Summary: Marion and Shiva Stone are twin brothers born of a secret union between a beautiful Indian nun and a brash British surgeon at a mission hospital in Addis Ababa. Orphaned by their mother’s death in childbirth and their father’s disappearance, bound together by a preternatural connection and a shared fascination with medicine, the twins come of age as Ethiopia hovers on the brink of revolution. Yet it will be love, not politics—their passion for the same woman—that will tear them apart and force Marion, fresh out of medical school, to flee his homeland. He makes his way to America, finding refuge in his work as an intern at an underfunded, overcrowded New York City hospital. When the past catches up to him—nearly destroying him—Marion must entrust his life to the two men he thought he trusted least in the world: the surgeon father who abandoned him and the brother who betrayed him.
Review: This book took a little while to pick up the pace, but was a good story overall. You can tell that the author has either lived in Ethiopia or did his research well- he did a great job of setting the scene and ensuring that the reader understood the culture and history of the main setting. I think that this book would resonate more with readers who are of African descent or have been to the continent.
That being said, I enjoyed the story. The characters are well developed and Verghese weaves an interesting plot. There is a lot of medical information and he does bring up a lot of social issues. This book is one that you can put down- it’s a good read but not gripping.
7 out of 10 stars
Read this book if you liked: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, Slumdog Millionaire
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