Review of Cottonmouth

[Ceeco2002]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Cottonmouth" by Eric A. Yancy, M.D..]

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3 out of 4 stars

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When a deadly virus suddenly hits and begins ravaging the world, a large part of the populace believes that the entire pandemic news is a hoax and nothing but a political ruse. They refuse to abide by the required safety precautions, mingling in public areas with no care at all and without the use of masks. Professor Alton McGuire (Al), a retired biologist, is shocked and angered by the level of nonchalance and apathy displayed by this ignorant part of the population, specifically the young masses. He considers these people to be selfish and egocentric because a mask should be worn not just to protect oneself but also to protect one's neighbors, as the virus is airborne and can be spread through asymptomatic people who may appear healthy. He is also annoyed because he is aware of the devastation already caused by this virus to a lot of people and families. He takes extra measures and precautions to keep himself and his wife, Mrs. Marigold McGuire (Marnie), safe. But one little careless mistake may render all his efforts futile.

After Marnie becomes infected, Al's world is turned upside down. He loses a reason to live and blames his misfortunes on the insouciant and careless masses. He ponders and comes to the conclusion that his wife must have been infected by a man. With his mind now set solely on revenge, he devises a plan to wipe out young people, especially males. When Lilian, a pediatrics resident who plays the role of a daughter in the McGuires' lives, finds out about his sinister plan, she takes swift action and tries to stop him. Does she succeed in stopping him? What surprises does Professor Al have in store for the oblivious young men walking the streets without a care in the world? Could it be something worse than the virus itself? Explore this compelling book by Eric A. Yancy, M.D., to learn more.

The Cottonmouth is a 228-page medical thriller that depicts the various scenarios that could occur during a viral pandemic. I appreciated the fact that Eric Yancy was able to describe these scenarios in great detail, from the battles for life and death that the infected fought, to the sufferings of the victims' families, the anxiety of the very knowledgeable few, and the perseverance of the doctors who worked tirelessly around the clock. The author was able to convey his ideas and message in a concise yet straightforward manner. He drew attention to the various effects the spread of a lethal virus can have on society and the global community. This book also exposed the subtle remnants of racism that still exist in society. Because Yancy incorporated a lot of medical and biological terminologies into this book, readers with a good background in the medical field are likely to get the greatest enjoyment out of it.

I didn't find much to dislike about this book. The one thing that didn't really sit right with me was Professor McGuire's conclusion that his wife had been infected by a young man. Even though he was correct, I thought this was unrealistic as it felt like a mere guess to me since there was no evidence to back up his conviction. It could just as well have been a woman, a child, or even an older person. I also thought the characters could have used a little more depth and development from the author. I felt they were shallow and somewhat distant, as I couldn't really connect with them on a deeper level.

I give this book a rating of 3 out of 4 stars. The drawbacks that I mentioned above were insufficient to deduct more stars from the rating. Although most of the errors I discovered while reading were not very significant or bothersome, the book still needs to go through another round of editing. I found this book to be quite thought-provoking, enlightening, and interesting.

I recommend this book to readers interested in learning about the horrible effects a pandemic can have on people and families, as well as those interested in medical and biological concepts.

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Cottonmouth
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[Amy Luman]

Sounds like the pandemic we’re facing now. While I don’t believe it is a political ruse I do think that politicians are using it to their benefit. People like Al on both sides of the debate scare me. It’s odd how one can fixate on one group when it comes to revenge.

[ThankGod Onyishi]

I appreciate how books talk about the pandemic facing the world. I also love how I can relate to this book, as the pandemic was used as an avenue for theft by some politicians.