State of Wonder by Ann Patchett, 353 pages

This was my first Ann Patchett book.  My excuse is that there are just so many excellent authors out there and so little time. After reading "Big Magic" by Elizabeth Gilbert, which referred to this book, I finally took the plunge.

Dr. Marina Singh, is a research scientist who gets unwillingly sent to Brazil and the Amazon jungle to check on the status of a fertility drug after the first scientist her company sent dies somewhat mysteriously.  That's the plot in a nutshell, but it is so much more than that.  Thumbs up and multiple stars and now I have to go back and read all of Ann Patchett's books because, wow.