Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining, but you leave with questions
Review: I'm not quite sure what i was expecting when i picked this book up ~ to begin with i misread the title as "Mandal's Dwarf" and didn't see the genetic connexion at first ~ but it wasn't this. The story, on the surface that of a dwarf genetic researcher, and his rather less than satisfactory love-life, intertwines with imaginings of Mendel's life, including his rather deprived love-life (the man was a friar, after all!), and plenty of surprisingly detailed information about genetics and eugenics. The science, at least to my mind, is fully understandable and never obtrusive. The cuts to Mendel are a little more out of place (at times i wondered just whose story i was actually reading), though in the end justifiable. (Benedict Lambert, the dwarf, is shown to be related to Mendel, thus the appropriateness of his choice of vocation. Curiously, the way Mawer has written it, there is no genetic relationship between Lambert and Mendel, though Lambert claims there is; to my mind this is a clear error on Mawer's part, and is more than a little distracting to me. I would have preferred that he forget about the connexion idea entirely, or get it right.) The heart of the story, though, is the empty life of the protagonist, a mutation, an achondroplastic dwarf, and the manipulations he puts himself and others through in his search for his genetic roots and any meaning to his life. Ultimately not at all a hopeful book, this is a compelling on: Deep questions are asked and no answers can be found. The reader is loft pondering them himself, and they will, eventually, in any philosophy of life, demand answers.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining, but you leave with questions
Review: I'm not quite sure what i was expecting when i picked this book up ~ to begin with i misread the title as "Mandal's Dwarf" and didn't see the genetic connexion at first ~ but it wasn't this. The story, on the surface that of a dwarf genetic researcher, and his rather less than satisfactory love-life, intertwines with imaginings of Mendel's life, including his rather deprived love-life (the man was a friar, after all!), and plenty of surprisingly detailed information about genetics and eugenics. The science, at least to my mind, is fully understandable and never obtrusive. The cuts to Mendel are a little more out of place (at times i wondered just whose story i was actually reading), though in the end justifiable. (Benedict Lambert, the dwarf, is shown to be related to Mendel, thus the appropriateness of his choice of vocation. Curiously, the way Mawer has written it, there is no genetic relationship between Lambert and Mendel, though Lambert claims there is; to my mind this is a clear error on Mawer's part, and is more than a little distracting to me. I would have preferred that he forget about the connexion idea entirely, or get it right.) The heart of the story, though, is the empty life of the protagonist, a mutation, an achondroplastic dwarf, and the manipulations he puts himself and others through in his search for his genetic roots and any meaning to his life. Ultimately not at all a hopeful book, this is a compelling on: Deep questions are asked and no answers can be found. The reader is loft pondering them himself, and they will, eventually, in any philosophy of life, demand answers.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining, but you leave with questions
Review: I'm not quite sure what i was expecting when i picked this book up ~ to begin with i misread the title as "Mandal's Dwarf" and didn't see the genetic connexion at first ~ but it wasn't this. The story, on the surface that of a dwarf genetic researcher, and his rather less than satisfactory love-life, intertwines with imaginings of Mendel's life, including his rather deprived love-life (the man was a friar, after all!), and plenty of surprisingly detailed information about genetics and eugenics. The science, at least to my mind, is fully understandable and never obtrusive. The cuts to Mendel are a little more out of place (at times i wondered just whose story i was actually reading), though in the end justifiable. (Benedict Lambert, the dwarf, is shown to be related to Mendel, thus the appropriateness of his choice of vocation. Curiously, the way Mawer has written it, there is no genetic relationship between Lambert and Mendel, though Lambert claims there is; to my mind this is a clear error on Mawer's part, and is more than a little distracting to me. I would have preferred that he forget about the connexion idea entirely, or get it right.) The heart of the story, though, is the empty life of the protagonist, a mutation, an achondroplastic dwarf, and the manipulations he puts himself and others through in his search for his genetic roots and any meaning to his life. Ultimately not at all a hopeful book, this is a compelling on: Deep questions are asked and no answers can be found. The reader is loft pondering them himself, and they will, eventually, in any philosophy of life, demand answers.
Rating: 
Summary: Extraordinary!
Review: In short, I found Mawer's second novel to be near genius in both its premise and execution. After reading a glowing review of *Mendel's Dwarf* in Publishers Weekly, I eagerly awaited it arrival to my local bookstore. Needless to report, I was not disappointed. It seems that many readers found its scientific jargon too stiff -- I found it instead to be not only informative but original. Mawer's treatment of morality is at once both cutting edge (our expanding knowledge of genetics) and classic (love, jealousy, betrayal).
Rating: 
Summary: dissapointing
Review: Mawer presented an excellent corralation between eugenics and genetics and the novel's brutality reflects the frustration we all experience due to our inadequacies. However, I could not overcome the annoying fabrication of Gregor Mendel's emotions; nothing is more dissatisfying than the creation of a fictional character from a nonfictional scientific genious. Furthermore, I was not captivated in any way; rather, I just yearned to finish the darn thing!
Rating:
Summary: A spicy book about scientists!
