Review by Nicoleadrianne -- The Surgeon's Wife
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Nicoleadrianne
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- Latest Review: The Surgeon's Wife by William H. Coles
Review by Nicoleadrianne -- The Surgeon's Wife
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Surgeon's Wife" by William H. Coles.]
2 out of 4 stars
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This week, I read The Surgeon's Wife> by William H. Coles. I really wanted to like this book, and I can honestly say that the story was a wild and entertaining ride to the finish. Let me explain why.
This story starts out with a typical drama scenario set in New Orleans. The plot advances chronologically. It is narrated by an omniscient third-person who primarily focuses on the main character, Mike, but occasionally steps outside Mike's sphere of experience to focus on a different character. Mike is concerned about his former surgical mentor, Clayton, who is making a habit of performing dangerous and ethically questionable surgery on the obese. An entertaining, albeit slow-moving, depiction of Clayton's downward spiral as he ruins his own career is the highlight of this book. If that plot was the primary focus of the novel, I probably would be writing a four-star review.
However, the regrettable romance subplot is what gives this book its memorable "crash-and-burn" style. Despite his demeaning treatment of women, Mike manages to find himself pursued by two equally bland and underdeveloped female leads, one of which is Clayton's wife. You can probably guess the rest.
The deeper themes explored in this book have the potential to be genuinely interesting, though, and mostly deal with the concept of outsiders. Mike, a Cajun surgeon who thinks, acts, and speaks like a typical rich white man, mentions feeling like an outsider among his peers. Rich Lousiana residents are divided from the poor, Clayton's wife feels like an outsider in her own home, and women are alienated by men both personally and professionally.
I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars, one star being taken away for poor character development, and the other for its disjointed and at times completely absurd plot. The story absolutely deserves two stars for its lush descriptions of nature in the states of Louisiana and Maine, and for its generally witty and self-aware writing style. The author truly does have a gift for words, and that was my favorite part of the reading experience. However, the portrayal of the main character as a respectful, desirable man as he simultaneously mocks a pregnant woman for her appearance and unavoidable bodily functions, and as he sexually objectifies a minor, leaves the reader with a certain cognitive dissonance, which was one of my least favorite things about the book. Other odd highlights include the attempted murder of a prostitute, a street act involving Nefertiti and a urinating canine, and an incredibly random double-shooting event that conveniently breaks up a pivotal reconciliation.
Starting on page seven, this book uses mild language including "hell," and starting on pages nine and fifteen strong, offensive terms like "sh*t" and "f***" are included. Both kinds of language are continuously used in the story. To its credit, the book was well-edited and contains surprisingly few type errors.
Blood, attempted murder, and successful murder are key elements of the story's climax, but are written in a docile way. Sex is described once, but in a respectful way and without graphic detail. A naked prostitute spreads her legs in one scene and her genitals are described in moderate detail. The breasts and butt of an underage girl are ogled and evaluated by her mother's boyfriend. A father accepts a bribe in exchange for staying quiet about the rape of his own daughter.
In addition to these unpleasant elements, the women in the story seem to be the only ones who face real consequences of unwise decisions, regardless of whether the decisions were made by the women themselves or by the men in their lives. Without exception, the female characters also display a total lack of realism, endearing qualities, or moral direction. Personally, I found the treatment of women in this story disrespectful.
If you enjoy ER, The Good Doctor, House M.D., or similar medical shows, you'll definitely enjoy elements of this book. Alternately, if you have a taste for soap operas or reality shows, the absurd drama of this story may entertain you. I think it is ideal for a quick read at the beach or in a hospital waiting room. However, if you're looking for relatable or fully developed characters, a smart and consistent plot, or for a piece that is truly a credit to the genre of literary fiction, I'd suggest looking elsewhere.
******
The Surgeon's Wife
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
2 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
This week, I read The Surgeon's Wife> by William H. Coles. I really wanted to like this book, and I can honestly say that the story was a wild and entertaining ride to the finish. Let me explain why.
This story starts out with a typical drama scenario set in New Orleans. The plot advances chronologically. It is narrated by an omniscient third-person who primarily focuses on the main character, Mike, but occasionally steps outside Mike's sphere of experience to focus on a different character. Mike is concerned about his former surgical mentor, Clayton, who is making a habit of performing dangerous and ethically questionable surgery on the obese. An entertaining, albeit slow-moving, depiction of Clayton's downward spiral as he ruins his own career is the highlight of this book. If that plot was the primary focus of the novel, I probably would be writing a four-star review.
However, the regrettable romance subplot is what gives this book its memorable "crash-and-burn" style. Despite his demeaning treatment of women, Mike manages to find himself pursued by two equally bland and underdeveloped female leads, one of which is Clayton's wife. You can probably guess the rest.
The deeper themes explored in this book have the potential to be genuinely interesting, though, and mostly deal with the concept of outsiders. Mike, a Cajun surgeon who thinks, acts, and speaks like a typical rich white man, mentions feeling like an outsider among his peers. Rich Lousiana residents are divided from the poor, Clayton's wife feels like an outsider in her own home, and women are alienated by men both personally and professionally.
I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars, one star being taken away for poor character development, and the other for its disjointed and at times completely absurd plot. The story absolutely deserves two stars for its lush descriptions of nature in the states of Louisiana and Maine, and for its generally witty and self-aware writing style. The author truly does have a gift for words, and that was my favorite part of the reading experience. However, the portrayal of the main character as a respectful, desirable man as he simultaneously mocks a pregnant woman for her appearance and unavoidable bodily functions, and as he sexually objectifies a minor, leaves the reader with a certain cognitive dissonance, which was one of my least favorite things about the book. Other odd highlights include the attempted murder of a prostitute, a street act involving Nefertiti and a urinating canine, and an incredibly random double-shooting event that conveniently breaks up a pivotal reconciliation.
Starting on page seven, this book uses mild language including "hell," and starting on pages nine and fifteen strong, offensive terms like "sh*t" and "f***" are included. Both kinds of language are continuously used in the story. To its credit, the book was well-edited and contains surprisingly few type errors.
Blood, attempted murder, and successful murder are key elements of the story's climax, but are written in a docile way. Sex is described once, but in a respectful way and without graphic detail. A naked prostitute spreads her legs in one scene and her genitals are described in moderate detail. The breasts and butt of an underage girl are ogled and evaluated by her mother's boyfriend. A father accepts a bribe in exchange for staying quiet about the rape of his own daughter.
In addition to these unpleasant elements, the women in the story seem to be the only ones who face real consequences of unwise decisions, regardless of whether the decisions were made by the women themselves or by the men in their lives. Without exception, the female characters also display a total lack of realism, endearing qualities, or moral direction. Personally, I found the treatment of women in this story disrespectful.
If you enjoy ER, The Good Doctor, House M.D., or similar medical shows, you'll definitely enjoy elements of this book. Alternately, if you have a taste for soap operas or reality shows, the absurd drama of this story may entertain you. I think it is ideal for a quick read at the beach or in a hospital waiting room. However, if you're looking for relatable or fully developed characters, a smart and consistent plot, or for a piece that is truly a credit to the genre of literary fiction, I'd suggest looking elsewhere.
******
The Surgeon's Wife
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
Latest Review: The Surgeon's Wife by William H. Coles
