3 out of 4 stars
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McDowell is a literary fiction story written by William H. Coles. Hiram McDowell is the main character. He is a well-known surgeon who is climbing his way to the top. He is arrogant. He only cares about making sure he gets what he wants out of life, even if it'll hurt those around him. Hiram learns valuable lessons when he is accused of corruption and fraud. He decides to take a hard look at all he's done and how he got where he ended up. He decides to write a memoir about all he's been through. The memoir, and the people he meets, ends up being a turning point in his life. In his travels, those he meets have a big impact on who he becomes.
People who enjoy the literary fiction genre will enjoy this book. There is also mystery and plot twists. Those who seek mystery thrillers will find they can get into the story. It would be a good book to read and carry on debates about. Individuals who like to discuss what they read would enjoy doing that with this one.
Hiram McDowell is very self-centered in the beginning of the book. He appears to look down on women. This would be a part of the book that some individuals may not enjoy. There are political issues in the story people might not feel comfortable with and it could turn them away. However, these issues are minimal and don't take up a large part of what takes place.
There are many likable aspects in this book. There are no typos, spelling errors, or grammatical errors. It was professionally edited. I enjoy books more when there are no issues that make me question what I'm reading. The point of view changes frequently in the story. It occurs at the start of most new chapters. The author notes whose point of view the chapter is being told from. I believe that helps to keep things flowing and keeps the reader from becoming confused. The characters are real in their flaws. We all know a Hiram, or a Paige, or a Sophie. It makes them easier to relate to. The author grabs the reader's attention and keeps it. There are plot twists you don't see coming. The ending wasn't predictable, making it pull at the reader's emotions.
I did not like Hiram's personality in the beginning of the book so it was harder at first for me to get into the story. After getting further into it, I am glad I stuck it out. There were times the book would feel like it was too drawn out. There were details that didn't seem relevant. They didn't seem to contribute to the book. There were times I lost track of Hiram even though he was the main character. There would be so many details about someone else, I'd forget the story was to be about him. By the end, it felt like there were many mini stories within the main story. I would have preferred to have had the characters brought into the story based on their connection just to Hiram instead of their own story being told as well.
I rated this book 3 out of 4 stars. It was exceptionally well edited. It is clear the author put a lot of work and thought into every part of it. While it was frustrating at times to have so many stories going on at once, the ending did wrap everything back together. I was happy to see the author was able to do that and bring everything full circle. I deducted a star because of the story feeling drawn out and because of the unnecessary details that sometimes hindered the flow of the book. Overall, the book was enjoyable. I would read another by this author.
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McDowell
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