3 out of 4 stars
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Review of The Surgeon’s Wife by William. H. Coles
When I decided to pick this book for my next read, I was coming off the high of reading Illustrated Short Fiction of William. H. Coles 2000-2016. I loved how he had woven the characters into moral quagmires. Each story was unique and I was left wondering what I would have done in similar circumstances. Before I embarked on reading the book, I already had in the back of my mind the author’s style of writing. I wanted to see if this book would rile up similar emotions in me.
The Surgeon’s wife by William. H. Coles is the story of Mike Boudreaux. A trauma surgeon and the Chief of service in a hospital in New Orleans. The story starts off when he is called in to aid in a surgery being conducted by Clayton Otherson because something goes wrong and the patient nearly bleeds out. Clayton is his former Professor and mentor during training. A man partly responsible for where he is in his profession. Clayton's ability to perform successful surgeries has slowly become impaired. After a report is presented, Mike is put in the precarious position of having to put surgical limitations on him. He struggles with this decision because as the Chief of service he holds a duty of care to the patients. At the same time, he still wants to maintain his loyalty to his mentor.
In the hospital, the opposition against Clayton’s Bariatric surgeries for obese patients is growing. They are seen as unnecessary and geared more towards profit. Despite Mike agreeing with that stance, Clayton continues to do them unabated. Over time he continues to find ways to flaunt the rules imposed on him. In the end, he loses a patient and this ends his career. Instead of; accepting his mistakes, he continues to blame Mike for all his troubles. This becomes more profound when Mike begins an affair with his wife, Catherine. In retaliation, he sues the hospital citing their affair as proof that his termination was biased. During the affair, Catherine loses her seat in a notable society and her teenage daughter runs away. Clayton remains determined to ensure she gets nothing in the divorce. This puts a heavy strain on Catherine and Mike’s relationship. Mostly because of Catherine’s inability to let go of the safety net that is Clayton’s wealth.
This book is reflective of the author’s writing style and motivations. He never lets his characters have it easy.
They constantly faced tough challenges. The characters are likable, and I could relate with what they were going through. The story was reflective of what most people in prominent careers face. The families and relationships taking a back seat to their careers most of the time. I liked how the author brought out issues sometimes faced by aging professionals as was the case with Clayton. He refuses to accept his failures and, has no desire to understand any new aspect of his life. The book had a few characters but the one that stood out for me was Hellen Rappaport. A young woman who had been beaten up, raped and on drugs. She is rescued from this life and enrolled in a rehab. Hellen uses that opportunity to turn her life around. All this is taken away after, she undergoes the Bariatric surgery at the insistence of her mother. A surgery Clayton carries out despite Mike citing how unnecessary it would be. This character for me I felt stole the heart of the story.
The book contained a few medical terms which added to the authenticity of the story. As a reader with no medical background, I did have to pause a lot to decipher their meanings. Each of the struggles faced by the characters is understandable and made sense but, the pronouncement of Catherine’s feelings for Mike does not. It seems rushed, and Mike’s response is questionable. He seems to go to from zero to a hundred in terms of his devotion for her, in a short time. As a reader who loves the romance genre, I felt surprised and disappointed all at the same time. There was no leading up to that point, so it didn’t make any sense at all.
I would rate the book 3 out of 4 stars because while the story of Mike and Clayton’s professional struggles made sense, the love story did not. It felt like something quickly put together and inserted in there to add volume to the story. I struggled with giving the book such a low rating because I do love medical dramas. I would have rated it 3.5 out of 4 stars had it been possible. This is a heartbreaking story that highlights moral issues about wealth and poverty and, how neither can determine how much you can achieve. In the 182 pages, the author tells the story with just enough detail to capture your attention. A feat the author continues to do well in all his stories. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves TV medical dramas. Readers who want to see characters deal with real-life problems and have not so happy endings then this is the book for you.
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The Surgeon's Wife
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