant. But Dr. Swenson has isolated herself, refuses to communicate, insists on being left alone. The company sent Anders Eckman to find her and assess the progess of the research, but a letter arrives informing the company that Eckman has died of fever. Marina ends up being sent, much against her will, to do what Eckman was supposed to do as well as find out exactly what happened to him in order to bring that information back to the his wife and young sons. The story is immensely complex, too much so to give a good summary here, as details of various characters' lives and backgrounds begin to coalesce in the readers' minds. Much of the book takes place deep in the jungle, with some truly horrific scenes; I lost any desire I might ever have had to visit! Even so, it is a really mesmerizing read!

on the bench near the entrances