3 out of 4 stars
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If you like reading stories about the real world with some moral implications blended into it, then the Guardian of Deceit is a great book for you.
This fast-paced novel is about seventeen years old orphan Darwin Hastings who is sent to New York from Pittsburgh after his dying aunt can no longer care for him. In New York, there’s his cousin, a wealthy football player Luther Pinnelli, who will become his new guardian. Reading this book, you explore the development of Darwin’s relationship with selfish and cruel Luther and his journey towards the dream of becoming a doctor.
Of course, there are a lot of challenges waiting for this young man, such as trying to get private schooling without Luther support, earning an allowance by becoming a slave to Luther’s demands, discovering altruism in healthcare or learning about scientific discoveries that go hand in hand with profit motivation. Importantly, the protagonist learns about the deficient of morality in his new world full of rich people, celebrities, lust and unhappiness.
Interestingly, the main character seems to be very mature for his age. He uses big words, appears to be knowledgeable, confident and supports a lot of female characters. Certainly, he gives the impression of being the ideal marriage material, even though he is not very lucky concerning relationships. However, there is another persona that grabs my attention. Although she is not described in detail, like some of the other characters, to aid my imagination, I like her most. Granny is sarcastic, witty, sometimes harsh but fair-minded old woman who loves Scrabble, teasing people and winning no matter what. It is a shame she doesn’t take on a more significant role in the narrative.
In my opinion, the book is well-written, engaging with a storyline that has a potential to be appealing to the wider audience. It appears to be professionally edited. I did not find any mistakes. There is some adult content, so it is more suitable for mature readers.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. Even though I liked reading about challenging life circumstances of the very level-headed young man, this character-driven narrative has some characters and parts that don’t seem to be important for the plot. On the other hand, other parts or characters were evidently brushed over. Nevertheless, I recommend this book to readers who like books about the real life of wealthy people. At last, there is an interesting quote from mean and deceitful Luther “Look, kid. Money laying around at your age is not healthy. You got to work. Earning is where you’ll learn about life” (p.19).
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Guardian of Deceit
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