Cutting For Stone

Well. I would never have chosen this book on my own -- but it was a book club selection. I knew it was long, but I kept putting it off because I was reading all sorts of exciting organic gardening books and the like. Suddenly I had three days to start and finish it -- and it was a bit of a chore, I must admit. It is set in Ethiopia -- or most of it is -- and the discussion of the country's politics left me a bit cold. In fact, I felt about 1/4 of the way into the book that absolutely nothing had happened of import other than the narrator being born, and he was just rambling ad nauseum about anything he could think of to convince me to STOP reading! LOL That is what it felt like.

The title comes from the fact that the twins father is a surgeon named Thomas Stone, and they are both ultimately doctors as well -- but the title, like much of the book, seemed like an afterthought.

There was never much in the way of action. I also figured out a few things, and lo and behold was right -- but by the time it was actually revealed amidst hundreds upon hundreds of words that could be edited out, I didn't really care. I guess that is really the bottom line. I never cared for the characters. They had little depth -- and perhaps that was a symptom of their childhood -- I don't know. But ultimately, I don't care.

It ended much as it started. It just did. And thankfully so!!!!