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Laddar... State of Wonder (utgåvan 2011)av Ann Patchett
VerkdetaljerState of Wonder av Ann Patchett
 Book_Junkie | Jun 10, 2013 |  When novelist Ann Patchett appeared in St. Petersburg in January, she commented that all her books tell essentially the same story. "My story is a group of strangers who are thrown together to make a family," she said. Her 2011 novel "State of Wonder" is much more than that, but at its core it really is a story about strangers, or virtual strangers, thrown together to make a family. The protagonist is Dr. Marina Singh, a 40-something medical researcher who works for an American pharmaceutical company. When word comes that a colleague has died in a remote region of the Amazon jungle, she is sent down both to learn the details of his death and to complete his mission. That mission is to learn what's going on with a research team that has been working in the Amazon for years without giving more than sketchy reports about its progress. It seems that the women in a particular tribe are continuing to have babies up into their 70s. The team, led by Marina's former medical school professor Dr. Annick Swenson, now in her 70s herself, is supposed to be learning the tribe's secret and turning it into a drug that could mean millions for the company. Swenson, however, doesn't like to be bothered with reporting back to those funding her research. Marina, however reluctant she may be to visit one of the most primitive areas in the world, wants to do her job and gather the information desired by Mr. Fox, both her boss and her lover, but she soon finds herself becoming a part of Dr. Swenson's family and, eventually, protective of the family secrets. This family includes Easter, a deaf Indian boy whom both Dr. Swenson and Marina desire to claim as her own. Even Anders Eckman, the man whose death sent Marina to Brazil, had made plans to send Easter back to the States. Patchett carefully rations her surprises, one here, one there, another a little further along. For a novel that makes justifiable claims to be literature, "State of Wonder" reads like a thriller. (  ) hardlyhardy | Jun 10, 2013 | This book has it all - wonderful descriptions of an exotic locale, multi-faceted characters, ethical dilemmas and a medical mystery plot that moves at a quick pace from beginning to end. Fantastic book for a bookclub to discuss. Completely enjoyed it from beginning to end! (  ) jmoncton | Jun 3, 2013 | This'll be interesting to read after _Three Weeks in December_. My Ann Patchett love is strong, but why "lynchpin"? Why "alright"? Why "she sunk to her bed"? I reckon Patchett wants to establish distance between the protagonist and another character and that's why she refers to a married 20-something woman as Mrs. Character. The book is set after 2008 and there must be better, more writerly ways to show distance than for a professional scientist to assign that title to such an unmatronly person. ljhliesl | Jun 1, 2013 | A wonderful story, very well-written. A bit bizarre and unbelievable at times - but great drama. I was expecting the ending to be a bit different. I would have guessed Marina would have found herself with child and returned to the jungle.I plan to read more of Patchett's works and go see her when she comes to town in a few days. My favorite sentence in the entire story when Marina puts on Mrs. Bovender's nightgown: "It was no longer completely clean but it was a veritable blossom of edelweiss compared to the dress she'd been wearing." (  ) repb | May 27, 2013 | inga recensioner | lägg till en recension
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I had previously read Bel Canto, by Ann Patchett, and had loved that book, so although the synopsis of State of Wonder did not interest me as much, I wanted to read it….and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There is something about Patchett’s writing – it is so descriptive and evocative, without being ‘flowery’ – and her characters are so utterly believable, that I could not help but be drawn in.
The book is written in the third person, but from Marina’s point of view, and I liked her a lot. She was a sympathetic character – far more so than Dr Swensen, who (intentionally, I’m sure) was written as undoubtedly brilliant, but headstrong and blunt to the point of rudeness.
The story is detailed and so much happens, and I was carried along by all of it. The ending was not what I expected, and not really what I wanted (I don’t think it’s giving anything away to say that it is somewhat downbeat), but it worked.
Overall I really enjoyed this, and will be certainly be looking out for more books by Ann Patchett. (