The Wonder

Okay. The first ~150 pages was one giant eye roll for me. I found Lib to be exhausting with her constant uppity opinions; she seemed to put herself above all the poor lowly Irish folk that make up the bulk of the characters. BUT I kept going and blessed be, because the end more than made up for it. Emma Donoghue is a phenomenal and versatile storyteller and I really did enjoy this story.

quite a disappointment for me. I was expecting a lot given the very intriguing premise about the mystery of fasting girls. I mean what could go wrong? the thing is, halfway through the book I am almost done with Lib, the protagonist. she's cynical through and through I get it but the way Emma Donoghue keep on and on about her 'godless' principle I am bored to death. also nothing happened almost 100 pages in except for Lib to keep doubting everything under the sky. and then for couple of chapters towards the end suddenly everything moves rapidly. and that revelation, honestly I could see it miles away before Lib realized it and I was so beyond the point of caring. I wished we had more time with Anna though. and that ending *sigh* (one more thing, I really feel like this book was so un-emma donoghue. felt so rushed and scattered)

** spoiler alert ** Loved the book. I was surprised to see that the average rating was 3.6. The plot and the pacing were flawless, the characters were well sketched out and Lib's pov was excellent.

Quite flat the whole book.

This book was WONDERFUL. It kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Emma Donoghue's beautifully crafted writing made this book feel like a mystery. Constantly making me want to read the the book in its entirety and not put it down. The story weaves in romance, mystery, religion, and drama in a way that is unmatched.

"But neither the creator nor Nature should be blamed for what human hands have wrought" Up until recently the church has been a huge part of my life and while i still for the most part believe in God, i'm able to acknowledge that it leaves people open up to a vulnerability that is malignant for the most part. Women are told to be less, children are told they don't have a voice. Your pastor wants you to follow every word he says without questions. Organised religion can and for the most part is detrimental to women and children. If you've been in the church (i can't speak for any other religion) you're able to recognize right off the bat that Anna Mary O'Donnell plight although maybe not in this exact way, is something vulnerable members of society have and do pass through, never getting any help because religion. Donoghue presents a heartbreaking story of a vulnerable member of society caught in this more often than not fatal snare of "religious enthusiasm"

Plot was a bit slow for my liking, but atmosphere and mystery were worth it. I know nothing but a few bare facts about 19th-century Ireland, so it was quite interesting to read a book set in it. Netflix plans to release a film with Florence Pugh as Lib, I'm really looking forward to it now.

Full review now posted! What a morbidly fascinating story. English nurse Elizabeth Wright has been tasked with overseeing a little Irish girl named Anne for two weeks. This imposed watched is to determine how Anna is still alive after 4 months of supposed fasting, and to learn if she somehow receiving nourishment on the sly from someone, or hiding food to eat when everyone is asleep. Mrs. Wright thinks this will be an easy hoax to disprove, but she is so incredibly wrong. The Fasting Girls is an actual phenomenon, and a very intriguing one. There are very few answers regarding why these girls began fasting and how they were sustained, and why most of them eventually broke their fast. This book was based on that real and mysterious phenomena that crossed religious and continental divides. I didn’t expect to be as enthralled as I was, but I felt almost as desperate a need for answers as Lib Wright in the novel. The amazing thing about Anna is her utter sincerity. She believes with all of her heart that God alone is sustaining her, and that she has no need for physical sustenance. Her faith the most important thing in the world to her, and she believes with every fiber of her being. Anna is a staunch Roman Catholic, and she spends the vast majority of her time in prayer and singing hymns of praise. Lib is flabbergasted by the sincerity of the girl she was sure was “fasting” for attention. The nurse didn’t expect the girl she assumed was pulling the wool over the eyes of so many to believe her own story so completely. Lib is an agnostic at best, and is frustrated, confused, and honestly horrified by the religious community’s response to their local Fasting Girl. They see a beatific saint in the making, while Lib herself sees a little eleven year old girl slowly starving herself to death, and she can’t determine the reason why the girl is so dead set on fasting herself into an early grave. As answers begin coming to light, Lib has to fight the faith of the community at large in hopes of saving the life of the little girl she’s been called to watch. There’s not much more I can say without giving away any of the plot points of the story. But I will say that there were actually some things that, when revealed, surprised me. I’m difficult to surprise, so I found that refreshing. There are also a lot of theological and philosophical questions raised throughout the novel, which I really appreciated. My faith is incredibly important to me, and I love Jesus with all of my heart. That being said, nothing frightens me more than fervent faith when mixed with willful ignorance. There are many characters in this book within whom resides this deadly combination, and much suffering could have been avoided if the faithful would have simply been willing to sacrifice their comfort and ignorance in their search for truth. I cannot understand those who cling to their ignorance. If God is the Author and Creator of all we see and experience, it stands to reason that he would be in favor of knowledge and, well, reason. God is not the author of confusion, and He never intended for us to dwell in the dark. What is willful ignorance but a sullen refusal to journey into the light? “But neither the Creator nor Nature should be blamed for what human hands have wrought.” This is a book well worth reading. It was my first engagement with Donoghue’s work, but it certainly not be my last. For more of my reviews, as well as my own fiction and thoughts on life, check out my blog, Celestial Musings.

