Review of McDowell

[Balie_mae]

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

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5 out of 5 stars

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McDowell by William H. Coles is a very compelling novel. The story is of a very wealthy surgeon by the name of Hiram McDowell and the decisions he made in his later years. It focuses on various decisions that he made and the outcomes they produced and also how he feels about what was done. While it does emphasize that everyone makes mistakes in their lives, the book follows what Hiram did, why, and how he feels about it. He meets many interesting people that help alter his thinking and, as a result, changes who he is as a person.

The best part of the novel is that the author does not try to tell you what to think or how to feel about McDowell or any other character. He writes the novel as a story that needs to be told and allows the reader to develop their own opinions on the matter. He also adds some very deep and thought-provoking scenes in the novel. A quote that I enjoyed was on page 164: “It’s no good if people seek success and money only for their own satisfaction and self-worth. People content in themselves learn to give selflessly, without concern for personal gain, to learn the joy of being human. How many times a day do we do things for others that are really for our own pleasure and advancement?” While this quote is aimed towards a wealthy, sometimes selfish individual, it is also something that can be asked to anyone to get them thinking.

The only negative aspect of the novel, in my opinion, would be in Part 1. While reading, I felt we were introduced to many characters without a clear indication of their significance. It felt somewhat overwhelming trying to keep up with who is who. However, this is quickly resolved at the end of Part 1-beginning of Part 2 when all the links are connected. Looking back, I can clearly distinguish the significance of each character introduced, even for a brief moment.

I did thoroughly enjoy reading this novel by William H. Coles. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. I feel that William H. Coles created a masterpiece of a novel that kept the reader interested. I enjoyed that he did not try to impose any thoughts or opinions on the reader while not being generic and leaving out details. He does discuss very touchy topics that can enact some controversy but he did not try to sway the reader into his beliefs. The story is what pulled the reader along, not the opinions of the author.

I would highly recommend this book to any adult interested in reading. It is a mature novel but I feel any adult could enjoy and appreciate this work. Young adults and teenagers could read and appreciate the text as well. This book has a lot of meaning and makes the reader think and ask questions. I think it is a great book for mature minds to read and form their own opinions of. I would read this novel again and will be recommending it to my friends and family.

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McDowell
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[R Benedicta]

The characters in McDowell are complex and well-developed, making them feel like real people.