Review by Christieee -- The Spirit of Want

Post by **Christabel Uzoamaka** » 07 Jul 2020, 08:43

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Spirit of Want" by William H. Coles.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Human wants are unexplainable, and we can go to extreme lengths to fulfill even our most destructive desires. The Spirit of Want by William H. Coles tells a story of just how harmful giving in to those desires can be. William H. Coles, with this story, takes his readers on a heart-wrenching journey of family, abandonment, humanness, and the complexities of adult relationships.

Lucy, a stunningly beautiful but bad-tempered lawyer, is the adopted child of A. J MacMiel. When a terrible accident with an unexpected outcome forces her to make herself fall in love with Luke Osborne, a reserved surgeon, she marries him. Still, Lucy’s devotion to her career and extra-marital activities with her client, Hower Bain, destroys the future of their marriage. After she abandons her husband, her child, and the life she had built in Georgia for Africa, life takes a sharp turn.

Things become even more complicated when Luke falls in love with Lucy’s sister, Elizabeth. As they build a new family, there seems to be unending tragedy. Can they endure Lucy’s constant toxicity? A. J, on trial for malpractice, begins a professional battle against Luke. How will Luke surmount the horrors thrown at him? When Lucy’s life becomes threatened, she must decide if her pride is more important than family.

From the first chapter, I was hooked. At first, I thought that this was going to be a classic love story. Reading further, I was shocked at all the twists that the author employed to show what I felt was the ultimate lesson of this book; giving in to the “spirit of want” can cost us a great deal if we’re not careful. There was adequate character development, as no significant character was left the same person at the end of the story. The author employed the use of third-person narrative, so I could observe everyone objectively while still following their thought processes. I especially found Lucy’s character irritating, but I could sympathize with her since we all are only human, prone to misdeeds.

I loved that the characters were not perfect. They all went through some pain and made mistakes, and as such, were relatable. The language used was simple, and for the most part, the story flowed beautifully. I noted the smooth progression from the beginning to a climax and, finally, a resolution. In my opinion, this was a well-thought story with jaw-dropping drama at every turn.

The book is divided into three parts. While Lucy was portrayed as the central character, there were sub-plots of other characters that I had to keep up with. Even though this did not impede my overall enjoyment of the book, it was a bit distracting. Additionally, at several points, I found that there was no importance of some scenes and conversations, as they did not contribute to understanding the story and where it was headed; this made the story drag on longer than necessary.

I have decided to rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. While I have my complaints, I cannot deduct even one star because I thoroughly enjoyed this piece, and my reservations do not detract from its quality. I found that the text was professionally edited, as I saw only minor errors. This book contains profanity and erotic scenes; therefore, I do not recommend it to sensitive readers. Adults who enjoy fiction and relationships will love this book.

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The Spirit of Want
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AvidBibliophile · Post by **AvidBibliophile** » 17 Jul 2020, 18:12

I have not yet read this particular book of Coles’ but wow. He always does a lovely job exploring some of the darker parts of the human condition. Humans are often capable of perpetrating some amazing (and some amazingly disturbing) things! It sounds like the characters in this tale will take readers on a wild ride. Thank you so much for sharing your honest impressions of this one!

Lizziemarcel · Post by **Lizziemarcel** » 18 Jul 2020, 14:34

Human wants is indeed unlimited. This books seems so interesting as it tends to have enough to unleash and uncover. This will be a great read for me. Thanks for a great review.

MsH2k · Post by **MsH2k** » 19 Jul 2020, 02:00

I too found Lucy’s character irritating. I wanted to like her, but I just couldn’t. Thanks for your take on this one!

TADSAILS · Post by **TADSAILS** » 19 Jul 2020, 03:27

What an exciting story coined by the author. The story of lucy is a funny one though. Why was she interested after living?

Harty Muli · Post by **Harty Muli** » 19 Jul 2020, 04:02

I like the discussion about the danger of unchecked human wants in this story. Thanks for the wonderful review.

Letora · Post by **Letora** » 19 Jul 2020, 06:39

So many things can happen when you follow what you want over what you need in your life. It sounds like this book did a wonderful of capturing that too.

JKO · Post by **JKO** » 19 Jul 2020, 07:32

A heart-wrenching journey of family, abandonment, humanness, and the complexities of adult relationships, by Coles, is one that I'd like to explore when I have the time. Thanks for this super-review.

Elvis Best · Post by **Elvis Best** » 19 Jul 2020, 07:37

William H. Coles, with this story, takes his readers on a heart-wrenching journey of family, abandonment, humanness, and the complexities of adult relationships.

This sounds like a very interesting book. Thanks for the informative review. Good job!

Adanna Inya · Post by **Adanna Inya** » 19 Jul 2020, 08:20

Wow! This is an intriguing read with twists and turns. I hope that Lucy doesn't think that she can have her cake and eat it. Beautiful review.

Honest-reviewer · Post by **Honest-reviewer** » 19 Jul 2020, 09:33

I’ve read Mr. Coles books previously and have liked them. Now I want to give this one a try. Thanks for your wonderful review!

Akusom · Post by **Akusom** » 19 Jul 2020, 11:37

This is a very informative and detailed review. Thank you !

Vic Chimezie · Post by **Vic Chimezie** » 20 Jul 2020, 02:34

Books with unpredictable twists are the best. Thank you a very detailed and insightful review. I appreciate your recommendation too. Good job!

J_odoyo · Post by **J_odoyo** » 20 Jul 2020, 04:16

I've not read this Mr. Cole's book, but from the review I can tell it's another excellent masterpiece. I love books by this author, and I'm looking forward to reading this one. Great review!