A Review: State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

"Instead of growing up inquisitive and restless, she had developed a profound desire to stay, as if her center of gravity was so low it connected her directly to this particular patch of earth."

Dr. Marina Singh is sent to the Amazon to uncover details regarding the death of Dr. Anders Eckman, her friend and coworker. Leaving his grieving family and her own life behind, she must attempt to stay sane and healthy while tracking down the doctor Ander's was initially sent to find. In the heart of the jungle, Dr. Annick Swenson, Marina's one time instructor, is working on a drug that will allow women to give birth much later in life.  Desperate for answers surrounding Eckman's death and the discoveries Swenson's been hiding for years, Marina must keep her objectives insight before she, too, is lost.

I'll admit that I was really intimated by Ann Patchett. Reviews or comments I'd encountered in passing had left the impression that her work, while enormously admired, would be over my head and a bit on the wordy side. While Patchett may spit words out on the page as if they were disappearing tomorrow, she is, by far, one of the best storytellers I've read in years. Carrie at nomadreader got me with her review and, so, like any good blogger, I immediately put a copy on hold at the library. 

Patchett manages to open the novel with Eckman's death (no worries about spoilers.. it's on the cover) in a way that, I felt, was appropriate for the story that follows. When Marina is given a note informing the pharmaceutical company of Eckman's death, the entire experience is surreal. Marina is lost, the audience is lost, because at this point in time, you're unaware of Eckman's travels deep into the Amazon while questioning Dr. Swenson on the progress of her drug development.  When Marina realizes that she must accept Karen's request and Mr. Fox's (Vogel's CEO and her lover) desire to get the answers they seek, the entire journey almost seems like a terrible dream, something that would never actually materialize.  

Patchett also managed to include snippets of the baggage other characters carried throughout the story with such grace that it simply completed them and made them whole without taking away from main events and losing the reader.  While Marina's motivations and general thoughts were just so unpredictable that I couldn't get a grasp of her personality as a whole, there were moments of clarity that seemed to be exactly the way an individual in her position would react, which, in my opinion, made it much more meaningful. I enjoyed her personal story and cared for her struggles.

The entire story line was fascinating. A rare bark that allows women to conceive up into their 70s, along with a hallucinogenic mushroom that may or may not thwart malaria, are two very interesting subjects. And while I'm generally not too terribly fond of medical terminology and science based reads, I felt that Patchett made it palatable without oversimplifying. I won't lie... I'm completely ignorant as to the life and times of a doctor, or pharmacologist, but it didn't seem so far fetched.

The interactions between Signh and Swenson were tense and I felt Marina's doubt and insecurities.  As a college grad, I certainly had one professor, in particular, that was so brilliant that I often went tongue tied when called upon, despite getting some of the best grades in the class.  It was wonderful to feel that all over again, basking in the intelligence of someone you admire, knowing you were apart of their lectures (and survived!). Someone that may or may not have inspired you to do greater things (perhaps not so much in Marina's case). 

I was somewhat disappointed with certain aspects of the conclusion (I'll leave at that for all of you rushing to find a copy), which lead to my four star rating on Goodreads.  If you haven't given Patchett a shot, this is your book. If you've been disappointed in the past, give this one a chance.  I don't think you'll regret it.

State of Wonder is on the Orange Prize for Fiction longlist, 2012.

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