State of Wonder by Ann Patchett

Many of you may be acquainted with Ann Patchett because you have read her other novel Bel Canto.  I must admit, I really enjoyed Bel Canto but many of the people in my book club did not share my feelings.  If any of you have read Bel Canto please let me know what you thought.

State of Wonder is about Marina Singh a doctor and research scientist for a Minnesota based pharmaceutical company that is conducting research deep in the Amazon Jungle.  The lead researcher, a former professor of Marina, on this very big project has not been heard from for quite awhile.  The pharmaceutical company has a lot of money riding on this project and so Marina’s research partner Anders is sent into the jungle to find her.  He too is lost and presumed dead so the company, desperate to find out what is going on, sends Marina.

We then get to experience Marina’s travels to Brazil and the Amazon and how she deals with the harsh environment in the jungle.  The characters are interesting, some likeable some not.  The research project the pharmaceutical company is funding is extremely interesting dealing with women's fertility issues and brings up many possibilities and questions. 

While I liked Bel Canto more this was also good read.

The Forgotten by David Balducci

I always love to figure out how an author determines the Title of the book, Don’t you?  Sometimes the title is very straight and to the point. Other times I sit there scratching my head wondering where the author or for that matter the publisher came up with the title.  Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck is one of those and I have talked with English Teachers and other readers and I still don't get it.  I would be willing to hear from any of you if you feel you can enlighten me. Sometimes the reason for the title is not very obvious. For this book, You definitely get it right from the beginning.

John Puller is back.  John was first introduced to all of us in the book Zero Day (see my blog for a recap).  If you haven’t read Zero Day I highly recommend that you do. John’s father a decorated General suffering from Dementia receives a letter from Puller’s Aunt Betsy.  While she does not get too specific it is enough to get the General very agitated and  he demands to see Puller. The letter’s message is sufficient enough to get Puller to visit her in of all places Paradise, Florida.  By the time Puller arrives in Paradise Betsy is dead and she is not the only one!  So much for living in Paradise! Believe me telling you this is not going to ruin the story since the reader finds out these facts within the first few pages.

The Police and the Medical Examiner are ruling it an accident but Puller is not buying it and so he starts his own investigation.   Shocking what he finds and who he needs to “take care of” to solve these murders. If you liked Zero Day you will like The Forgotten and if you read this first go back and read Zero Day.

Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman

World War II is over.  Tom comes home from the war weary from all the death that surrounded him.  His relationship with his family are nonexitent and he just wants peace and quiet.  He signs up to be a light keeper which means spending long stretches all alone with absolutely no one on the island and no phone service. 

He is asked to take an assignment on Janus Rock a light house that is extremely isolated.  In fact, he will find himself going months without uttering a word. It just so happens that before he leaves for Janus he meets Isabel and they fall in Love.  He tells her to think over what their life would be like and gives her the opportunity to turn down the proposal of marriage.  She does not refuse him;they marry and go to live on Janus.

More than anything Isabel wants a family but to her and Tom's great sadness she has several miscarriages.  One day a small boat washes onto the lighthouse shores and in the boat aredead man and an infant who by a miracle is alive..  Isabel begs Tom to not report the incident of the boat washing ashore so that she may keep the infant and raise her as their own.  This goes against the rules followed by the lighthouse keepers and for that matter Tom's respect for the rules. 

But as I said before, the life of the lighthouse keeper is lonely iwhether he is alone or even if he has a family with him.  He loves Isabel more than anything and sees how happy the baby makes her feel.  This story is about all the people who are positively and negatively affected by this decision.  It is a very interesting book and makes you question what you would do if confronted with this same situation.