Review by B Creech -- McDowell by William H. Coles

[Brenda Creech]

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

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4 out of 4 stars

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McDowell by William H. Coles is a fictional novel about a self-centered, egotistical surgeon who doesn't care who he harms on his way to the top of his profession. World-renowned surgeon, Hiram McDowell, goes to any lengths to get what he wants. He coerces Michael O'Leary, a friend, and colleague, into nominating him for president of the prestigious International College of Surgeons. He promises Michael the executive director position if he gets him enough votes. Once McDowell is voted in as president, he gives the job to someone else. Michael is determined to get revenge and see McDowell's downfall. McDowell is also an experienced mountain climber, challenging himself to scale the world's highest mountains. He established a charitable organization and built a hospital in Nepal for the poor. Eventually, he was nominated for Secretary of Health and Human Services and was confirmed.

McDowell felt his accomplishments put him above all other surgeons. He felt invincible. But then tragedy struck. Jeremy, McDowell's grandson, took a gun into a school and shot seventeen people, killing twelve, his sister included. Jeremy then put the weapon under his chin and shot himself; however, he survived. Most of Jeremy's face was gone, and he remained in a coma in a nursing facility. McDowell's anger toward what Jeremy had done mixed with his devastation over Jeremy's injuries was more than he could accept. McDowell found himself in turmoil over what to do. Should he end the pain and suffering he knew Jeremy would endure if he woke up? As a world-renowned physician, could McDowell justify "assisting" his grandson's death? Or would he lose everything?

Coles did an excellent job of character development. As the story progressed, I felt I knew the characters personally. In addition to McDowell, the main characters were his daughter, Sophie, his son, Billie, and Paige, a television reporter writing McDowell's biography. There are secondary characters portrayed as compassionate and kind; down-to-earth folks who impacted McDowell's life in positive ways. The story is fast-paced and intriguing. I had a difficult time putting the book down.

What I liked most was the character of Sophie. From the loss of a friend to a gay relationship to low self-esteem, she struggled to find her way. Her personality flourished little by little as the story progressed. What I disliked most was the way McDowell treated women as objects with no feelings. His egotistical sense of entitlement makes him the protagonist you love to hate. The end of the book caught me totally off guard. The author went for the shock factor. It is one of those moments that makes you gasp with disbelief.

This book is an excellent read. The editing is pristine. I found only one error, which was a missing hyphen in a word. There is profanity, and there are a couple of intimate scenes, but nothing erotic. Due to the intriguing storyline and the excellent editing, I am giving McDowell by William H. Coles 4 out of 4 stars. The book provides an excellent lesson about self-pride and how easily we can fall when we put ourselves upon a pedestal.

I recommend this book to all fiction lovers who like a fast-paced meaningful story. I would hesitate to recommend it to anyone under eighteen due to profanity and sexual encounters. Some Christians may be offended by the profanity and sexual content.

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McDowell
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[riyosha]

Sounds like a nice book. Having read another book by the same author, I'm looking forward to read this one. Thanks for the insightful review

[Brenda Creech]

Sounds like a nice book. Having read another book by the same author, I'm looking forward to read this one. Thanks for the insightful review

Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I hope you enjoy the book!

[NDeMeer]

Wow, that seems like such a deep an insightful read! This isn't the type of story I'd normally pick up, but it definitely intrigues me. Thanks for the wonderful review.

[Kirsi Cultrera]

This book sounds like a really interesting read. I can't wait to find out what the shock-factor in the end is... Thanks for a compelling review!

[Ada Ling]

This seems is an interesting fiction read. Thank you for the great review!

[Kibet Hillary]

It is true that one will find it hard to put down the book once they are hooked. The introduction was as gripping as the end of the story. It is good to read that the other characters in the book saw it good to help Hiram McDowell despite his past. This is definitely a must-read for anyone interested in in-depth discussions about ethics and morality.