Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
I liked this book! I especially admired how Verghese vividly described the primary characters' unvarnished gut feelings and urges: love and hate, unrequited love and betrayal, excessive self-centeredness, compassion toward others, necessary self-survival actions and the resulting guilt and fear and a willingness to give up one's life for the sake of another. I will definitely remember the humanness of these characters.
Much of the book takes place in Ethiopa. Verghese describes the political turmoil which took place in that country throughout much of the twentieth century. He also realistically describes how honorable people had to "play politics" with despots to protect themselves and their non-government organization (in this case a hospital for the poor) in a third-world country. I gained a greater appreciation for the work Doctors Without Borders, Catholic Charities and others are doing.
Rated of 5
by Anna (Oak Ridge TN)
An amazing read!
Having read My Own Country by Verghese I looked forward to his novel. It grabbed me with the first sentence. I was a bit frustrated that it took several chapters to get to what is happening in that sentence. The story has many twists and turns and is set in a part of the world that I know nothing about. There were many medical procedures that I didn't understand but that didn't stop me from enjoying the book. I would have given it a 5 rating if it had been edited better. There were some chapters that didn't have any connection to the basic story. I was impatient to get through them so I could get back to the main story. That said, it was hard to put the book down. I wanted to know what happened!
Rated of 5
by Julie (Jefferson ME)
Cutting for Stone
In his prologue, Mr. Verghese establishes an epic storyline, designates a narrator, introduces the main characters and invites the reader to try to solve the mystery of family relationships. With such an inclusive introduction, what is left to fill the remaining 543 pages? Plenty!
I enjoyed Verghese's medical expertise as surgery description in both horrific and heroic forms enhanced the flow of the plot. I also liked the realistic setting within Ethiopia's historic struggle for a stable government.
Above all, this novel is a love story of Titanic magnitude whose relationships require more than sacrifice to endure. Forgiveness may be required, but not always available and loyalty occurs in bonds that are not necessarily connected by bloodlines. This book embodies the struggle for love redeemed - all kinds. A coming-of -age story and a must read for saga lovers!
Rated of 5
by Katherine (Albuquerque NM)
A Rewarding But Uneven Effort
The first two parts of “Cutting for Stone” are fabulous. The characters come off the page and are entirely real. The reader is right there with them in the hospital in Ethiopia and their stories are fascinating. Unfortunately the second two parts do not live up to the promise of the first two. In the second two parts, the pace of the story speeds up and something is lost. The characters of the young people, Marion, Shiva and Genet are never as meticulously realized as those of their elders. The plot relies on too many highly unlikely coincidences and the story that was so very real for the first half of the book becomes difficult to believe. I look forward to his next book in hopes that it lives up to the promise of the first parts of this one. Recommended for readers who enjoyed “Half of A Yellow Sun,” “Sea of Poppies,” or “Sacred Games.”
Rated of 5
by Sandra (Kula HI)
Cutting for Stone
There are many interesting themes and characters in the book but I felt the book was overdone. Verghese gets so caught up in particular events such as the delivery of the twins that he loses the flow of the story. Although his knowledge of medicine is obvious and well documented if often felt like a lecture. I read My Own Country several years ago and thought it was very good...but that was non fiction so the "story" told itself. I think it would have been a very good novel with better editing and condensation. I particularly liked his theme of real patient care. I appreciated learning more about Ethiopian history and culture.
Thank you for the opportunity to review the book.
Rated of 5
by Barbara (Alexandria VA)
Good but not great
To be honest, I lost interest in this book by the end of the third part and did not finish it -- there are so many terrific books out there. The protagonist engaged me well at the beginning. The prose was easy and fluid. Somewhere, this got lost with a sudden increase in the pace.
Rated of 5
by Deborah (Seattle WA)
Cutting for Stone
Although this book is over 500 pages long, it's definitely worth the time it takes to read. It helps if you're interested in medicine, as the author and most of the main characters are doctors, and there are a number of descriptions of medical procedures. If not, you can easily skip over those parts and enjoy a story that spans several decades and continents. Aside from the plot, my favorite parts of the book were the descriptions of Ethiopia, where most of the story takes place--you almost feel like you are there. Probably not a good book for book clubs because it's so long, but I would recommend it to anyone who wants to get lost in a book for a while!
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of 5
by Jerry (Santa Rosa CA)
of 5
by Anna (Oak Ridge TN)
