readingwithhippos's review against another edition
5.0
Emma Donoghue can do what she wants.
I've now read three of her books, and they just. keep. getting. better. She is one of those authors who never does the same thing twice, and it's such a thrill to discover what she'll do next.
This time around, she zooms in close on a tiny Irish village, where an eleven-year-old girl named Anna has, it is claimed, been living for four months without food or sustenance of any kind. The locals, all devoted Catholics, call it a miracle. Lib, an English nurse trained by Florence Nightingale herself, is decidedly more skeptical. Hired to watch over the girl and ensure that she isn't surreptitiously breaking her fast, Lib assumes the girl is a cheat and a liar, plans to expose her as such, and wrap up her vigil within a couple of days. However, as the days pass and she gets to know Anna better, it seems the truth will be more complicated—and heartbreaking—than Lib expected.
For an outwardly quiet, meditative historical novel, The Wonder is surprisingly suspenseful. I read it last week while on vacation, and I'm so glad I had Adam sitting right beside me in the airport as a captive audience, because every few minutes I just had to turn to him and make googly eyes over the latest development. “The shit's really hitting the fan now!” I'd say, and then ten minutes later I'd have to retract and say, “Okay, now it's really hitting the fan! I mean REALLY!” Not until the very last pages was I sure how it was going to turn out—and don't even get me started on the pain and suffering I experienced when I had to stop reading to board the plane at 94% read! I almost wish my Kindle hadn't told me how close I was to knowing the final resolution, because it was exquisite torture having to wait to finish it.
Emma Donoghue is one of my top five favorite writers. I absolutely loved The Wonder, and I can't wait to see what she has up her sleeve next.
With regards to Little, Brown and NetGalley for the advance copy. On sale today, September 20!
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
I've now read three of her books, and they just. keep. getting. better. She is one of those authors who never does the same thing twice, and it's such a thrill to discover what she'll do next.
This time around, she zooms in close on a tiny Irish village, where an eleven-year-old girl named Anna has, it is claimed, been living for four months without food or sustenance of any kind. The locals, all devoted Catholics, call it a miracle. Lib, an English nurse trained by Florence Nightingale herself, is decidedly more skeptical. Hired to watch over the girl and ensure that she isn't surreptitiously breaking her fast, Lib assumes the girl is a cheat and a liar, plans to expose her as such, and wrap up her vigil within a couple of days. However, as the days pass and she gets to know Anna better, it seems the truth will be more complicated—and heartbreaking—than Lib expected.
For an outwardly quiet, meditative historical novel, The Wonder is surprisingly suspenseful. I read it last week while on vacation, and I'm so glad I had Adam sitting right beside me in the airport as a captive audience, because every few minutes I just had to turn to him and make googly eyes over the latest development. “The shit's really hitting the fan now!” I'd say, and then ten minutes later I'd have to retract and say, “Okay, now it's really hitting the fan! I mean REALLY!” Not until the very last pages was I sure how it was going to turn out—and don't even get me started on the pain and suffering I experienced when I had to stop reading to board the plane at 94% read! I almost wish my Kindle hadn't told me how close I was to knowing the final resolution, because it was exquisite torture having to wait to finish it.
Emma Donoghue is one of my top five favorite writers. I absolutely loved The Wonder, and I can't wait to see what she has up her sleeve next.
With regards to Little, Brown and NetGalley for the advance copy. On sale today, September 20!
More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com
mghill40's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
loreabad6's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
gemloukay's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
leilah_'s review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
whitmc's review against another edition
4.0
Great. Slowish for me initially, but then got really into it and I loved seeing how each of the characters slowly revealed themselves...and who they got revealed as. Such an interesting historical perspective and nice twist on religious observation. Amazing that the author of Room also wrote this book, very impressed by her range in writing interest. Although the theme of a child being trapped by oppressive beliefs runs through both.
Recommend.
