tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671207002827904856.post6695395902461702418..comments2023-10-24T11:05:10.985-07:00Comments on Is it Just Me: Cutting for StoneCathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15735513211569479216noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671207002827904856.post-75742824027972323452017-03-26T00:08:47.228-07:002017-03-26T00:08:47.228-07:00Hah, it's not just you. I was okay with Mario...Hah, it's not just you. I was okay with Marion for the first eighty percent of the book, because while his obsession and rage and blame toward Genet was despicable and unjustified, it also rang true for me as a character flaw. In fact, his attitude toward her is one I've unfortunately seen up close in real life from men of certain other cultures: the woman exists to please the man and is not credited with having any right to be her own person - if the man isn't happy, it's the woman's fault for not pleasing him. <br /><br />However, Marion's ugly thoughts were crazy enough that I assumed the book was moving toward growth for him. I thought that he and Genet would eventually cross paths and he would find enlightenment and realize she was not a she-devil, just a woman living her own life and staying strong despite far vaster traumas than he'd ever faced. <br /><br />The rape scene made me gasp. But I didn't lose all hope. I flipped ahead, still assuming there would be a reckoning for Marion - guilt? regret? penance? <br /><br />When I came across the few brief mentions of Genet after the rape (him asserting that she destroyed his liver, his neighbor and family coming together to support his rapey self and to cast blame on Genet for daring to bleed on his rapey penis; and finally his nasty, petty assessment of her character upon her death) I felt ill. <br /><br />And apparently we're supposed to find it heart-warming that he forgave his lousy father and his slightly strange brother - while ignoring the fact that he endlessly condemned his foster-sister, who (unlike dead old dad) had never done any intentional harm to him.<br /><br />The final insult is that throughout this book, the author presents us with about five hundred characters, major and minor ( the minor ones are mostly obsequious black females) showering Marion with adoration and telling him how wonderful he is. <br /><br />I was utterly confused that the author never endorsed any outrage toward Marion. The other shoe never dropped. The rape was never called out. Verghese seemed to applaud Marion and despise Genet with a straight face, all the way to the end.<br /><br />And yet.... this book is loved?jordanahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17220838382409201962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671207002827904856.post-58326668945314343262015-05-24T08:30:04.360-07:002015-05-24T08:30:04.360-07:00I'm baffled by the big reveal of the letter th...I'm baffled by the big reveal of the letter that opens Ch. 55. So was she not a nun? If not, who was she at the beginning on the boat? If not, how did she get the habit--off the dead nun from the boat? But why would she take that before she knew she'd need it--after she was, I suppose, raped? So did they just have a one-nighter when Stone was on one of his drunken binges? If so, why would she do that, meaning what would be her attraction to him in that state? I was so disappointed that the plot became unnecessarily complicated at that point. Perhaps, the letter should have stayed lost. I think it's interesting that I've yet to discover a review that analyzes the letter.drpjrwalshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13231765940496821474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671207002827904856.post-62547132091981310332015-05-24T08:29:48.393-07:002015-05-24T08:29:48.393-07:00I'm baffled by the big reveal of the letter th...I'm baffled by the big reveal of the letter that opens Ch. 55. So was she not a nun? If not, who was she at the beginning on the boat? If not, how did she get the habit--off the dead nun from the boat? But why would she take that before she knew she'd need it--after she was, I suppose, raped? So did they just have a one-nighter when Stone was on one of his drunken binges? If so, why would she do that, meaning what would be her attraction to him in that state? I was so disappointed that the plot became unnecessarily complicated at that point. Perhaps, the letter should have stayed lost. I think it's interesting that I've yet to discover a review that analyzing the letter.<br />drpjrwalshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13231765940496821474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671207002827904856.post-72045424360305465832015-05-24T08:29:06.981-07:002015-05-24T08:29:06.981-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.drpjrwalshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13231765940496821474noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671207002827904856.post-31159267160707900582014-05-02T06:56:39.840-07:002014-05-02T06:56:39.840-07:00And agreed, didn't need to be that long, eithe...And agreed, didn't need to be that long, either!Cathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15735513211569479216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671207002827904856.post-73471885277619255012014-04-29T13:10:33.431-07:002014-04-29T13:10:33.431-07:00This is a terrible story. I had to read this for m...This is a terrible story. I had to read this for my World Litature Class. My professor proclaims that this book is very popular and that many people relate to the story. I know that there is more meaning to the story, but the whole thing is just awful. It is not necessary to be 560 pages at all. At some points the story was interesting. