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jinmichae's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I saw the movie first, but I really enjoyed this. The writing was beautiful, and it was interesting to be inside Lib's head from the beginning (in her most insufferable) to where she progresses to at the end.
It was a slow narrative, but I felt it was quite tense: I read it all in one sitting, even knowing the end. Every 8 hour shift you hope that a change will come, and you feel as worn thin as Lib by the time it finally does. Bonus points for the scene at the end with Sister Michael: reminded me of one of my favorite scenes in Les Miserables.
It was a slow narrative, but I felt it was quite tense: I read it all in one sitting, even knowing the end. Every 8 hour shift you hope that a change will come, and you feel as worn thin as Lib by the time it finally does. Bonus points for the scene at the end with Sister Michael: reminded me of one of my favorite scenes in Les Miserables.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Religious bigotry, Eating disorder, Child abuse, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Child death, Classism, Grief, Rape, Xenophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Incest, Death, and Gaslighting
Minor: War, Violence, Vomit, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, and Infidelity
james1star's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I would argue this is a good book objectively but on the whole I didn’t particularly like it. That being said I am still very interested in picking up more books by Emma Donoghue and would still recommend giving this one a read.
For a quick plot summary, in The Wonder we follow the main character of Elizabeth ‘Lib’ Wright who’s a Nightingale-trained English nurse offered a job in rural Victorian Ireland for a couple of weeks to look after a girl. When she arrives though, the case isn’t what it seems and instead she, alongside a nurse nun, is there to observe the eleven-year-old Anna O’Donnell who’s apparently not eaten for four months but is still surviving. Her family and the town are all convinced the child is surviving via divine intervention and this is a miracle but Lib is much less eager to accept this. What ensures over ‘the watch’ is a very tense account of the two MCs getting to know each other, we learn about their past and essentially Donoghue depicts the slow murder of girl in view of the masses.
At the book’s heart, there is a lot of contradicting ideologies and characters essentially butt-heading, with the victims of these ‘arguments’ being pushed aside. The key battle is that of religion vs science and what the watch - and hence the book - hangs on the balance of: whether or not Anna is a living miracle or it’s really a hoax all along. In a similar vein, the contrasting opinions of England and Ireland (or more so their people) at the time is explored in Lib being an English women surrounded by this small town in Ireland. Lib would probably be called an atheist today and she does express her religious beliefs but there’s also a battle of anglican vs catholic ideologies at place being a representative of each country’s primary religious affiliation. With the use of other characters, specifically Dublin journalist William Byrne, a rural vs urban distinction can be made and I think this is done very well especially because Ireland (unlike a lot of the western world) had recently lost a big chunk of their population with rural communities taking the brunt force of this. The differences within the country aren’t that extreme but Byrne does allude to some and I did enjoy what his character added to the story. A final conflict point that’s explored is that between women and men. Donoghue does a good job at depicting the history of the time very well with a focus on medicine, women and their position in society - a specific remark is how their opinions weren’t trusted or given their appropriate level of attention and it’s quite frustrating at times.
Whilst the writing and prose is definitely very good, I would say this was the thing I personally disliked the most. It’s great don’t get me wrong but the pacing, whilst consistent, is extremely slow and there are many instances of the same conversation or event taking place and it was a bit of a slog to get thought at times. I understand the repetition in parts and it adds to the tension present between Lib and Anna which I liked but I wasn’t too keen as certain things were shown again and again. As mentioned, the tension that Donoghue generates is very good and adds to the eerie atmosphere present in the novel. Similarly, the character studies was handed very well with many having nuance and various parts to them, the most of which is Lib and she for sure is a complex woman. The mystery elements again was good and for a lot of the book I was generally shook and dumbfounded at what was actually happening here. The twists I personally didn’t see unlike some and whilst I see how the book doesn’t hang on such twists, they did still impact me when I go to such parts.
Overall, I would recommend this book but after consideration I’m just quite confused on whether or not I actually liked it. It’s a strange one and I would say it impacted me quite a bit, Donoghue definitely knows how grip the reader and I cannot wait to explore more of her works.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Eating disorder, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Incest, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Xenophobia, Rape, and Grief
seamoonstone's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I came to this book after watching the film, so I was hoping for something a little more eerie and immersive. The book added more context to early nursing, but not enough to fully explore the religious tensions and the lingering effects of the famine, politically and psychologically (both were mentioned but not depicted in any nuanced way). The character of Lib was also frustratingly obtuse and cynical, and it was hard to imagine someone who is trained and then hired to observe being so oblivious to events around her. I think the book would have been stronger and more engaging if it were less focused on Lib's POV (her reveals didn't offer much insight) and more from Anna's, or another Irish character's (preferably Kitty, who deserved better).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Eating disorder, and Child abuse
Moderate: Classism and Incest
vixenreader's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Despite how dry it can be at times, the mystery keeps you on edge, the lead is fascinating, and it reveals the darkest paths people will take to protect themselves and their reputations.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Classism, Death, Xenophobia, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Medical content, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Blood, Child death, Fire/Fire injury, Incest, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Cursing
Be aware that there is sibling incest, Münchausen syndrome by proxy, slut-shaming, and changing identities in order to get out of a hostile situation.bedtimesandbooks's review
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Classism, Incest, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Medical content, and Child death
jhbandcats's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I recently saw the movie The Wonder, so I wanted to read the book. The movie follows the plot of the book closely; both are excellent. Emma Donoghue writes wonderful historical fiction, well-researched and with strong female characters, and I always learn something new from her.
This story exposes the idiocy of blindly following a mystical religion in the face of all evidence that a girl is starving to death rather than that the spirit of the Catholic god is keeping her alive as one of his miracles. Nurse Wright’s change of heart as she comes to know Anna, from skeptical and angry at the fraudsters, to loving and frightened as the girl wastes away, is masterfully shown through interior monologue.
With detailed scenes of Ireland only a few years after the Great Famine, two compelling main characters, and an unusual and mysterious plot, this is a fascinating and intriguing story.
This story exposes the idiocy of blindly following a mystical religion in the face of all evidence that a girl is starving to death rather than that the spirit of the Catholic god is keeping her alive as one of his miracles. Nurse Wright’s change of heart as she comes to know Anna, from skeptical and angry at the fraudsters, to loving and frightened as the girl wastes away, is masterfully shown through interior monologue.
With detailed scenes of Ireland only a few years after the Great Famine, two compelling main characters, and an unusual and mysterious plot, this is a fascinating and intriguing story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder, Grief, Medical content, Child abuse, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Religious bigotry, Child death, Colonisation, and Pedophilia
makabra's review
The story never managed to intrigue me. Only the main character seems to have a personality and the rest of the cast were only stereotypes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism
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