Fiction
2009 Random House Audio
Narrated by Sunil Malhotra
Finished on March 29, 2023
Rating: 3.5/5 (Good)
Publisher's Blurb:
Marion and Shiva Stone are twin brothers born of a secret union between a beautiful Indian nun and a brash British surgeon at a mission hospital in Addis Ababa. Orphaned by their mother's death in childbirth and their father's disappearance, bound together by a preternatural connection and a shared fascination with medicine, the twins come of age as Ethiopia hovers on the brink of revolution. Yet it will be love, not politics - their passion for the same woman - that will tear them apart and force Marion, fresh out of medical school, to flee his homeland. He makes his way to America, finding refuge in his work as an intern at an underfunded, overcrowded New York City hospital. When the past catches up to him - nearly destroying him - Marion must entrust his life to the two men he thought he trusted least in the world: the surgeon father who abandoned him and the brother who betrayed him.
An unforgettable journey into one man's remarkable life, and an epic story about the power, intimacy, and curious beauty of the work of healing others.
It's been a dozen years since I first read Cutting for Stone, and not surprisingly, I had very little recollection of the book other than that I loved it. My current book group chose to read the novel, so I happily downloaded the audio and spent the past six weeks listening whenever I got a chance. Sadly, Verghese's debut failed to wow me this second time around. I liked the sweeping epic tale, but I can't say that it's one of the best books I've read this year. Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to reading the author's upcoming release, The Covenant of Water, which is due out on May 2nd. Clocking in at 20 hours on audio, it's not quite as long as Cutting for Stone.
You can read my original review here.
I remember really liking this book a lot when I read it years and years ago. I wonder what I would think of it now.
ReplyDeleteHelen, I had a similiar feeling of disappointment after re-reading A Fine Balance, another favorite from years ago. While talking with my husband about my reaction, I came to realize that these two books were read when I was first dipping my feet into literary fiction set in countries about which I knew nothing. My reading has evolved over the years and what I once thought was outstanding literature is now pretty routine reading for me. Had the two books been shorter, I might have enjoyed them more the second time around. It felt more like a chore this time.
DeleteThis has been on my tbr list for probably over 10 years.
ReplyDeleteVicki, I highly recommend the audiobook. The narration is wonderful.
DeleteIt was one of my top favorites in 2015. I keep thinking of reading it again.
ReplyDeleteNan, it was a favorite of mine in 2011. I wonder if you do read it again, if it will have the same spark as it did for you in 2015.
DeleteThis was a 5-star book for me when I read it pre-goodreads, so I'm sorry to hear it didn't hold up on rereading. I'm looking forward to his new novel, The Covenant of Water.
ReplyDeleteJoAnn, I'm eager to read his upcoming release, too. I love it when a re-read is just as good as the first time, but this one fell short. Maybe I should re-read books that are so long...
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