Review by ea_anthony -- McDowell by William H. Coles

[ea_anthony]

[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

We’ve been told time and time again, never to judge a book by its cover. This is sound advice as many things do not appear as they seem at first glance. I just had this experience with McDowell. This novel had a lot of buzz around it especially at Onlinebookclub.org (OBC). There were so many threads and conversation, with most centered on the titular character Hiram McDowell. I must admit, I waded in and shared my uninformed and biased opinion, as I was just starting on this read.

On getting into this read, my initial take, was that this novel should have been titled Hiram McDowell. In the opening pages, the character of Hiram McDowell was so pervasive that he seemed to own the book from the very first page. However, a few chapters in, a few connected story-lines begin to appear and Hiram’s own story receded a little. Though the story-line on Hiram McDowell was gripping, the subplots also raised the stakes higher. This made me realise the author was spinning a literary web.

This novel is divided into two parts; part one covers Hiram’s life as a successful surgeon and administrator, father, husband and eventually nominee for Health Secretary up to his fall. Part two covers his Hiram’s life as a fugitive and his attempts to adjust to this new status. It also follows the back story of Paige (a TV reporter on leave of absence), who wants to write a biography of Hiram and her attempts to track him down.

I felt there was a slight problem with this novel because of the large cast of characters, with some not even lasting more than a page. I had to change my mind on this, when a minor character that lasted a few pages in part one did something significant in part two. Even with the character still did not get more than a few interspersed pages in part two. I am forced to agree that Williams H. Coles is indeed a brilliant author and set this novel up properly. There is much to learn about various fields from medicine/surgery to administration; jazz and musical instruments; journalism, photography to publishing. Not forgetting mountain climbing and the outdoors of Nepal and a vast swathe of the USA.

This is a very good book, and it can/should be reread intermittently to appreciate the effort the author put into the crafting of this work. This is a special novel, which should resonate with the avid reader. I recommend this novel to serious book lovers and also those aspiring to be book lovers. I will give this novel a 4 out of 4 stars rating, which it fully deserves. The book is well-edited and contains no noticeable errors. This novel is a must reread.

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McDowell
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Like ea_anthony's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Sushan Ekanayake]

This book was a hot topic recently. Thanks for sharing your views as well. Thank you

[ea_anthony]

This book was a hot topic recently. Thanks for sharing your views as well. Thank you

Yes, it really was a hot topic, thanks for looking up my review.

[Susmita Biswas]

A 4 out of 4 rating book must be very good. Thanks for the review.

[Jgideon]

I agree with you that "Williams H. Coles is indeed a brilliant author". Thanks for the review

[María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda]

The author is definitely talented. However, I disliked the character of Hiram so much, as well as the misogynistic attitudes depicted, that I didn't really enjoy the book. But if the author didn't create such a realistic character, that wouldn't have happened, so I guess that's a win for the book.
Thank you for your thorough review.

[Kendra M Parker]

I like the way that you discussed how the book starts with Hiram and moved away from him. It’s one of those things I noticed, too.

[Zimall]

I didn't like the book at first glance but as the story developed, i was hooked within. The thing i liked most was that it was written in multiple perspectives.
Thanks a lot for the review Anthony ☺

[BelleReadsNietzsche]

I liked that the book was titled McDowell in part because so much of the book dealt with his progeny that it felt in some ways like it included the whole clan. The book actually failed to resonate with me, but I appreciate hearing what worked for you. Thanks for the review.

[Ronel_Steyn]

No, I have not read the book myself. Based on the reviews I have read, I want to have my own opinion of it too. Thank you for the review.

[Espie]

We’ve been told time and time again, never to judge a book by its cover.

We all have flaws, but it doesn't mean there isn't any good in each one of us because there is. It's more difficult to look for a redeeming quality, but I think we should.

Thank you for your thoughtful review.

[LV2R]

[Following is a volunteer review of "McDowell" by William H. Coles.]
I am forced to agree that Williams H. Coles is indeed a brilliant author and set this novel up properly. There is much to learn about various fields from medicine/surgery to administration; jazz and musical instruments; journalism, photography to publishing. Not forgetting mountain climbing and the outdoors of Nepal and a vast swathe of the USA.

I agree that Coles wrote very well covering many fields of interest. He developed McDowell's character the most, hence the title. The author brings up a lot of controversial issues and then makes the reader seem to even question who we thought McDowell really was a person.

[Uinto]

Quite a glowing tribute to the mastery abilities of the author. Thanks for the entertaining read.

[Jlbaird85]

Thanks for sharing your review! It was very well done. I am now intrigued to see what this book is all about as it sounds fascinating.

[nooregano]

I'm a bit confused as to what this genre is, it seems to be a bit of everything! It's also chock-full of knowledge, it seems! I liked how you explained the importance of the minor characters, and I'm glad you enjoyed this book, ea_anthony! Thanks for this review!