Review: Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
by Jenners • 09/04/2010 • 4 Stars, C Titles, Fiction, Historical, Literary, V Authors • 19 Comments
A meme concept by That’s A Novel Idea
2 words that describe the book―Literary Medicine
3 setting where the book took place or characters I met
- Setting: Missing Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and New York City
- Marion Stone is our narrator and one of the twin boys born to Sister Mary Joseph Praise during a tragic birth scene that will leave you breathless. With no one aware that she was pregnant, Sister’s labor is unexpected, bloody and emotional. The apparent father—Dr. Thomas Stone—falls apart and abandons his sons, leaving them to be raised by the staff of Missing Hospital where they both worked. Trying to make sense of his heritage and his parents, Marion seeks to find out the history of his family and what the future will hold for him and his twin brother Shiva.
- Ghosh and Hema are two doctors at Missing Hospital who worked with Sister and Dr. Stone. They take on the raising of the brothers and influence them in their career paths—with Shiva being mentored by Hema and Marion being mentored by Ghosh. These two were my favorite characters in the whole book, and I actually missed them when the narrative didn’t have them as a focus.
4 things I liked or disliked about the book
- I read that Vergheses is a physician himself, and it shows throughout the book. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book that brought to life the feel and stresses of medicine (particularly surgery) in quite the way this book did. Verghese brings you right into the operating room with his characters and exposes you to the life of a physician in a way I haven’t ever seen before. It is obvious that Verghese is passionate about his profession, and that passion is apparent throughout this novel.
- Verghese brings to life the Addis Ababa where the Stone boys were born and grew up. He also deftly weaves in the story of the overthrow of Emperor Halie Selassie and the subsequent civil unrest that rocked the country, including the country’s ongoing dispute with Eritrea. I thought Verghese did a wonderful job of bringing the beauties and turmoil of Ethiopia to life and weaving them into his story in a way that felt natural and realistic.
- Verghese has an almost poetic writing style that resulted in many eloquent turns of phrase. In the Kindle version I was reading, I was able to see quotes that other readers had highlighted (with the new “Popular Highlights” feature), and I kept thinking “Wow … that is some lovely writing.” Here are a few examples:
The key to your happiness is to own your slippers, own who you are, own how you look, own your family, own the talents you have, and own the ones you don’t. If you keep saying your slippers aren’t yours, then you’ll die searching, you’ll die bitter, always feeling you were promised more. Not only our actions, but also our omissions, become our destiny.
Life, too, is like that. You live it forward, but understand it backward. It is only when you stop and look to the rear that you see the corpse caught under your wheel.
Wasn’t that the definition of home? Not where you are from, but where you are wanted?
We are all fixing what is broken. It is the task of a lifetime. We’ll leave much unfinished for the next generation.
- Although the novel seemed very grounded in reality and history while still having a “magical realism” feel to it, I had some trouble with some of the plotting, which seemed to rely a bit too much on coincidence and “convenient” happenings. One part that particularly bothered me was when Marion meets up again with Thomas Stone. It didn’t feel right to me at all and rankled me quite a bit. I also felt that Verghese didn’t quite know what to do with the character of Genet, a troubled girl who grows up with the twins.
5 stars or less for my rating:
I’m giving the book 4 stars. This is an impressive piece of literary fiction that brings surgery and medicine to life in a way I’ve never seen before. Although I had some issues with the plotting, I was willing to overlook them for Vergheses’s strong writing and ability to weave history and a family’s personal story into a narrative that will stay with you for some time afterward.
A question for those who read the book already: I know that Verghese addresses the title of the book a few times in different parts of the book. But I’m still not sure I understand what “cutting for stone” meant. Can you help me out?
The Whys and Wheres: I bought this book for my Kindle with my Mother’s Day Amazon gift certificate after seeing quite a few bloggers reading it.
What are other book bloggers saying about this book? Find out at the Book Blogs Search Engine
I need to be in the right mood to read this one and so far, I haven't been. I wanted my book club to pick it so that I would be forced to read it but they weren't in the mood to read it either!
It's one of those that I will get to someday, and then wonder why it took me so long.
this one has been on my tbr list for awhile. i need to move it closer to the top after reading your review!
Awesome review. I have been watching this book and it still has my attention
I haven't read this one yet although it has been on my list for awhile. It is one of many that glare at me from my shelf here at home!
I loved this book. I did have a problem with some of the modern section in America, but they fade over time and I can only remember the fantastic bits. Hopefully you'll forget the jarring parts soon
Wonderful review! I've had my eye on this book for awhile now and hope to get to it one of these days.
I've had this book on my list of "to reads" for quite some time.
I loved you review!
I find the widest variety of books at your site…and that's a GOOD thing! This one sounds quite interesting. I'll keep it in mind. Too bad it's on your Kindle and won't make it into the next giveaway!
I've been reading this on my iPad for months, but not because I don't like it…I don't want it to END. I'm savoring it. I think this is going to be up there – for me – with The Help and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, two that have really stood out for me. As a former medical secretary, I am absolutely loving the medical terminology!
When it IS time for me to do my review, I won't even know where to start, so I'll just refer people to yours. lol Great job, Jenners.
Yes can we do that, "Read what Jenners wrote". I requested this one from my library. Thanks.
I like that you describe it as 'Literary Medicine'!
It does sound like a good book, I like those quotes.
http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/
I haven't read it yet but intend to – glad you liked it!
I can't remember the meaning of the title, although Other Jill's explanation sounds good.
I had a hard time believing the ending, but other than that, I loved the book, mainly for the writing and the sense of place.
YES!!!!! This book was tied for first place last year for me, along with THE HELP!
Glad u loved it!
Sheesh, if I ever read this book (highly likely as it is has been high on the list for awhile) I won't want to write the review. I'll just say "read what Jenner's wrote".
I really enjoyed this book – glad you did too.
This what I found when I went googling for the Cutting For stone meaning.
" a prohibition from operating on stones, or calcified deposits, in the kidney or bladder. The ancient Greeks apparently thought surgeons should leave this menial procedure to barbers. The modern meaning seems to be that doctors should recognize they can't specialize in all areas. But I'd say closer to the original intent, and perhaps more relevant to today's medicine, would be: "I won't perform treatments just for the sake of making money."
I currently can't remember if this is on my TBR shelves or still on my SwapTree list…. I hope to get to it eventually either way.
Even though this book doesn't sound perfect, it sounds like one I would thoroughly enjoy. Your review is wonderful, as always.
Great review! So much better than mine! In fact, after my husband finished the book, we went back and read my review, and we both sort of went, WTF?!!! ha ha – anyway, always happy to read a review as competent as yours!
P.S. As far as I can figure, "Cutting for stone" is a double entendre – the taking up of surgery like the father (Stone) and also the reference to cutting for stone in the hippocratic oath (but it's not like I get what it means in the hippocratic oath…)