2 out of 4 stars
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In William H. Cole’s Guardian of Deceit, Darwin Hastings is a seventeen-year-old orphan who has lived with his caring aunt since his parents’ death five years before. When his aunt’s health worsens, he is forced to go and live with his cousin, Luther Pinnelli, a professional football player. Despite the fact that Darwin has a trust fund, Luther insists that Darwin must fend for himself and treats him more like an employee, rather than a family member. Darwin rises to the challenge and soon earns the trust of the new people in his life. This coming-of-age story follows Darwin into adulthood as he continues to overcome the many obstacles that are placed in his path and pursues his goal of becoming a doctor like his father.
The beginning of this book intrigued me. Darwin is mature beyond his years and is as endearing as his new guardian, Luther is despicable. Despite his obvious wealth and the fact that he lives in a mansion, Luther requires Darwin to sleep in an old storeroom and work for tips. This is presented as somewhat of a mystery, yet to be revealed. For me, that’s where the hook ended. While there is certainly no shortage of twists and turns, for a saga that included scandals involving murder, gambling, drug use, multiple affairs, and domestic violence, it failed to climax.
Though there were many characters in the story, only several were well developed and relatable: Mrs. Thomas, Granny, Laszlo, and Darwin, when he is first introduced. As the book continues, Darwin’s depth wanes and his character seems unrealistically perfect--almost robotic at times.
I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars. The beginning held my attention and I finished it quickly because I felt compelled to continue reading until the multiple storylines connected, which unfortunately didn’t really happen. There were gaps in the plot, which felt disjointed and the ending was abrupt. I was really disappointed with the author’s depiction of mostly weak female characters, who all needed to be rescued one way or another. In addition, there is a robbery that can only be described as racially stereotypical to the point of being offensive.
If you like coming-of-age stories and want a light read, you may enjoy it. On the other hand, if you prefer a faster pace and are frustrated when the plot leaves loose ends, I can’t honestly recommend it.
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Guardian of Deceit
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