A disturbing historical fiction book about an 11 year-old girl in Ireland (c 1850s?) who purports to have not eaten for months and the nurse and nun hired to watch over her to see if the claims of the girl’s family can be verified.

** spoiler alert ** Ok, this book may not have been my cup of tea. I sometimes struggle with historical fiction specifically when it highlights the past mistreatment of women. However, once I got past myself and really gave this book a chance I was completely hooked. I had a hard time with the religious aspects but I suppose that is the point. I really liked Lib although I found the romance predictable. I couldn't stand Anna for most of the story, but I gained more empathy for her as the book went on, much Lib herself. The last fifty or so pages just flew right by. Excellent story, even if it wasn't my thing.

I found the main character prickly, but I warmed up to her as the story went on. While she could be judgmental, I shared her frustrations throughout much of the story and came to really appreciate those moments when the characters surprised her and us. I also guessed the big reveal at least partly. However, I was intrigued by the story as it progressed and invested in the outcome.

A fast didn't go fast; it was the slowest thing there was. Fast meant a door shut fast, firmly. A fastness, a fortress. To fast was to hold fast to emptiness, to say no and no and no again. I enjoyed this book so much; however, I think that most people would find it boring. The pace is slow. The characters, with the exception of Anna and Lib, are not at all interesting. Also, nothing really happened in the first three parts of the book, minus some speculations here and there. But then there's the writing and the ambience. Donoghue perfectly captured the atmosphere that I was expecting when I dove into the book, from the way the characters spoke to the images of the town to food served on the table. It was this atmosphere, in addition to the cultural references (Irish) and the interactions between Anna and Lib, that kept me engaged. Finally, although I said that nothing really happened in the first three parts, you should still look forward to the revelations in the last two parts of the book. It's weird; I guess I was so caught up in the atmosphere that I was never at a point where I was actively trying to figure out the mystery, so when the big reveal happened, I was stunned but also really satisfied. Overall, it was a great read, undoubtedly one of the better books I've read this year. Also, thanks to this book, I am now out of my book slump. Yay. :)

The only reason I'm giving this 4 stars rather than 5, is because it felt a bit slow in the beginning and I struggled to get into the story. But once the story began to unravel, I stayed up until 1am to finish the book. Very interesting descriptions of Ireland and Catholicism through the perspective of a ousider and such an unexpected ending!

this. wrecked. me.

Read this book in one sitting. Loved the cultural aspects. The subject is heavy, but beautifully told.

I loved this book. As slowly and quickly it went at the same time. I kept thinking ‘why’ and ‘how’ and ‘PLEASE let someone feed this child already! Until I found out the reason of her fast and felt my heart break a little. Couldn’t put the book down! 4.5 stars