State of Wonder

State of Wonder (2011) by Ann Patchett. Dr. Marina Singh, a research scientist with a pharma company, is sent to Brazil to track down her former mentor, a Dr. Swenson. She ends up traveling deep into the Amazon, where she finds out that the drug Dr. Swenson is researching is something that will allow women to bear children long past the age when menopause would normally occur. The women of the tribe Dr. Swenson is staying with are lifelong childbearers, and they get this "blessing" by eating the bark of a particular tree. The book is one that was a bit of a chore to read, but is a joy to have read. The writing is cool and precise, without any flights of poetic imagery; which is another way of saying that the book lacks poetry. Still, it makes for an interesting read, even though it sometimes seems to move slowly. Grade: B+