State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
Publisher: HarperPublication Date: June 7, 2011
ISBN: 9780062049803
368 Pages (Hardcover)
Fiction
Dr. Marina Singh, a research scientist with a Minnesota pharmaceutical company, is sent to Brazil to track down her former mentor, Dr. Annick Swenson, who seems to have all but disappeared in the Amazon while working on what is destined to be an extremely valuable new drug, the development of which has already cost the company a fortune. Nothing about Marina’s assignment is easy: not only does no one know where Dr. Swenson is, but the last person who was sent to find her, Marina’s research partner Anders Eckman, died before he could complete his mission. Plagued by trepidation, Marina embarks on an odyssey into the insect-infested jungle in hopes of finding her former mentor as well as answers to several troubling questions about her friend’s death, the state of her company’s future, and her own past.
Once found, Dr. Swenson, now in her seventies, is as ruthless and uncompromising as she ever was back in the days of Grand Rounds at Johns Hopkins. With a combination of science and subterfuge, she dominates her research team and the natives she is studying with the force of an imperial ruler. But while she is as threatening as anything the jungle has to offer, the greatest sacrifices to be made are the ones Dr. Swenson asks of herself, and will ultimately ask of Marina, who finds she may still be unable to live up to her teacher’s expectations.
My thoughts:
This is my first book by Ann Patchett and while I won't say that it was one of my favorite reads, it wasn't too bad.
I will admit that it was well written, the characters were well developed and I did find myself enjoying most of it.
It's kind of an adventure, you get pulled into Marina's life as she embarks on this journey to Brazil to find out what happened to Anders Eckman in his premature death while doing research. Along the way we also meet Dr Swenson which I will say just absolutely grated on my nerves LOL
Not a bad book though :)
I received this book free from TLC Book Tours. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Wonderful book with suspense and characters to both love and hate. You never know what to expect with a trip into the Amazon of Brazil. There is some tragedy but it all comes together in the end, yet it leaves you to "wonder".
ReplyDelete