By Ann Patchett
I enjoy leading book groups. When I lead, I write up a discussion guide to use. Feel free to ask your own questions or discuss your own observations or reactions in the comments section.
I have moved this discussion guide to my new blog, Group Reads which is a collection of discussion guides. You can find a guide for this book at Group Reads: State of Wonder.
Stop by and see what other guides might interest you!
I have moved this discussion guide to my new blog, Group Reads which is a collection of discussion guides. You can find a guide for this book at Group Reads: State of Wonder.
Stop by and see what other guides might interest you!
1 comment :
State of Wonder is about a 42-year-old pharmacology researcher named Marina, who must travel to the Amazon jungle to try to learn two things. First, she has to determine how eccentric 73-year-old researcher Dr. Swenson, in the employ of Marina's pharmaceutical company Vogel to develop a fertility drug, is progressing. Second, she must find out what happened to the her colleague Anders who died trying to complete a similar mission.
What's most striking about this story is the number of times the theme of modern vs. primitive emerges and than intersects with other themes, like love, family and loyalty. It's a relatively fast-moving story (most of the time), but it definitely behooves you to slow down and think it through. And when you stop to think and then realize how intricately constructed it actually is...chills.
The other hallmark of the novel is the vividness of Patchett's writing -- we all learn in creative writing seminars that to describe adequately, you must appeal to all the senses. Patchett is in the Hall of Fame in this regard. We know what her boat smells like, what noises the insects in the jungle make, how the stars look at night, etc. Hers is a style so elegant and smooth, it's hard to believe she's describing (and putting her readers smack dab in the middle of) one of the most wild, untamed places in the world.
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