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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
Sad realistic view into the devil trades of the medical world. Worthwhile in reading the author's notes and the attached articles!
I almost went to 4 stars on this, which would have been amazing for recent suspense literature.
Audiobook. I’m not sure which is worse: male narrators using a higher register for female characters, or female narrators using a lower register for male characters. This was my first time encountering the latter and it’s off-putting.
Anyway, this is a decent ‘70s paranoia jam. The aspect of a woman struggling in a male-dominated field is surprisingly progressive for this kind of thing, and still relevant today. The Crichton-esque clinical approach to prose and exposition is decent, as is the unnerving hospital atmosphere. The highlight is of course the part this book is known for, the sinister coma facility. It’s a creepy little set piece in an otherwise horror-free novel.
The downside is that the latter half has a lot of traditional thriller tropes that feel at odds with the low-key procedural mystery up until that point. Assassins, stealthy escapes, drugged liquor, and the like all feel like something out of a bad spy story. Maybe if they had actually gone with a downer ending instead of a last-minute rescue I’d be a little more forgiving. It’s a shame this wound up being so blandly conventional when the lead-in was compelling.
Anyway, this is a decent ‘70s paranoia jam. The aspect of a woman struggling in a male-dominated field is surprisingly progressive for this kind of thing, and still relevant today. The Crichton-esque clinical approach to prose and exposition is decent, as is the unnerving hospital atmosphere. The highlight is of course the part this book is known for, the sinister coma facility. It’s a creepy little set piece in an otherwise horror-free novel.
The downside is that the latter half has a lot of traditional thriller tropes that feel at odds with the low-key procedural mystery up until that point. Assassins, stealthy escapes, drugged liquor, and the like all feel like something out of a bad spy story. Maybe if they had actually gone with a downer ending instead of a last-minute rescue I’d be a little more forgiving. It’s a shame this wound up being so blandly conventional when the lead-in was compelling.
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
The medical mystery and thriller portions of the book are exciting, but there's an erotic/sexual/romantic throughline that reads as sexist and objectifying in this day and age, embarrassingly so.
challenging
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
I may have enjoyed this more but the full plot and big reveal was completely given away in the synopsis on the back of the book!
The beginning was slow and the fact that I am not used to medical terms made it difficult to understand a few concepts. The last 1/3 of the book, however, was more fast paced, interesting and unpredictable. It got me hooked and I made it through the last chapters so much faster. Also, Robin Cook is a genius for being able to think of such an interesting concept. Worth the read.