Review by Nich37 -- McDowell by William H. Coles

[Nichole Kurns]

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

---

4 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Hiram McDowell is a highly successful and nationally acclaimed surgeon with philanthropic efforts in Nepal. He is seen as kind and caring person in the world, however, not by those who know him. Hiram McDowell is seen as an arrogant, self-centered and callous man. He has ambitions to the be at the top of his profession and will not let anyone stand in his way. He is married to his third wife, Carol, who he mistreats and has three children and two-step children. His children, Billie, Anne and Sophie are the only people he cares about. Throughout his rise to become a part of the president’s cabinet, Hiram McDowell was plagued with rumors of wrongdoing in his labs, lies in his biography and cheating colleagues out of job positions.

Hiram McDowell is part of the president’s cabinet when his life is upended. McDowell's grandson, Jeremy, commits mass murder and attempts suicide. Jeremy dies in the hospital under strange circumstances and McDowell is convicted of 2nd degree murder. Hiram escapes from prison and lives as a fugitive, pursued by authorities and journalist, Paige Sterling. Paige Sterling covered McDowell throughout his rise and wants to interview him for her book.

McDowell by William Coles is a fictional book with an intricately woven plot and multilayered characters that will keep you reading from the beginning to the end. A story that tells of a family saga with life lessons. It will cause you to think about redemption and human nature. He is able to weave in many issues faced by families and society. Issues such as social class, which is done through the major and several minor character’s story lines. The medical information in the book is written in a way that non-medical readers can understand.

I like McDowell because the characters are complex and not one-dimensional. William Coles did a wonderful job of creating characters that evoke powerful emotions from the reader throughout the novel. Minor character development was surprising and well-done. These characters helped to move the story and give insight into Hiram McDowell character. My only dislike is the story being moved forward while skipping over important past actions. This did not affect the cohesiveness of the story, but would have filled in minor but important back story.

I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I believe McDowell was professionally edited and found errors. I would recommend it for adult and young adult fans of fiction. Fiction fans that like stories of redemption, self-discovery, humanity, and inspiration. However, I would not recommend for those who are sensitive to the issues of gun-violence, suicide, and sexism.

******
McDowell
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords

[engarl]

This is a really well-written review! I will be taking notes for the next review that I write! I was looking into this book and considering whether or not to read it. I don't think it's up my alley, but I appreciate the overview and general tone that you presented. It makes the book more enticing than the quick synopsis you read when you're deciding whether or not to get it.