It is 7 o’clock and I am in the car on the way to a nice dinner with my husband, and rather than talk to him, I am finishing State of Wonder. It is that good.
The novel follows Marina Singh as she travels reluctantly, at the request of boss and lover Mr. Fox, to the Amazon from Minnesota in search for information regarding her colleague Anders Eckman. A message from her former formidable medical professor, now “coworker” at Vogel Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Swenson announced the death of Anders.
After passing whatever social graces the Bovanders deem acceptable, Marina is granted access to the location of Dr. Swenson and her research team deep in the Amazonian jungle. A disappointing explanation regarding Anders causes Marina to wish to flee back to her home state away from the oppressive heat and the wildlife that can only be found in the heart of the Amazon. But it is this unique environment that contains a drug that could potentially rock the healthcare industry.
Crazy encounters like a cannibalistic tribe that could only happen in the less developed and wild Amazon keep the story entertaining, but it is the depth of the characters that make this story so accessible. When Marina was upset, I was upset. When Marina was hopeful, I was hopeful. When Marina was enamored, I was enamored. My feelings matched her own as I moved through the narrative.
As my first interaction with Ann Patchett, I can guarantee that I will be purchasing her other books. I am only sorry I haven’t read her prose before now.
P.S. An update: Sarah’s Key comes to theaters on July 22nd with Kristin Scott Thomas playing Julia.
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