Cutting for Stone

I thoroughly enjoyed Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese, a fictional work narrated by Marion Stone who was born and raised with his identical twin brother, Shiva, in Ethiopia.  The story begins with the twins' traumatic birth; traumatic for them and all those around them.  Marion describes the circumstances of the birth in 1954 at a "mission" hospital and he spends much of his life learning about his birth parents after he and Shiva are adopted by two people who love them completely.  The story is set against the background of the changing political landscape in Ethiopia.  Marion and Shiva's adoptive parents are doctors who instil in the boys a love of medicine which they take in to adulthood.  This is a beautifully written book with attention to detail that demonstrates the level of research undertaken by the author.  The story is a rich tapestry of the characters' lives woven together to make this a truly great novel. 5/5