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Ada Ardor
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book. Read a second time. Just as fascinating and good. You care.
Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2015
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Love this book. And I hate science.

But this book is about people. What I enjoyed was Allegra Goodman's empathy, her constant care for her characters, so no one was a villain, and there were no heroes or clear villains.

I didn't agree with all of Robin Decker's maneuvers, but I did empathize with her. She was not an unkind person, and she had always played by the rules. I understand her frustration, and her determination, but I couldn't always endorse the direction that she was heading although sometimes that is the only way.

Of all the characters, I empathized most with Marion Mendelssohn, who was a true scientist. She didn't have a perfect marriage though her husband adored her, and wanted nothing more than for her to succeed. Marion's lab partner, Sandy Glass, also wanted her to succeed. Marion was brilliant enough to cause others to usurp her work, though she could be at times difficult. But she was a true scientist with so much integrity. She couldn't fathom anyone deceiving her, and she couldn't forgive those who felt conflicted about telling her the truth.

This is a great book. Beautifully written. So interesting and written with such care for the characters. A fabulous read. From start to finish.
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Aleksandra Nita-Lazar
4.0 out of 5 stars original and truthful novel about the world of science
Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2008
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I liked the idea behind "Intuition", because it was the first novel I have ever encountered, which was so close to my own life and profession. Allegra Goodman managed to find the underappreciated niche and filled it with a remarkable book. The world of academic life sciences is rendered with precision in "Intuition"; it is obvious that the author took her time to really get into the work in the lab in a prestigious institute.

Marion Mendelssohn and Sandy Glass are two co-principal investigators of the lab where several dedicated postdocs and technicians work like crazy to get the groundbreaking results. The novel starts when one of the postdocs, Cliff, is reprimanded for pursuing the experiments with R-7 virus strain, which do not seem to work. Cliff is ordered to work with another postdoc, Robin (who is also his girlfriend), on her project (which also does not work although she has been trying for five years). Behind his back, Sandy and Marion discuss letting Cliff go.

Everything changes when suddenly Cliff's experiments start working and his model mice, which are injected with cancer cells and have developed tumors, after being treated with the virus, go into remission. Everyone is happy and excited, everyone has to help Cliff finish the experiments, Cliff becomes the star of the lab, gives interviews, his results are published in Nature... But Robin suspects that something might be wrong and decides to conduct her own small investigation...
I liked very much the characters in this novel - there are probably all the personality types one can see in the world of science, from the child prodigy, through the meticulous worker, the ironic pessimist, the pursuer of success, to the fame-devouring narcissist. They are from different countries and social backgrounds, which also reflects the real situation.

All the feelings the scientist might feel during the work - frustration, jealousy, tiredness, but also relief, pride and happiness after achieving the goal are also there. The work and living conditions of all levels of scientists are perfectly depicted. The non-so-scientific side of doing science is also introduced: the National Institutes of Health bureaucracy, grant writing, media attention, and, most importantly, scientific integrity, which is the main issue in this novel. There are only two things I am wondering about: how universal this story is, how many people will read it with interest equal to mine, how important the questions discussed really are to the general public; and how soon it will get obsolete - the progress in life sciences is enormously fast so in a few years this book may read like a fossilized record of past endeavors. Anyway, fortunately now postdocs earn more than seventeen thousand dollars a year...

There was enough suspense to keep the reader engrossed, and Goodman made sure that there is enough background to get even to the people who have no clue about science. The ending is very realistic though - I do not want to include a spoiler, but I just have to say that it is very much like life and not much like a novel, which I think is a good thing, but not everyone would probably agree with me.
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Kristin
4.0 out of 5 stars The cloistered life
Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2006
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In this book, Goodman continues to explore the themes introduced in her first novel Kaaterskill Falls. Both books are set in closed societies that demand total dedication and immersion by their members, and where personal ambition is expected to give way to the service of a higher calling. In the Orthodox Jewish sect at the heart of Kaaterskill Falls, the adherents are seeking closeness with God; in this book, the "higher calling" is the search for scientific truth. Here, Goodman deftly describes the claustrophobic world of the lab, in which the complex relationships among the inhabitants are much more tenuous and fragile than they seem. The delicate balance of this cloistered world remains intact until the researchers come tantalizingly close to greatness, when internal and external pressures blow everything apart.

Although there is much to admire in this book, somehow, for me, it does not live up to its promise. The characters never really come alive for me; they seem to have been created more to serve the Big Ideas at the core of the work instead of being fully formed individuals. And the plot, while clever, is highly schematic and very tightly controlled. It's sort of ironic that Goodman's primary theme -- that the search for purity and perfection cannot survive the messiness of human emotion -- is undermined to some extent by her own need for control.
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Mr. August
VINE VOICE
5.0 out of 5 stars A rare perspective on scientific research
Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2006
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Allegra Goodman grabs the reader with her thorough understanding of the variables in a research lab. I respected her immediately for painting a solid, realistic description of a postdoc lab rife with troubled scientists, funding problems and intimacy among some of the characters. These characters were carefully crafted for the reader allowing us to discover a reason for their existence in Goodman's plausible plot. Scientific politics carry the plot from the initial discovery for a cancer cure from a bereft scientist, Cliff, to a minor character, Jacob, who we believe is altruistic, igniting problems for the staff and directors and then to a denouement which affects the entire cast of characters. From the beginning, Ms. Goodman is full of surprises, as we envision the Sandy, one the of main male characters as an egotitistical physician. However,the reversal of motives and actions among main characters result in a solid piece of writing about science, team effort, and the realization that the discovery to cure cancer is lost amongst the collision of blurred motives of the scientists and the agencies who oversee their research. Ms. Goodman never "talks down" to the reader whether she has a character allude to Donne or brings an immigration issue to light. A treasure of a book.
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Top reviews from other countries

Quicksilver
4.0 out of 5 stars Subtle and Compelling
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 20, 2010
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'Intuition' is a slow burning novel, that deals with the less-than-exciting subject of scientific rigour. Despite most of the novel taking place inside the rarefied atmosphere of a research laboratory, and its plot hinging around the accuracy of some unseen data, 'Intuition' is remarkably readable.

