ARA Review by PoeticGem65 of McDowell
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PoeticGem65
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ARA Review by PoeticGem65 of McDowell
[Following is an OnlineBookClub.org ARA Review of the book, McDowell.]
McDowell - William H. Coles
The first couple of chapters I felt zero connection to the story. It felt like I was back in high school and I HAD to read a book to complete the assignment regardless if I actually wanted to read said book. Something shifted after those first few chapters and William H. Coles’ pen magically transformed into a wand and I was transported. I was completely engaged. I could NOT stop reading. The plots twists and turns had me all in. The rich characters and landscapes painted the scenes with such depth I was right there with them.
The protagonist Hiram McDowell, a surgeon, married multiple times, acquiring children and stepchildren like his medical accolades. He set up a medical foundation in Nepal. He was nominated for the United States Secretary of Health. It does not take long to realize Hiram’s true is passion is climbing, his career and people take a back seat to his passion. A man like this with a god complex, a misogynist with narcissistic tendencies, makes it hard for the reader to excavate any redeeming quality in the character of Hiram. His integrity gets called into question and then a horrible tragedy changes his life and his family’s lives and it is this tragedy that changes the trajectory of many lives. Hiram and the other characters get to peel back the layers of who they are and what gives meaning to their existence.
Coles’ character development was so masterful that I legitimately despised the protagonist and that may be why I felt so challenged to continue reading early on in the novel. McDowell reminded me of so many old affluent, arrogant, white men I have met through my life. It made me remember how I felt in those encounters and how those men talked down to me. It was so visceral it made my stomach churn.
I am glad I persevered because it was worth the journey. Too often these men of esteem masquerade as humanitarians, when in truth they lack soul and empathy. Their accomplishments they collect like souvenirs just so they can exchange them for some title that grants them even more power and money. They do the unconscionable to serve their own desires and Hiram was just such a man. Coles definitely gained a fan in me. The layers of the story revealed Hiram was not as he first appeared. Hiram experiences change and growth and as a reader I went right along on that journey with him. Humans are complex beings constantly growing and changing because of the people they meet and the experiences they have, Hiram is no different.
Every single person is going through something and this holds true be it our “Skip the Dishes” driver or the oncologist who we see at our most desperate and vulnerable. We can never truly know what is going on in someone’s life or what has brought them to this moment. It takes real talent to weave such a tale. This story had it all from family drama, deaths, betrayals, heartbreak and of course the most important element — love. I give this novel 4 out of 5 stars.
***
View McDowell on Bookshelves
McDowell - William H. Coles
The first couple of chapters I felt zero connection to the story. It felt like I was back in high school and I HAD to read a book to complete the assignment regardless if I actually wanted to read said book. Something shifted after those first few chapters and William H. Coles’ pen magically transformed into a wand and I was transported. I was completely engaged. I could NOT stop reading. The plots twists and turns had me all in. The rich characters and landscapes painted the scenes with such depth I was right there with them.
The protagonist Hiram McDowell, a surgeon, married multiple times, acquiring children and stepchildren like his medical accolades. He set up a medical foundation in Nepal. He was nominated for the United States Secretary of Health. It does not take long to realize Hiram’s true is passion is climbing, his career and people take a back seat to his passion. A man like this with a god complex, a misogynist with narcissistic tendencies, makes it hard for the reader to excavate any redeeming quality in the character of Hiram. His integrity gets called into question and then a horrible tragedy changes his life and his family’s lives and it is this tragedy that changes the trajectory of many lives. Hiram and the other characters get to peel back the layers of who they are and what gives meaning to their existence.
Coles’ character development was so masterful that I legitimately despised the protagonist and that may be why I felt so challenged to continue reading early on in the novel. McDowell reminded me of so many old affluent, arrogant, white men I have met through my life. It made me remember how I felt in those encounters and how those men talked down to me. It was so visceral it made my stomach churn.
I am glad I persevered because it was worth the journey. Too often these men of esteem masquerade as humanitarians, when in truth they lack soul and empathy. Their accomplishments they collect like souvenirs just so they can exchange them for some title that grants them even more power and money. They do the unconscionable to serve their own desires and Hiram was just such a man. Coles definitely gained a fan in me. The layers of the story revealed Hiram was not as he first appeared. Hiram experiences change and growth and as a reader I went right along on that journey with him. Humans are complex beings constantly growing and changing because of the people they meet and the experiences they have, Hiram is no different.
Every single person is going through something and this holds true be it our “Skip the Dishes” driver or the oncologist who we see at our most desperate and vulnerable. We can never truly know what is going on in someone’s life or what has brought them to this moment. It takes real talent to weave such a tale. This story had it all from family drama, deaths, betrayals, heartbreak and of course the most important element — love. I give this novel 4 out of 5 stars.
***
View McDowell on Bookshelves
