State of Wonder

A Novel

By: Ann Patchett

Narrated by: Hope Davis

Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

A New York Times best seller

Orange Prize nominee

A Time Magazine’s Best Books of the Year

A Publisher’s Weekly’s Best Top Ten Best Books

A Wellcome Trust Book Prize nominee.

“Expect miracles when you read Ann Patchett’s fiction.” (New York Times Book Review)

Award-winning, New York Times best-selling author Ann Patchett returns with a provocative and assured novel of morality and miracles, science and sacrifice set in the Amazon rainforest.

Marina Singh is a research scientist at Vogel, a pharmaceutical institute in Minnesota, and inconveniently in love with her boss, Mr. Fox. When one of her colleagues is reported to have died while following up on the progress of a field team based in Brazil, Marina is dispatched by Mr. Fox to the Amazon to uncover the truth of his death. And his widow wants his effects.

She travels to Manaus, then down into the Amazonian delta, deep into the dense, dark, insect-infested jungle. The research team is looking into the development of a new miracle drug that could revolutionize Western society. A local tribe has the bark of a certain tree, it yields a substance which allows them to conceive late into middle age: many of the women are getting pregnant into their 60s and 70s.

The problem is that the team is taking too long: they have been silent for two years, and Marina has been tasked to find out what is holding back their progress. The second problem is more serious: the team is being headed up by the daunting figure of Annick Swenson, an eminent and fiercely uncompromising scientist who was once Marina’s colleague, and towards whom Marina has very complicated feelings. What Marina learns will change her life. In a novel that is packed with amazing twists and surprises, Ann Patchett returns with immense confidence to a broad canvas, teeming with atmosphere and characters and rich with narrative.

Remarkable events - fights with anacondas; encounters with cannibals; deaths; re-births - and profound moral decisions come together in a novel that will enthrall her many listeners and fans and is guaranteed to be a major best seller.

Infusing the narrative with the same ingenuity and emotional urgency that pervaded her acclaimed previous novels Bel Canto, Taft, Run, The Magician’s Assistant, and The Patron Saint of Liars, Patchett delivers an enthralling, innovative tale of aspiration, exploration, and attachment in State of Wonder - a gripping adventure story and a profound look at the difficult choices we make in the name of discovery and love.

©2011 Ann Patchett (P)2011 HarperCollinsPublishers

Critic reviews

“An expansive page-turner . . . Patchett’s fluid prose dissolves in the suspense of this out-there adventure . . . that readers will hate to see end.” (Publishers Weekly)

“An engaging, consummately told tale.” (New York Times)

“A superbly rendered novel. . . . Patchett’s portrayal is as wonderful as it is frightening and foreign. Patchett exhibits an extraordinary ability to bring the horrors and the wonders of the Amazon jungle to life, and her singular characters are wonderfully drawn. . . . Powerful and captivating.” (Library Journal, starred review)

Masterful in every way

Words fail me to convey the depth and intensity of this “reading” experience...a combination of brilliant writing and sensitive but powerful narration. These characters — so many and varied — were rendered exquisitely, and I was absolutely transported to the Amazon jungle with its sights, sounds, tastes, terrors, and pleasures. There were scientific and human ethical dilemmas sensitively portrayed and poignantly handled. This is the best book I’ve read in a long time.

Not what the excerpt depicts

I loved the free excerpt and got the entire book thinking that the fact that they were doctors. Some of the things they talk about can be kind of gross. Otherwise INCREDIBLE BOOK.

Interesting, captivating .

I was really enthralled with the setting being in the jungle.
I could almost feel the heat and humidity there.

Remarkable

I loved Ann Patchett's Bel Canto and liked The Magician's Assistant, so I was prepared to enjoy State of Wonder. I wasn't however, expecting to be drawn into the story so utterly. I wasn't prepared to listen to what was one of the best books I have ever read. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Vivid creation of the Amazon

What made the experience of listening to State of Wonder the most enjoyable?

The Amazon is so foreign and amazing to read about.

What was one of the most memorable moments of State of Wonder?

The snake

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No

Any additional comments?

I loved the description of the camp where they stayed. I loved the idea of eating the bark and keeping fertile. It made the book more than just scientists in the Amazon, it added a wonder to the story.

Suspense!

Loved this book! Suspense and drama. Hope Davis was an excellent narrator. I recommend highly.

finest Audible book ever

I couldn't imagine a better story to listen to or a better actor as a reader. Such quality in both areas. I was sad for it to end, and that has not been common in my Audible experience.

Unnecessarily BORING!

This could have been a good book if not for the plethora of unnecessary descriptions. The character came across as a dim-witted dolt due largely to the unbearably slow, monotonous tone of the narrator. It seems that if a small group of people are wrestling with giant snake, there should be a bit of excitement in the narrative. Instead, the slow, soothing tones could put you right to sleep!

Have read this book now a second time.

I enjoy the art of storytelling; of being able to see, feel, hear and taste. I believe Ms. Patchett does this very, very well. I also highly recommend The Dutch House. The Magician's Assistant will now be read for the fourth time - I enjoy becoming immersed in her characters.

Great story, weak ending.

What made the experience of listening to State of Wonder the most enjoyable?

I was totally engaged in the story about dealing with the challenges of the Amazon. The tension of the scientific break-through made it intriguing, and the characters were also interesting. As is often the case, the ending left me unsatisfied.

What does Hope Davis bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Hope Davis brings out the personalities of the characters better than just reading the written word.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Not laugh or cry, but the the details about the creatures in the jungle were riveting.