What readers think of Cutting For Stone, plus links to write your own review.

Each chapter is short so I found myself reading 'just one more'....and then not wanting the book to end.

I felt as though I were in the doctors' shoes and the medical/scientific terminology was no obstacle to this being an exciting, interesting read.

ShivaMarion caught my heart and made me care each step of the way ... as did all the other characters. I really did get to know them personally.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys well-written fiction with an engaging plot line (or two!)

The novel takes the reader in and out of the operating theatre. Diseases are described and medical terms are used. The reader learns just as Marion, the narrator, learns the difference between the Art and the Science of Medicine and the blending of the two. Even Matron, a minor character, plays an important role explaining how donated money to the hospital is disbursed. She is courageous and she displays good common sense. Fundamental truths are stated in a direct manner. The story line is compelling and the characters are well rounded. Strange cultural practices are described without passing judgment. As the narrator matures, he learns that life - "you live forward, but understand it backward."

This book will be on our reading list for next year. It is a must read!

The story of Shiva and Marion Stone will stay with you long after you turn the last page. It is an unforgettable tale of Siamese twins and their accomplishments, trials, heartbreaks, triumphs, and undeniable bond. Their Ethiopian family's ties and closeness make up the main theme as we also get a glimpse into medical terminology and procedures. It is an immersion into a way of life wrought by strife, war, dedicated doctors, and suffering citizens.

Cutting for Stone is a remarkable book with unforgettable characters. Once you have read the book, you will realize how amazing our health care system is in the United States . You will also realize that there are committed, talented doctors all around the world that do the best they can with what they have in terms of equipment and supplies.

Don't give up because of the lengthy, detailed explanations and slow-moving beginning. As you become attached to the characters, the story unfolds and becomes one you will be glad you didn't put aside. The book is incredible. 4/5 only because of the lengthy beginning.

Well done...very well done. I'm exhausted...at 534 pages, I have been thoroughly engrossed in the lives of Marion and Shiva stone for close to a month. This book had tons of layers...lots of heart and love and warmth and heartbreak and squirm-inducing scenes. cutting for stone is the sort of book I love...crossing time and generations and taking me to places I've never been and will probably never go. and the title is great, too. even it contains tons of layers.

A few minor quibbles...I never felt as though Marion was a REAL character...he almost seemed too perfect. I found it hard to believe his pure and true love for Genet. Shiva was hard to know, too, and I thought some of the story got lost in the medical details. Also felt it dragged a bit during their childhoods. Other characters - Ghosh, Thomas Stone, Hema, sister Mary Joseph, even matron - were much better fleshed out than Marion and Shiva and had better "stories." still, cutting for stone is captivating. Read it.

A wonderful family saga that will keep book groups in discussion overtime with the richness of characters, history, place and time in this debut novel. A definite must for all public libraries.

Although this book is over 500 pages long, it's definitely worth the time it takes to read. It helps if you're interested in medicine, as the author and most of the main characters are doctors, and there are a number of descriptions of medical procedures. If not, you can easily skip over those parts and enjoy a story that spans several decades and continents. Aside from the plot, my favorite parts of the book were the descriptions of Ethiopia, where most of the story takes place--you almost feel like you are there. Probably not a good book for book clubs because it's so long, but I would recommend it to anyone who wants to get lost in a book for a while!

To be honest, I lost interest in this book by the end of the third part and did not finish it -- there are so many terrific books out there. The protagonist engaged me well at the beginning. The prose was easy and fluid. Somewhere, this got lost with a sudden increase in the pace.

Having read My Own Country by Verghese I looked forward to his novel. It grabbed me with the first sentence. I was a bit frustrated that it took several chapters to get to what is happening in that sentence. The story has many twists and turns and is set in a part of the world that I know nothing about. There were many medical procedures that I didn't understand but that didn't stop me from enjoying the book. I would have given it a 5 rating if it had been edited better. There were some chapters that didn't have any connection to the basic story. I was impatient to get through them so I could get back to the main story. That said, it was hard to put the book down. I wanted to know what happened!