Helpful Score: 2
Amusing and serious in equal measures. The protagonist, lovable and slightly neurotic but oh-so-sincere and also humorous Martha, in her 30s, takes a trip to the Galapagos Islands to get away and clear her mind after her brief marriage (barely touched on) has ended. She finds herself unexpectedly reunited with a long-lost dear childhood friend, who abruptly ceased all contact with Martha when both were in or barely out of college. A million ways occur to Martha to ask "why?!" and she relives the anguish and great wondering while this former friend, who is also her cousin, proceeds matter-of-factly through their shared group tour of the Galapagos. Absorbing, well-written descriptions of a few of the places they visit, but mostly filled with both wry and heartwarming observaions about the human nature of everyone in their tour group -- and Martha's quest for information that she's not sure her former lifelong friend will be interested in imparting.
