Review from OnlineBookClub.org
Coles’ character development was so masterful that I legitimately despised the protagonist and that may be why I felt so challenged to continue reading early on in the novel. McDowell reminded me of so many old affluent, arrogant, white men I have met through my life. It made me remember how I felt in those encounters and how those men talked down to me. It was so visceral it made my stomach churn.
I am glad I persevered because it was worth the journey. Too often these men of esteem masquerade as humanitarians, when in truth they lack soul and empathy. Their accomplishments they collect like souvenirs just so they can exchange them for some title that grants them even more power and money. They do the unconscionable to serve their own desires and Hiram was just such a man. Coles definitely gained a fan in me. The layers of the story revealed Hiram was not as he first appeared. Hiram experiences change and growth and as a reader I went right along on that journey with him. Humans are complex beings constantly growing and changing because of the people they meet and the experiences they have, Hiram is no different.
Every single person is going through something and this holds true be it our “Skip the Dishes” driver or the oncologist who we see at our most desperate and vulnerable. We can never truly know what is going on in someone’s life or what has brought them to this moment. It takes real talent to weave such a tale. This story had it all from family drama, deaths, betrayals, heartbreak and of course the most important element — love.
Read the entire review here…