State of WonderState of Wonder
Score Modern
What it's about
Ann Patchett's novel is a story of miracles, enterprise, fear and motherhood, an ambitious and mesmeric journey from the author of Bel Canto.
Why it's worth reading
It was a finalist for the Women's Prize for Fiction and spent 68 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It's Patchett's most ambitious and mesmeric book.
You'll love it if you liked
Good to know
It moves at a steady, absorbing pace and has a dramatic setting.
By the numbers
- Readers32 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics25 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller53 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz1 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #175 of the 313 science fiction books we rank
- #952 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1760 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Thought-provoking, Moving
More by Ann Patchett
The Dutch House
Whistler
Bel Canto
Tom LakeIf you like this, read next
Infinite Jest
The Road
Anathem
Cloud Atlas
A Song for a New Day
Station ElevenExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is State of Wonder worth reading?
Yes. It was a finalist for the Women's Prize for Fiction and spent 68 weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists. It ranks #1,760 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 65.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is State of Wonder about?
Ann Patchett's novel is a story of miracles, enterprise, fear and motherhood, an ambitious and mesmeric journey from the author of Bel Canto.
How long does it take to read State of Wonder?
About 7 hours (280 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after State of Wonder?
If you liked it, try Bel Canto by Ann Patchett, The Dutch House by Ann Patchett or Euphoria by Lily King.