Staff Pick
Emma Donoghue's gorgeous novel, The Wonder, is based on the strange occurrence known as the "Fasting Girls." Almost 50 girls, between the 16th and 20th century, in North America, the British isles, and Western Europe, claimed to live on air alone.
Anna O'Donnell, 11 years old, has been fasting for four months, making her the center of attention in her tiny, deeply religious town in Ireland. Nurse Lib Wright is hired to watch Anna for two weeks to discover if she is secretly being provided with food. Lib is a woman of science, and she is quite sure there is some subterfuge in the O'Donnell house. Addressing issues of parental responsibility, medical science, the power of the clergy, prejudice of outsiders, sexual assault, new beginnings, the need for the proof of God's existence, childlessness, lost love, and extreme faith beyond all reason, The Wonder is an amazing story, and Donoghue's brilliant writing shines on every page. Recommended By Dianah H., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
*The latest masterpiece by Emma Donoghue, bestselling author of Room*
ACCLAIM FOR THE WONDER: "Deliciously gothic.... Dark and vivid, with complicated characters, this is a novel that lodges itself deep" (USA Today, 3/4 stars); "Heartbreaking and transcendent" (New York Times); "A fable as lean and discomfiting as Anna's dwindling body.... Donoghue keeps us riveted" (Chicago Tribune); "Donoghue poses powerful questions about faith and belief" (Newsday)
In the latest masterpiece by Emma Donoghue, bestselling author of Room, an English nurse brought to a small Irish village to observe what appears to be a miracle-a girl said to have survived without food for months-soon finds herself fighting to save the child's life.
Tourists flock to the cabin of eleven-year-old Anna O'Donnell, who believes herself to be living off manna from heaven, and a journalist is sent to cover the sensation. Lib Wright, a veteran of Florence Nightingale's Crimean campaign, is hired to keep watch over the girl.
Written with all the propulsive tension that made Room a huge bestseller, THE WONDER works beautifully on many levels--a tale of two strangers who transform each other's lives, a powerful psychological thriller, and a story of love pitted against evil.
Synopsis
Named a Notable Book of 2016 by the Washington Post, one of Kirkus Reviews' "Best 100 Fiction Books of 2016," and one of Fresh Air's Maureen Corrigan's 10 Best Books of 2016
*The latest masterpiece by Emma Donoghue, bestselling author of Room*
In the latest masterpiece by Emma Donoghue, bestselling author of Room, an English nurse brought to a small Irish village to observe what appears to be a miracle-a girl said to have survived without food for months-soon finds herself fighting to save the child's life.
Tourists flock to the cabin of eleven-year-old Anna O'Donnell, who believes herself to be living off manna from heaven, and a journalist is sent to cover the sensation. Lib Wright, a veteran of Florence Nightingale's Crimean campaign, is hired to keep watch over the girl.
Written with all the propulsive tension that made Room a huge bestseller, THE WONDER works beautifully on many levels--a tale of two strangers who transform each other's lives, a powerful psychological thriller, and a story of love pitted against evil. ACCLAIM FOR THE WONDER: "Deliciously gothic.... Dark and vivid, with complicated characters, this is a novel that lodges itself deep" (USA Today, 3/4 stars); "Heartbreaking and transcendent" (New York Times); "A fable as lean and discomfiting as Anna's dwindling body.... Donoghue keeps us riveted" (Chicago Tribune); "Donoghue poses powerful questions about faith and belief" (Newsday)
Synopsis
A 2016 Shirley Jackson Awards Finalist *The latest masterpiece by Emma Donoghue, bestselling author of Room*
In the latest masterpiece by Emma Donoghue, bestselling author of Room, an English nurse brought to a small Irish village to observe what appears to be a miracle-a girl said to have survived without food for months-soon finds herself fighting to save the child's life.
