Review by KDJ -- McDowell by William H. Coles

[KDJ]

[Following is a volunteer review of "McDowell" by William H. Coles.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Our society favors and delights in the philanthropic efforts of the social elite. Publicly, we praise those who help in supporting the vulnerable and disenfranchised. But, have you ever asked yourself: “How many times a day do we do things for others that are really for our own pleasure and advancement?” When this was asked to Hiram McDowell, it began a self-discovery journey that changed his way of thinking and his life.

In McDowell, a fictional novel by William H. Cole, when governing bodies inquire into the business ethics and possible financial corruption of Hiram McDowell, his actions set in motion a cascade of events that send him hurtling towards an immense public disgrace, self-discovery, and redemption. Can Hiram understand and correct his belligerent and arrogant behavior? Will he take responsibility for his actions before it’s too late? Or will the Commonwealth only remember the accused criminal?

In the years succeeding Cole’s debut novel, The Surgeon's Wife, he has honed his craft and published multiple award-winning essays, short stories, and novels. With McDowell's 72 chapters, Cole leads us on a great journey that delves into multiple important topics. Many of which mirrors today's changing social and political views. He points to issues concerning; the plight and abuse of women worldwide, depression, school shootings, humane euthanasia, biased media coverage, and even ageism and sexism in the workplace. Cole weaves these social themes together to create a compelling narrative of self-discovery, and attempted redemption. His writing style is mostly conversational with a wonderful character-driven plot, making this an extremely stimulating read.

In addition to that, more than 4 dynamic and well-developed characters assemble in this account of Hiram McDowell’s disgrace. Several being integral parts that cannot easily be omitted without taking away from the overall story. While Hiram is the main protagonist, Paige and Sophie's stories are also told in parallel. The interactions of other characters with Hiram and each other also propel this noteworthy story forward. Maude, Carol, Hulga, and Willie Brown; these are a few of the characters that I believe brought McDowell to life. I did not expect the depth of emotion I felt while reading. Although Hiram visibly changes while evading the law, I never genuinely warmed to him. Instead, I found a severe empathy for the people he met and those impacted by his actions, be they good or bad.

I enjoyed the almost sisterly bond that grew between Paige and Sophie. They both share an ambivalence for Hiram and how he changes. Sophie was my favorite character in the entire novel. Intelligent and strong, yet feminine, I can see all woman in Sophie’s nature. Conversely, I felt for Hulga’s palpable desperation in her amorous affection for Hiram. His reaction to her piqued my interest in Carol's history. I would have enjoyed reading more about Carol and Hiram’s relationship. It's unraveling may help in understanding his seemingly callous disinterest in anything regarding her. Perhaps understanding him and knowing how he justifies his actions, then, I may have been more empathetic towards him while reading.

After reading McDowell, I have found that the novel is best summarized by Maude’s idoneous words to Hiram: “People content in themselves learn to give selflessly, without concern for personal gain, to learn the joy of being human.” This novel will, if nothing else, prompt conversations around the important topics alluded to within its 472 pages. Parts of McDowell caused personal reflection and consideration of others in the world; therefore, I enjoyed reading it.

I rate McDowell by William H. Cole 4 out of 4 stars. I observed no grammatical errors while reading; thus, I believe this novel was edited professionally. One of the best parts of this novel, in my opinion, was the emotion the author was able to elicit from me when reading. While I believe McDowell is definitely worth the invested time to read, those who are sensitive to the topics of female abuse, school shootings, or the humane euthanasia debate, although not discussed in great detail, you may want to read with great caution. If you decide to read this excellent novel, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

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McDowell
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Like KDJ's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Prisallen]

Any book that elicits emotion from the reader is probably a good book, and this book seems very well written. Thanks for a wonderful review!

[KDJ]

Any book that elicits emotion from the reader is probably a good book, and this book seems very well written. Thanks for a wonderful review!

Thank you for reading my review. It really was a great book.

[Artizi]

Thank you for a wonderful review! It sounds like an interesting book, and your review of it is truly insightful!

[KDJ]

Thank you for a wonderful review! It sounds like an interesting book, and your review of it is truly insightful!

Thank you very much. It was very interesting. I enjoyed reading this novel.

[allbooked+]

Wow! Sounds like there is a lot in this book, and it is well presented. I enjoyed your review - it was engaging!

[Artizi]

Thank you for a wonderful review! It sounds like an interesting book, and your review of it is truly insightful!

Thank you very much. It was very interesting. I enjoyed reading this novel.

You are welcome! I would apareciste it if you checked out my latest review! Thanks in advance.