Review of McDowell

[Francis Ignacio]

[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 tells the story of a well-talented surgeon, his rise to glory, the crises he faced, and whether he overcame them. Hilmes McDowell is a reputable ophthalmologist who has a great passion for his work—so much so that he thinks of nothing more than his career. He lost his wife to cancer and remarried a widow who had two children of her own. Together, they raised all their children. He was a very successful surgeon who got to the height of his career, but he had some bad sides that people never saw.

He was misogynistic and didn’t care about women’s opinions, even his wife’s. He was also narcissistic and proud because of all his achievements. Paige, a middle-aged journalist, was saddled with researching the life of Dr. McDowell for a TV special. Will she discover all the hidden sides of the well-respected doctor? Meanwhile, misfortune begins to fall on him, and his grandson is charged with murder. Also, he begins to lose his wealth and fame. Could this be karma?

There were many things I liked about this book. It was well-written and evoked a lot of emotions in the reader. The author gave a vivid description of the psychology of humans and how most of us behave when we attain success. The book talked about the challenges the doctor faced to rise to the peak of his career, but also at the expense of giving his family the needed attention and love they required. The characters were well-developed. We met the children of Dr. McDowell during the story. The backstory of the characters made them realistic.

Another reason why I like this book is that you cannot guess the ending of the book until you finish it. There was suspense, and this kept me glued to the book. It also addressed many societal issues like mass shootings, bribery of government officials, and the legality of assisted suicide. All these topics were quite informative for me.

What I did not like about this book is that some parts were more fast-paced than others. Also, some chapters of the book had designated time frames when the events in that chapter occurred, while others did not. However, these above issues did not reduce my enjoyment of the book.

I rate it 5 out of 5 stars. The above reason is not enough for me to deduct a star from it. It was exceptionally edited, as I found no errors. I recommend it to people who enjoy people’s life stories. I also recommend it to young adults because there is so much to learn about life from the book.

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McDowell
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[Nicky Rita]

The novel deals with themes of redemption, sacrifice, and the consequences of our actions.

[Nathaniel Sarah]

Thank you for such a comprehensive and engaging review! I loved how you provided a brief summary of the book's plot, characters, and themes without giving away too much. It made me intrigued and eager to read it

[Aremu Titilopemi Funmilayo]

This book is somehow related to the book I'm reading at the moment. It's funny how the people who amass honor and respect from people always turn out to be the devil after all. Now I'm trying to shift my focus from what the majority has to say about someone. This is because, in the end, one will find out they are not how people portray them to be. Nice review by the way!

[Anabel Mack]

I didn't enjoy this book that much. Hiram was a very annoying character even though it's just a book, it didn't sit well with me.

[Chee Amaka]

McDowell" by William H. Coles seems like a very interesting book to read. I love how the reviewer gave a detailed summary of the book. Great review.

[Chee Amaka]

McDowell" by William H. Coles seems like a very interesting book to read. I love how the reviewer gave a detailed summary of the book. Great review.