Tourists flock to the cabin of eleven-year-old Anna O'Donnell, who believes herself to be living off manna from heaven, and a journalist is sent to cover the sensation. Lib Wright, a veteran of Florence Nightingale's Crimean campaign, is hired to keep watch over the girl.
Written with all the propulsive tension that made Room a huge bestseller, THE WONDER works beautifully on many levels--a tale of two strangers who transform each other's lives, a powerful psychological thriller, and a story of love pitted against evil. ACCLAIM FOR THE WONDER: "Deliciously gothic.... Dark and vivid, with complicated characters, this is a novel that lodges itself deep" (USA Today, 3/4 stars); "Heartbreaking and transcendent" (New York Times); "A fable as lean and discomfiting as Anna's dwindling body.... Donoghue keeps us riveted" (Chicago Tribune); "Donoghue poses powerful questions about faith and belief" (Newsday)
Synopsis
By the New York Times bestselling author of Room A small Irish village is mystified by what appears to be a miracle but may actually be murder in this "fine, fact-based, old-school page-turner" (Stephen King). In this masterpiece by Emma Donoghue, an English nurse brought to a small Irish village to observe what appears to be a miracle -- a girl said to have survived without food for months -- soon finds herself fighting to save the child's life.
Tourists flock to the cabin of eleven-year-old Anna O'Donnell, who believes herself to be living off manna from heaven, and a journalist is sent to cover the sensation. Lib Wright, a veteran of Florence Nightingale's Crimean campaign, is hired to keep watch over the girl.
Written with all the propulsive tension that made Room a huge bestseller, THE WONDER works beautifully on many levels--a tale of two strangers who transform each other's lives, a powerful psychological thriller, and a story of love pitted against evil.
Synopsis
In this masterpiece by Emma Donoghue, bestselling author of Room, an English nurse is brought to a small Irish village to observe what appears to be a miracle -- a girl said to have survived without food for month -- and soon finds herself fighting to save the child's life. Tourists flock to the cabin of eleven-year-old Anna O'Donnell, who believes herself to be living off manna from heaven, and a journalist is sent to cover the sensation. Lib Wright, a veteran of Florence Nightingale's Crimean campaign, is hired to keep watch over the girl.
Written with all the propulsive tension that made Room a huge bestseller, The Wonder works beautifully on many levels -- a tale of two strangers who transform each other's lives, a powerful psychological thriller, and a story of love pitted against evil.
Acclaim for The Wonder:
Deliciously gothic.... Dark and vivid, with complicated characters, this is a novel that lodges itself deep (USA Today, 3/4 stars)
Heartbreaking and transcendent(New York Times)
A fable as lean and discomfiting as Anna's dwindling body.... Donoghue keeps us riveted (Chicago Tribune)
Donoghue poses powerful questions about faith and belief (Newsday)
Synopsis
Now a Netflix film starring Florence Pugh: In this "old-school page turner" (Stephen King, New York Times Book Review) by the bestselling author of Room, an English nurse is brought to a small Irish village to observe what appears to be a miracle--a girl said to have survived without food for months--and soon finds herself fighting to save the child's life. Tourists flock to the cabin of eleven-year-old Anna O'Donnell, who believes herself to be living off manna from heaven, and a journalist is sent to cover the sensation. Lib Wright, a veteran of Florence Nightingale's Crimean campaign, is hired to keep watch over the girl.
Written with all the propulsive tension that made Room a huge bestseller, The Wonder works beautifully on many levels -- a tale of two strangers who transform each other's lives, a powerful psychological thriller, and a story of love pitted against evil.
Acclaim for The Wonder:
"Deliciously gothic.... Dark and vivid, with complicated characters, this is a novel that lodges itself deep" (USA Today, 3/4 stars)
"Heartbreaking and transcendent"(New York Times)
"A fable as lean and discomfiting as Anna's dwindling body.... Donoghue keeps us riveted" (Chicago Tribune)
"Donoghue poses powerful questions about faith and belief" (Newsday)