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3 out of 4 stars
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The book McDowell by William H. Coles is a work of fiction that tackles issues we experience in our non-fiction daily life. The book seems to suggest that we know so little about the people of influence in our society. It is normal for such people to portray themselves as perfect human beings even though they may have many skeletons in their closets.
The protagonist, Hiram McDowell is one such person. He wants to be the President of the International College of Surgeons; he wants this so bad that he is willing to take whatever risks. He lies in order for him to get the votes. After clinching the president’s post, he does not fulfill his promise to Michael, whom he used to manipulate the votes in his favor. Michael promises him hell and he haunts McDowell with his past mistakes.
McDowell is also a womanizer and a father to three children from his past two marriages. His third marriage is in shambles, and he does not show any effort to put it back in order. McDowell is a good father financially speaking, but he is hardly there for his children emotionally. One thing leads to another and McDowell is convicted of the murder of his own grandson and he is sent to jail, but can he justify his action? When an opportunity presents itself McDowell escapes from prison and he becomes a fugitive. What follows is his life on the run where he meets characters who shape and change his life.
Characters develop uniquely throughout the story, especially McDowell. I could mentally picture his progress and associate his character to some people I know. Sophie, one of McDowell’s daughter stood out for me, although she was a bit naïve, she had an intelligent side to it. Maud’s honest opinion about McDowell’s memoir helped me personally as a writer, despite her odd personality; she served as an inspiration to me.
I loved the way the author was able to maneuver through the characters, even though they were many, it was easy to know who was who without confusing. The book was suspenseful enough to keep me curious.
What I did not like about the book was the part that dealt with McDowell as a fugitive, it was a bit overstretched, to me it was tedious and I did not enjoy that part as much. Things were not happening as fast as I had expected.
I did not notice any editorial errors; this suggests the book was professionally edited. That said, I give this book a 3 out of 4 rating. I recommend this book to all those who love fiction.
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McDowell
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