Review of Cutting for Stone, by Abraham VergheseBy: Taylor O’BrienCutting for Stone is a coming-of-age novel based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It begins with a man named Marion going through his mother’s old workspace, and the rest of the story is told as a flashback. Marion recounts the story of him and his twin brother, Shiva, as children. Since their mother, Sister Mary Joseph Praise, died in childbirth and their father, Dr. Thomas Stone, abandoned them soon after, they were raised by other hospital workers. They were very close until their relationship with a girl named Genet drove them apart. Due to unanticipated circumstances, Marion is forced to leave Ethiopia. He travels to New York and continues his studies, but while there, his life takes an unexpected turn.
Over all, Cutting for Stone receives two stars out of five. It was obvious that the story meant a lot to the writer and that the situation the characters were in was horrible, but I personally could not become attached to the characters. I couldn’t become attached to the situation because I have no experience with Ethiopian culture, nor could I sympathize with Genet and Sister Mary Joseph Praise because I am not a woman and am not able to feel the same emotions and think the same thoughts as them. I don’t have a brother, am not a virtual orphan, and have no interest in medicine, so I can’t relate to Shiva and Marion. I would not recommend this book since I cannot relate to any aspect of it, though if you liked The Invisible Bridge, you may like Cutting for Stone.