Review: Mawer's main character's scientific mind is anything but boring; while his physical disability and mental ability have given him a chillingly clear, unsentimental view of the world, he still has a zest for life that continually spurs him to action.
The contrast with his timid, obsessive, but great forebear - Gregor Mendel - is excellently drawn and gives a high pace, which one might not expect to find in a novel about scientific researchers. Mawer's narrator is disenchanted, sceptical, sardonic, as he/she brings to life the apparently extremely forgettable Mendel while discussing some fundamental issues. Sex and the lack thereof is the main concern - from the science of genetics to our protagonist's frequent recourse to masturbation. But skillfully woven into this central theme we find the history of eugenics and its disastrous results and may reflect on whether scientific ideas really have driven progress. Mendel was even further ahead of his time than Galileo and Mawer's narrator lays the blame for this on the scientific establishment, which included the now sacred Charles Darwin.
Finally, Dr. Benedict Lambert's antics bring us up to date to reflect on who should control research and its products (e.g. genetic engineering).
Rating:
Summary: Very Good Novel
Review: Mendel's Dwarf is a fascinating portrayal of a man who is sure that he is privy to the secret of God and life: the human genetic code and it's possibility for manipulation and programmability. Dr. Benedict Lambert has been betrayed by a flaw in his own code to lead a life as an achondroplastic dwarf.No less a man for that, Lambert has bravely faced life to become a leading researcher in genetics and borne the human burdens we all share, some to a much greater degree because of his genetics. Interwoven with the story is an excellent, historically accurate examination on the work on Mendell and the current ethical dilemmas facing genetic research and human fertility practices. Mendel's Dwarf also provides a pristine view of human behavior under distortion, with vivid results to the discerning eye of what an abandonment to God can lead to in human affairs. Through Dr. Lambert, readers are given an example of a fundamental misunderstanding of who God is and what He ! ! can actually do in influencing human behavior. Readers are also given a highly disturbing view of what that fundamental ignorance can lead to when presuming to know how to dictate the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of life. Given Mendel's Dwarf's historical accuracy, present relevance in human issues, good dialogue and humor, realistic portrayal of human behavior, educational value in genetics, and an excellent platform to internally question the role of God, this book rates five stars and a suggestion as a must read this summer.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating, absorbing, thought provoking story.
Review: Simon Mawer interweaves the seperate stories of the lives of Gregor Mendel, 19th Century Monk and the unrecognized (during his lifetime, anyway) discoverer of the basic properties of genetics and Dr. Ben Lambert, Mendel's great-great-great nephew, world recognized leading-edge geneticist who's the victim of a genetic mistake--he's an achondroplastic dwarf. In juxtaposing the stories of the "normal" monk unrecognized as the genius he was and the highly recognized dwarf who yearns to be normal Simon Mawer has created a fertile groud for examining a broad rage of questions: What is "Normal"?, courage?, accomplishment? What results from genetics as opposed to environment? The two men sahre many real life situations (the sex starved monk, a not very religious or pious fellow who makes chioces based upon expedience rather than faith, who is involuntarily cleibate by virtue of his outward vocation, and Dr. Lambert, the largely sex starved dwarf who is involuntarily celibate due to his outward deformity) but by virtue of their circumstances are alloted very different ranges of choices by fate dealing with their situations. A novel full of irony, philosophical questions and a trememdous trove of information about genetics as practiced in this modern age, Mendel's Dwarf is a fascinating book that will lead the reader to question his own definitions of "normal", to see the effects of abnormality, both upon it's victims as well as upon society and the "normal" population in general. A unique, entertaing, troubling and educational read.
Rating:
Summary: A tapestry of history, science and irony
Review: Simon Mawer is a genius. The ability to weave a tapestry with strands from history and science and modern times, told by a dwarf, has to be one of the most amazing displays of writing ability that I have seen. Seeing the world through the eyes of the handicapped has always been fascinating to me. In this case the handicapped is a super intelligent human being trapped in a tiny and deformed body. It reminded my of John Irving's Son of the Circus. However, the capstone of the book, and the most brilliant strand in the tapestry, was the relationship between genetics and eugenics. The modern world is using genetics to serve the ends of the eugenicists, as demonstrated in the masterful lecture deliverd by tiny Ben to a stunned audience while his lover, the wife of another, was delivering his child.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating, pathetic and surprisingly educational
Review: The central character Benedict Lambert is a brilliant but sad character. His dwarfism creates physical difficulties but in an English society which cannot deal with deformities, he is treated politely but patronisingly. His intelligence and sensitivity allows him to see others responses but his scientific nature builds a logical wall for him to shelter behind. Running in parallel with Benedicts search for the gene responsible for his disability is the story of Mendel which provides a basic introduction to genetics. The story also gave me a different and frightening perspective on eugenics. It also dicusses the issue of abortion from a participant perspective. What would our world be like if we were able to reject foetus on the basis of their inherited abnormalities? How many of our brilliant scientists, writers etc would not have made giant contributions to our world? This book is not for those who like to skim read, but it is easy to read. I loved it, but I n! early cried several times.
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