It begins with Cliff, a post doctoral student, being hauled before his supervisors to explain why he is persisting with an unsuccessful line of inquiry. Faced with the termination of his research program, Cliff is at rock bottom, years of work look to be for nought. When his experiments unexpectedly bear fruit, he becomes flavour of the month, attracting prestige and, more importantly, funds to his cash-strapped research team. Other lines of research are halted as the other workers are told to direct their attentions to Cliff's experiments. The results represent a major breakthrough in the fight against cancer, but are Cliff's findings too good to be true? Robin, Cliff's on and off girlfriend, finds herself with reason to think so, but when she questions the integrity of his work, finds herself to be the group's pariah.

'Intuition' asks serious questions about scientific integrity and the temptations to misrepresent data, when in a highly competitive environment. Anybody who has ever worked in a post-graduate laboratory will recognise 'Intuition's' characters, and the political manoeuvrings that go on within an academic department. Goodman's characters are well drawn and flawed, making 'Intuition' credible read. Has Cliff deliberately forged his results to get ahead, or is Robin embittered by his success and the failure of their relationship? The head of the team is vainglorious clinician, who is far better at managing the media than he is controlling the personalities in his team.

The drama in 'Intuition' lies in the antagonism between its characters. Nobody's motives are as noble as they pretend to themselves. They are all striving for recognition and even fame. In trying to ascertain the accuracy of Cliff's work, Robin finds herself drawn into a world of claim and counter claim, a world run by lawyers rather than scientists. The truth remains grey until the very end, and even then, what really happened is open to interpretation. One question remains unanswered - is a system that rewards those who shout loudest, the right way to fund scientific endeavour?

Slow in places, and probably appealing more to those who have a grounding in science, Intuition is an excellent novel. Despite the lack of drama, I found it hard to put down. 'Intuition' could well be the best novel you've never heard of.
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Dr. J. Brooks
5.0 out of 5 stars "Too good to be true......."
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 14, 2009
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"Too good to be true...." is a theme that runs throughout this excellent book that opens up the [often] closed world of the scientific research, and of humanising the [often] complex and complicated impersonal pursuit of scientific truth. "Too good to be true", in the book, refers to the manipulation of results and interpretation of experimental data so that they support desired conclusions. BUT "Too good to be true..." can equally be applied to this excellent book in the topic, storytelling, atmosphere, characters, subjectivity v objectivity of research and inter-relationships of the various researchers, colleagues, families and friends. 'Intuition' is compelling fiction, is at once intricate mystery carefully and creditably interwoven with rich human drama. It has an absorbing scientific plot, but its real strength lies in the clever and convincing portrayal and dissection of human motives and characters.

'Intuition' is set in the closed world of a research institute in Boston in the 1980s. A brash publicity-seeking oncologist, an exacting scientist driven by love of her research, and an ambitious young postdoctoral fellow are among the characters that populate this outstanding novel.

"The Lab" is awaken from years of unrewarding research when Cliff - a post-doc - 'discovers' a genetically modified virus that he has prepared that is positive and active in attacking cancer cells. A research paper is quickly published, major grant applications obtained, and publicity and promotion of this astonishing breakthrough is presented to the world.

All the laboratory and the Institute are excited and overwhelmed by this discovery - except for Cliff's ex-girlfriend and fellow researcher Robin. She becomes increasing suspicious when her attempts to duplicate his results end in failure......

This is the start of a complex and intriguing story of human motives, desires and relationships together with interesting insights into scientific method and behaviour. Human and scientific objectivity and subjectivity become so mixed up that the ultimate truth about the research and its true interpretation can not be distinguished amongst the human behaviour, motives and ambition. The 'truth' about the research leaves the lab and becomes embroiled in assessment and evaluation by senior research institutes and finally at US Senate Committee where there are political as well as scientific questions to be resolved.

The author - who was new to me - has written an excellent narrative, with significant characters, an enterprising and interesting story-line, and an atmospheric expression of research laboratory/institute life - which many readers will experience for the first time.

The book succeeds in bringing together both the 'scientific ethos and intensity of the laboratory' in its search for success, recognition and grants with it's highly focused pursuit of knowledge and ultimately a recognition of its fallibility. The storyline is very strong on the inconvenience of human attitude and character that can undermine this idealism in the search for power and influence.

The book is an excellent read; first-class storytelling; contains outstanding characters and the author has the skill and the gift as an excellent observer of personalities.

Do read the book - scientist or not - you are in for a treat. "It is too good to be true..."
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Amazon Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars A perfect Science Novel
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 16, 2018
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This novel is a great novel regarding the science novel or science in fiction genre. All the characters are not only scientists but real people, something often not actually found in novels dealing with science and research etc.
However, I only give it 3 stars because at times it could get pretty boring. If science is of your interest though, I’m sure it would be a much more enjoyable book for you.
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Ollie
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 7, 2021
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One of the best books I have read recently. Good pace
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Discerning
4.0 out of 5 stars Thought-provoking lab life
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 7, 2011
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This is extremely well-written with an interesting mix of characters. You are spared no grisly detail of the lab experimentation with mice and it seems very realistically detailed from a scientific point of view. You can really only form your own opinions at the end because there isn't a particularly conclusive outcome but it's a good read if you're not too squeamish.
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