Cutting for Stone, Abraham Verghese

My New Year's resolution was to complete every book I started for an entire year. I have always been in a bad habit of only reading half of a title. I read for the way a novel is written and less for plot. From time to time I would complete a book. But, the past 3 years were pretty pathetic in terms of reading. So I set a goal for 2010. This blog exists in part to keep me on track of completing what I start.

I have followed through with 18 titles so far this year. Some of them short, some long, and a couple collections of poetry. Then, I came across Cutting for Stone. A novel for my online book club for April. I am through 200 pages of a 540 page book. Over a third of the way. Does not finishing it count against me less since it was a book club suggested book? Does it count against me less because I have read over 1/3? No, I guess not. I have broken my New Year's Resolution.

The prose is beautiful. Such clarity in some of the lines. But, not in a creative way, per say. The prose is written in a beautiful way which somehow still manages to stay a little flat. The characters never really rise from the pages. Their struggles of no special interest to me. I know where the story heads, so I find so much of the lead up to be a bit unnecessary and a waste of time.

I have not found a single review which complained about this novel. Nothing but positive words. And, I don't disagree with what is being said. But, I don't think we should just praise every novel that manages to rise up, a little, out of the ash of the average crap found on the bestsellers list.

I have spent 4 weeks reading this book on and off. As of now, I have decided it is time to close the book and send it back to where it came from. I will leave it behind me in the month of April. I will hold my head up high with 18 completed books under my belt.

C+