The Wonder

This book was a slow starter - honestly, I probably wouldn't give most authors as long as this novel took to really hook me in. I am a bit notorious for giving a book about 20 pages to hook me, and then moving on. By that estimation, I should have given up before I had finished chapter one, but I'm really glad I didn't! (For the record, the reason I persevered with this book is because I have experience with Emma Donoghue in previous books, and I know she makes it worth my patience.)

The Wonder works because it sets a mood - the reader has to truly be able to understand the particular time and place this book is set in before Donoghue can start to peel back the layers and reveal the truth of the situation. Readers feel the frustration and confusion of Lib as she becomes familiar with the particular customs and beliefs of the small village she finds herself in - and only when they understand those beliefs can they experience the true horror of Anna's story.

Donoghue writes in an afterword that this book is fiction, but based on accounts of Fasting Girls in Ireland during this time period. Like the best historical fiction, The Wonder has peaked my interest in a part of history I had previously been unaware of, and now I'm going to do more reading about this time, and the Fasting Girls phenomenon.

This book won't be for everyone - it's moody and slow to develop, and none of the characters are particularly “likable”. For the reader willing to stay the course, however, the payoff is worth it - I thought this was a fantastic novel, and I'm glad I didn't abandon it. Recommended.