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  • State of Wonder

  • A Novel
  • Written by: Ann Patchett
  • Narrated by: Hope Davis
  • Length: 12 hrs and 22 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (56 ratings)

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State of Wonder

Written by: Ann Patchett
Narrated by: Hope Davis
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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
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What the critics say

“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

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Wonder full

Great story, wonderfully written and great read, from beginning to end . A must read twice book.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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River Stories

loved it! The ending especially. Made me cry out of happiness. The little turns in the plotline were exceptional.

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Wonderful story, enjoyed it.

1 caveat: Hope Davis (a great reader!!) kept calling Marina "Morena", which was annoying and distracting. I really love Patchett's writing, it's so lush and beautiful, and i can see how some reviewers found Marina incredibly naive and the story a little hard to believe. But I enjoyed it.

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My First Favourite Book

If you ask me what my favourite book is my heart and mind say “State of Wonder”. Quickly followed by “The Dutch House”. And “basically, anything by Ann Patchett”.

This was the first really good book I ever read. It sits on my shed in my bedroom in full view and I see it every day because it makes me happy. You will not be sorry you read this one, that is a guarantee!

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Interesting twist and turns

It is a Original and timely well told story, it was a great listening. I highly recommended,

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Excellent listen

I am a new fan of Ann Patchett and this book did not disappoint. It is an unusual premise dealing with a scientific researcher’s project in the Amazon. The characters and atmosphere are well drawn and story in clever and interesting. I also really liked the narrator’s voice and delivery. There is a great twist at the end which is satisfying snd unexpected. If you find it slow at the beginning I say stick with it because it gets better and better. Definitely recommend.

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Excellent Listen

A well written book, with an unusual premise, and a bit of a surprise ending. The characters are interesting and well developed. The narrator does a great job.
Ann Patchett doesn’t disappoint.

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great story well told

my second title by this author and it certainly did not disappoint. great story excellent performance

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    4 out of 5 stars

Great story!

I really enjoy the story and narration. Great story and characters throughout. Will listen to again!

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