Review by Emily0310 -- The Prize by Geoffrey M Cooper

Emily0310 · Post by **Emily0310** » 04 Jun 2018, 17:00

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Prize" by Geoffrey M Cooper.]

4 out of 4 stars

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The Prize by Geoffrey M. Cooper explores ruthless betrayals and deception within the medical community. Pam Weller is working to discover a treatment for Alzheimer's disease. While she needs a groundbreaking discovery to gain tenure and prestige at the Langmere Institute, she also has personal motivations: her mother had Alzheimer's disease. Eager to receive more credit for a recent discovery, Pam's assistant Holly conspires with Eric Prescott, an arrogant Nobel Prize hopeful, to discredit Pam and her research. As the entire scientific community, even those Pam considered friends and mentors, turn against her, Pam is forced to uncover Prescott's insidious plan.

I absolutely loved The Prize, and I rated it 4 out of 4 stars. This novel proved to be the medical thriller I never knew I needed. The writing style is wonderful, presenting medical terminology in a straightforward way, without being too simplistic. The pacing throughout the majority of the novel was well-suited to the plot. Chapters are ordered according to the date, since the novel spans over one year. Moreover, the mystery aspect of the novel was riveting, even though the multiple perspectives enable the reader to quickly identify the antagonist. The different perspectives add to the suspense as well as aiding character development without being confusing. It was easy to differentiate among the main characters; they all had distinct voices.

I loved each and every one of the characters, even the villains. Pam is intelligent and hardworking. Even though she wants to find a treatment for Alzheimer's for her own benefit, her primary focus is being able to provide that treatment for the public. Events occurring later in the novel further reveal Pam's relentless determination and general optimism. Prescott, on the other hand, barely shows any remorse for his actions throughout the novel, making him an almost inhuman villain. However, his arrogance and ruthlessness was enjoyable to read, and his voice was very distinct from the other characters', Holly, as well, had a unique set of motivations explaining her decisions. Although Holly set the deception into motion, her desire to be recognized as 'the best' rather than to be overshadowed by her colleagues is something readers can relate to. I would love to read a sequel or a companion novel involving the same cast of characters.

The Prize is quite a suspenseful read. The setup of the chapters ensures that only the most important events are described, making it a relatively short, but action-packed book. Although the outcome was predictable, there were surprises at every turn. The characters themselves were unpredictable, going to any lengths to attain their goals. However, the end of the novel was slightly brief, and I thought the end could be elaborated upon a bit more in order to better reveal the outcomes for each of the characters. Still, the sequence of events was well-paced up to the ending, and I never felt bored reading or felt that any information I was given was unimportant.

I enjoyed every minute of my time reading The Prize. This novel was so creative, nothing like anything I have read before. It truly deserves a place on the bestseller lists. I definitely plan on rereading this book at some point, and I would absolutely love to read anything by this author in the future.

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The Prize
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