Recommend.
ren_d's review against another edition
challenging
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
nerdyrev's review against another edition
4.0
I will admit that I only know Emma Donoghue from Room. Even though she has written a ton of books, I picked up Room on a whim, read it in December after it was published, and was blown away by it. When I saw The Wonder pop up to request for review*, I knew I wanted to read it.
The Wonder is the story of Lib Wright, who is a nurse under Florence Nightingale's Crimean campaign. She is called to the side of eleven year old Anna who has stopped eating since her birthday, except for a tablespoon of water a day.
Anna quotes scripture, prays regularly, and has become a miracle child in her hometown. People come from as far as the US to come see her. She states that she lives on the manna from heaven.
Lib is there to disprove Anna. She is skeptical, thinks food is being slipped to her secretly, and continues to test Anna in all sorts of ways. What happens though when Lib starts to believe that Anna is the real thing?
I have to write up front that I wasn't blown away by this book, but I also have to write that it may be because I was too hyped up for it. I was perhaps too eager for this book and wanted to devour it, while it is a book that takes its time, and moves slowly. It moves slowly because it needs to build trust and build a relationship between this girl and this nurse.
Even though I wasn't blown away by the book, I still thought it was an incredible read. Once I got used to the pace, I saw a book that explores the tension between science and faith, reason and theology, and the rational and myth with the question- can the two co-exist on the same realm? There seemed to be throw away items about fairies and other mythical creatures, but those topics were there to balance the fantasy and this seemingly real deal fantasy. It was a brilliant move on Donoghue's part.
At this point Donoghue knows her writing voice and is quite comfortable with it. Even though I didn't have much experience with her, one can tell she is an accomplished author. Her writing style was on point and she controlled the pacing of the book, where to slow it down and when to build it up. It was incredibly well written.
My worry is exactly what happened to me. She is now knows for a world renowned book, as well as movie script. She is now a famous author and people will pick up her book because they loved Room. I worry that they will be turned off because it isn't Room 2. Only time will tell on this one.
I gave The Wonder a solid 4 stars.
*I wish to thank NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for allowing me to read this book early. I received it for free in exchange for an honest review.
The Wonder is the story of Lib Wright, who is a nurse under Florence Nightingale's Crimean campaign. She is called to the side of eleven year old Anna who has stopped eating since her birthday, except for a tablespoon of water a day.
Anna quotes scripture, prays regularly, and has become a miracle child in her hometown. People come from as far as the US to come see her. She states that she lives on the manna from heaven.
Lib is there to disprove Anna. She is skeptical, thinks food is being slipped to her secretly, and continues to test Anna in all sorts of ways. What happens though when Lib starts to believe that Anna is the real thing?
I have to write up front that I wasn't blown away by this book, but I also have to write that it may be because I was too hyped up for it. I was perhaps too eager for this book and wanted to devour it, while it is a book that takes its time, and moves slowly. It moves slowly because it needs to build trust and build a relationship between this girl and this nurse.
Even though I wasn't blown away by the book, I still thought it was an incredible read. Once I got used to the pace, I saw a book that explores the tension between science and faith, reason and theology, and the rational and myth with the question- can the two co-exist on the same realm? There seemed to be throw away items about fairies and other mythical creatures, but those topics were there to balance the fantasy and this seemingly real deal fantasy. It was a brilliant move on Donoghue's part.
At this point Donoghue knows her writing voice and is quite comfortable with it. Even though I didn't have much experience with her, one can tell she is an accomplished author. Her writing style was on point and she controlled the pacing of the book, where to slow it down and when to build it up. It was incredibly well written.
My worry is exactly what happened to me. She is now knows for a world renowned book, as well as movie script. She is now a famous author and people will pick up her book because they loved Room. I worry that they will be turned off because it isn't Room 2. Only time will tell on this one.
I gave The Wonder a solid 4 stars.
*I wish to thank NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for allowing me to read this book early. I received it for free in exchange for an honest review.
the_lirerate_owl's review against another edition
2.0
I found this book to be slow-paced and redundant with an anticlimactic ending.