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671207002827904856.post-19666637849194679762014-04-17T05:56:57.603-07:002014-04-17T05:56:57.603-07:00Glad to get your comment, Anonymous. This post is...Glad to get your comment, Anonymous. This post is still the most-read of my blog posts, so I often wonder what readers think when they read it. Cutting for Stone was so problematic!Cathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15735513211569479216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671207002827904856.post-29447777649202900542014-04-12T11:43:32.211-07:002014-04-12T11:43:32.211-07:00Oh my god -- thank you! All the Ethiopian women in...Oh my god -- thank you! All the Ethiopian women in that book are either pathetic, callous, if not evil, or borderline crazy. Alternatively insert any other negative adjectives to your liking. I'm Ethiopian, a female one at that. I was fuming through the book but still managed to finish it. Thank god that book and its characters are nothing like the women who raised me, and the ones I grew up with. <br /><br />Given the character of Ghenet, makes me wonder what some Ethiopian woman did to him as a kid.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671207002827904856.post-89163208797235560962013-09-30T14:06:28.277-07:002013-09-30T14:06:28.277-07:00I don't remember Verghese's portrayal of o...I don't remember Verghese's portrayal of other women being lacking. I'd have to go back and read Cutting for Stone again to see if I agree with you and I'm not going to do that! Thanks for commenting.Cathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15735513211569479216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671207002827904856.post-23247896821397908762013-09-30T14:04:48.196-07:002013-09-30T14:04:48.196-07:00Thanks for commenting. Yes, Genet is the unfortun...Thanks for commenting. Yes, Genet is the unfortunate object of Marion's affection, with the emphasis on 'object.'Cathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15735513211569479216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671207002827904856.post-45116110147914501472013-09-11T07:49:27.338-07:002013-09-11T07:49:27.338-07:00I was appalled at the way Marion took ownership of...I was appalled at the way Marion took ownership of Genet's body, as if he had a right to do what he did even when she was terribly sick and tried to protest. And then she was still blamed for him almost dying. Her tragic death in Texas was presented as something she well deserved. I was bothered by many other portrayals of women in this book. Yes, women's lives are very often tragic in the culture where this book was set. You can say the same thing about the culture where Kahled Hosseini's books are set, yet he treats his female characters with much more respect and empathy. I found Verghese to be completely lacking in his respect and empathy for women within the Ethiopian culture. I wish I could get back the two weeks it took me to read this book. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671207002827904856.post-29827514680657405442013-08-15T21:08:11.099-07:002013-08-15T21:08:11.099-07:00Dear Cathy and Space Lady, I am so glad you feel t...Dear Cathy and Space Lady, I am so glad you feel the same way I do. Dr. Verghese is unfair to the character Genet.Genet did not love Marion, there was nothing wrong with that;however,she was punished for not loving Marion and for losing her virginity to his twin brother Shiva.She could be come a psycho person for many horrible things happened in her life( loss of father, loss of mother,near death genital mutilation..) I think she was brave girl who manged Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671207002827904856.post-19715475648505138692013-02-06T09:39:31.558-08:002013-02-06T09:39:31.558-08:00Dear Space Lady, you are the first and only person...Dear Space Lady, you are the first and only person to publicly agree with me on this. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I actually heard Verghese read and speak at an event last year (I went to hear someone else on the roster) and in person he is charming, self-effacing, and quite engaging, but he did go on way too long, another problem with the book, I thought. Cathyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15735513211569479216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671207002827904856.post-91735447798656344342013-02-05T20:29:37.486-08:002013-02-05T20:29:37.486-08:00I'm so glad you feel the same way I do! I jus...I'm so glad you feel the same way I do! I just went to book club last night and I was the only one who thought this book was horrible. I was appalled at Marion's treatment of Genet when she was clearly terribly ill. I called it rape and they said no, it was consensual sex because she wanted to be punished. Huh? That's like saying that because a woman stays in an abusive relationship that the guy is not an abuser.<br /><br />I found the storyline about Marion and Genet uninspired and the idea of a pregnant nun to be a stale story idea. The Madonna-whore complex was clearly present in this book.<br /><br />Anyway, it is not just you and thank heavens it isn't just me. Thanks for the blog. AliceSpace Ladyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02516545697992231088noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3671207002827904856.post-34579357170779920262010-12-16T12:55:03.898-08:002010-12-16T12:55:03.898-08:00I've never even heard of this book but I was L...I've never even heard of this book but I was LOLing at your commentary. I just bookmarked your blog and can't wait to read more, so keep it going! Blog early and blog often!<br />xoxo<br />K.kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14847487942568603126noreply@blogger.com