• State of Wonder

  • A Novel
  • By: Ann Patchett
  • Narrated by: Hope Davis
  • Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (8,437 ratings)

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.
State of Wonder  By  cover art

State of Wonder

By: Ann Patchett
Narrated by: Hope Davis
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $25.19

Buy for $25.19

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Editorial reviews

Best-selling author Ann Patchett and accomplished actor Hope Davis make a stellar combination for Patchett's latest novel, State of Wonder, an homage to Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness. Davis deftly voices an international cast of medical researchers in the Amazon jungle. Her talents enhance Patchett's artistically descriptive prose, in many cases coiling the jungle imagery closer than you may want.

Hope Davis voices Dr. Marina Singh's stoic professionalism as she, a pharmacologist, is sent to the Amazon jungle by her employer to seek information about the death of a colleague.

Patchett's gift is to give characters multiple, very human layers, and Davis' gift is to bring those creations to life. Dr. Singh's reserve falls apart as she is plagued by unsettling nightmares and vivid memories of past medical mistakes. Dr. Annick Swenson's imperious personality has, through Hope Davis, the ability to intimidate through your earbuds. Dr. Swenson's arrogance keeps everyone quaking until, as the story unfolds, Davis' tone allows hints of humanity to ease through the doctor's sharp-edged exterior. Davis easily moves from dialects as the individual personalities - among them, a West African doctor, an Indonesian researcher, and a self-absorbed Australian couple - flow one from the other. Davis gives a brilliant performance of a prickly, uncomfortable argument between the married couple Alan and Nancy Saturn, making all who are listening want to distract themselves with the scenery.

Terrain itself becomes if not a character, a force, in State of Wonder. Contrasting Dr. Singh's beloved Minnesota plains with the claustrophobic, crawling, itching, frighteningly enveloping jungle, Patchett's words offer Hope Davis another opportunity to shine artistically. Davis infuses Patchett's prose with palpable energy, allowing listeners to exult in the wide, open prairies of the Midwest and then sense the creeping terror of forbidding, dangerously alive Amazonian jungle. While Davis' depiction of a confrontation with an anaconda is not to be missed, be forewarned that Patchett's imagery and Davis' performance will put anyone listening right beside the panic-stricken fictional characters as a life-and-death battle ensues.

For fans of Ann Patchett, State of Wonder is all that one has been waiting for and more. The story has as many twists and turns as, well, the Amazon jungle itself. And Hope Davis takes the joy of a new Ann Patchett book to an even higher level of pleasure through her masterful performance. It is a fantastically compelling adventure trip without the hazards of incessant bug bites, poisonous critters, or sweltering heat. (Carole Chouinard)

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)

What listeners say about State of Wonder

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    3,929
  • 4 Stars
    2,815
  • 3 Stars
    1,221
  • 2 Stars
    305
  • 1 Stars
    167
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    3,991
  • 4 Stars
    1,974
  • 3 Stars
    634
  • 2 Stars
    122
  • 1 Stars
    62
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    3,232
  • 4 Stars
    2,072
  • 3 Stars
    1,028
  • 2 Stars
    283
  • 1 Stars
    146

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great.

This is a fascinating story set in the Amazon, reminiscent of Heart of Darkness with a modern scientific, corporate twist. The language and narration are beautiful. I highly recommend.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved every word

The writing is beautiful, the story is compelling , thoughtful and fun. Nice to hear a good story that doesn't involve murder or violence to be compelling. I can't wait to read more from Ann Patchett. Hope Davis brought it to life beautifully.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

wow

What did you love best about State of Wonder?

the story capured you from the first sentance to the last word

Have you listened to any of Hope Davis’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

the narrator take you on the journey of a lifetime

Who was the most memorable character of State of Wonder and why?

easter will haunt me and never be forgotten

Any additional comments?

absolutly fantastic story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great Listen!

Would you listen to State of Wonder again? Why?

I don't listen to books more than once.

What did you like best about this story?

The setting and feelings of the main character were well described and felt very real.

Which scene was your favorite?

The snake scene.

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

The ending made me cry.

Any additional comments?

Very entertaining and very well read.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Original Story

This book was good from the very start. The story is very orignal. The narator does a fantastic job. The end of the book leaves a few questions unanswered.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Interesting story and an Enjoyable listen

Anne Panchett's story, word choice, and exploration of the human character was both relaxing listen to and an exhilarating adventure. I found myself looking forward to our time time together each day and was sorry when it ended. Neither the story or the characters felt cliche, indeed I found both original, refreshing, and somehow true to the reality of life.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Wonder-full

Ann Patchett is a remarkable storyteller -- this book is fabulous! She paints a vivid picture of the location and the people . . . she story is thought-provoking and inspiriing.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved this book

What did you love best about State of Wonder?

The adventure opened up as did the jungle exploration by the protagonist.

What did you like best about this story?

Beautiful development of character and a primeval setting. What could be better.

Which character – as performed by Hope Davis – was your favorite?

Excellent reader. Sounded like Ann Patchett herself.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

I was in AW at the STATE OF WONDER!

Where does State of Wonder rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is one of the best books so far!

What did you like best about this story?

The story kept me interested with great characters from page 1 on.

Which character – as performed by Hope Davis – was your favorite?

My favorite character is the 70+ year old pregnant Doctor!

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

In a remote part of Brazil scientists study female fertility with surprising results.

Any additional comments?

Enjoyable, especially for female readers

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Not My Normal Genre

I normally gravitate towards more murder mystery/legal thriller type novels for my "mind candy" but decided to venture out a bit with State of Wonder. I was not disappointed. I found this listen engaging and entertaining. I looked forward to my run so I could listen to this beautifully written story.

The reason for the 3 stars, vs. 4 or 5 was due to the ending. I found the ending a bit forced (rushed, maybe?) and didn't think it really fit with the voice of the remainder of the book. I was left feeling a little off. All in all, though, I really enjoyed Patchett's writing style and Davis's narration.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!