State of Wonder - Ann Patchett

State of Wonder is a big novel. A seemingly easy-to-read prose, but not really simple, or straightforward. For a long time, I was reluctant to write anything about this book for I have never felt so conflicted about deciding whether a book is good or not and this one made me go back and forth in my feelings. And I think that itself is a good thing about a book.

State of Wonder appears to be a combination of medical mystery and thriller – and to an extent it can afford to be in that category. The story begins with an American researcher, Marina Singh, going to Brazil looking for information about her colleague, Anders Eckman, who seems to have died under mysterious circumstances. She works for a pharmaceutical company that is funding her former teacher and mentor, a legendary researcher Dr. Annick Swenson working somewhere deep in the amazon forests. Dr. Swenson prefers to work without any interference from the company, claiming to be at the threshold of discovering a miracle drug.

In addition to finding details about her missing colleague, Marina is also expected to convince the researcher to share her discovery details.

The book starts well with good pace and well-written, clear prose. The reader is hooked on early wanting to know what happens next. Marina Singh is a complex character: she is highly intelligent, loyal, self-absorbed with a troubled past. She is likeable despite her flaws. What starts as a highly intriguing plot slowly wanders away into paths that readers do not expect – not necessarily a great thing. There are unnecessary minor characters whose sole purpose is to introduce a mood of mystery into the story temporarily. They simply peter out without any role to play.

The second half deals with the other main character Dr. Swenson and the topic of her research. Cold and calculating, a no-nonsense old lady whose focus is only on getting a result out of her research, Dr. Swenson seems like a villain without really being one. Unfortunately, this character felt very two-dimensional despite the best efforts from the writer. This is also the time when one begins to wonder what is the writer trying to achieve. At one point I was horrified that the protagonist seemed to have completely abandoned her purpose of the visit and got pulled into other issues – just like the author who seemed to have strayed away from the main plot.

Yet, I cannot really say with conviction that I don’t like this book. There are other things for example, questions on moral, ethical values of a scientific researcher, the obligation to the society in large, the dilemma Marina faces when it comes to preserving the cultural identity and sanctity of the tribes, that are raised and discussed during the narration of the story. These are thought-provoking and necessary, but the author fails to interweave them seamlessly into the main story.

Overall, the book left me slightly dissatisfied yet contemplating on the themes and questions raised. I appreciate the thought process behind it, but not so much of the execution.

I would rate this 3.0/5