2 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Guardian of Deceit by William H. Coles is a work of fiction that follows a young determined orphan, Darwin, as he adjusts to life with his new guardian. When his aunt is no longer able to care for him Darwin is sent to live with his cousin, Luther, who happens to be a famous and wealthy football player. Darwin is determined to get into to medical school and become a doctor, but soon realizes the journey will not be easy.
Darwin quickly learns he is alone under Luther’s care, but as the book progresses he befriends certain characters and develops unique relationships with each. Darwin works extremely hard to earn his allowed inheritance, which is overseen by Luther. He works odd jobs around Luther’s mansion and soon develops a close relationship with the head of security, Laszlo. Laszlo teaches Darwin how to drive and soon has him act as chauffer to Luther, which Darwin is happy to do as it earns him extra spending money. Darwin soon hires private tutors and becomes very close with a local doctor in order to better prepare him for education prior to medical school. This Dr. Melverne quickly becomes his mentor and Darwin soon finds himself a part of the doctor’s high-class family.
Darwin’s first exposure to corruption in the medical field presents itself while working for Dr. Melverne as a scribe, but as he progresses through college and medical school, Darwin realizes the medical field is littered with corruption. He learns not all doctors prioritize patient care but rather seek monetary benefit over improving the quality of life. Through it all, Darwin also struggles with his love and personal life, but remains utterly focused on his career and future.
Over-all, this book was an interesting read. It was not the best book I have ever read, but it was able to keep me hooked until the end. I rate this book a 2 out of 4 stars. I give it this rating because I feel some parts of the book are rushed and others seem unnecessary, such as the big mystery that occurs about halfway through the story. Although it was an interesting turn of events, I feel it disrupted the story line and held no significance in making the book whole. In addition, I feel the author could have elaborated a few of the main characters a bit. The story is mostly narrarated through Darwin’s point of view, with the exception of Lazlo and Helen Malverne, Dr. Malverne’s daughter. However, I feel as if little is revealed about other main characters such as Luther. Luther is now Darwin’s guardian and plays a very important role throughout the book, but we do not get any glimpses into his thoughts or feelings like we do with Darwin, Lazlo, and Helen. I feel a little more insight into Luther’s private thoughts would have given the reader a greater understanding of why he behaved the way he did throughout the book. I believe this would have been a beneficial addition to the story.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys fiction. I would gear it toward a more mature audience as some content may not be suitable for younger readers. I am honestly a bit disappointed with this particular book. Having previously read other fictions by Coles, I expected this one to blow me out of the water. Though this book fell short of my expectations, it was still a pleasant read.
******
Guardian of Deceit
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
Like Taylornic98's review? Post a comment saying so!
