Review by lmtagot -- Guardian of Deceit by William H. Coles

[lmtagot]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Guardian of Deceit" by William H. Coles.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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Guardian of Deceit is a mixture of inner stories mainly focused on an orphaned boy and a wealthy, popular professional football player who happen to be related. When Darwin moves in with his famous uncle, the scene is very Harry Potter-esque including the closet bedroom and a trust fund he cannot access. Darwin's uncle teaches him the value of hard work but with a dark twist. He is caught in a world of deceit while fighting to get the best education to follow in his deceased father's footsteps and becoming a medical doctor. Because of his uncle's fame, Darwin is able to find help from a physician who takes him under his wing. We watch as a young teen finds his way in life, albeit through a non-linear path, to reach his goals.

The book touches on difficult subjects such as physical abuse, infidelity, addictions, and struggles to find happiness in a privileged world. The author does not try to soften the blow with these scenes nor does he try to make everything work out in the end. He takes a 'real world' stance knowing that some things cannot be solved and leaves them in limbo. The realism of a young teen who started life in a loving family setting, attending private schools, and knowing his pathway in life at an early age, then having to deal with a much darker, sinister lifestyle makes a reader wonder if Darwin would have been more jaded in the end.

There were moments in the story where the author's descriptions grabbed at your heart strings and made you really feel for the characters;

Her irritation and sharp tongue were thin veils for her need for love.

Unfortunately, those gems were few and far between. We are introduced to many characters but mostly on the surface level. It would have been nice to know how Granny came to live in her son's mansion and why she went around with that tough exterior. Mrs. Thomas played a large role in Darwin's life after moving to his cousin's mansion, yet we are only introduced to bits and pieces of her life. Her connection with Lazlo, the retired police detective turned head of security, is vague even though we can tell there is a relationship developing between the two employees. She even calls him by what seems to be a pet name yet it's never explained. The Malverne family is a psychological mess that is only lightly touched upon throughout the book.

I had a difficult time following the story at times due to seemingly unrelated storylines that were introduced suddenly. A whole investigation dealing with side characters then abruptly adding Darwin, the main character, back into the subject did not make sense to me. The connections between Darwin and the new turn of events was unclear and seemed an afterthought.

I give this book 2 out of 4 stars due to underdeveloped characters and skimming over complex issues such as abuse and addiction. Darwin lives a privileged life, even when living with his cousin, and things seem to fall in place for him easily. I was left feeling depressed and annoyed with the focus on the entitled characters with their first world problems while grazing over the less advantaged using them as the 'punching bags' of the storyline. This book would appeal to someone who wants a quick read but doesn't want to get too attached to its characters.

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Guardian of Deceit
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Like lmtagot's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Helen_Combe]

Good review, I agree that everything came to Darwin too easily, I called it a ‘rags to riches story without the rags’.

[Sikuku22]

This is excellent, but since the rating of the book is low,I would neither read it nor buy.