Overall rating and opinion of "McDowell"

[Kibet Hillary]

The book was really fascinating and thought-provoking as well. I never saw the end from the beginning. Thumbs up to the author for the twists and turns. I did not like how the book ended but I know there must have been a justifiable reason as to why the author decided on this turn of events.

[Dawnks09]

I rate this 4 out of 4 stars. The characters are interesting and, the plot has twists and turns that every reader can enjoy. There are also vast of topics and concepts that were included and relatable to anyone.

[chelhack]

I gave this book a 4 out of 4-star rating. I think that this was a good book and though harsh there was a lesson within it.

[CatholicCarry]

The blurb and reading comments here made me not want to read this book. I am not interested in reading about a man who treats women as sex objects and leaves his partner to die on a mountain. If the blurb cannot even be written correctly, how am I to assume the book was?

[Faithmwangi]

I loved this book. By the end of the first part I found myself very judgemental of McDowell. He felt like a hot shot who thought he could get away with anything. However, after reading the second part, I would sympathise with him. I was also proud of him for wanting to become a better man. McDowell is a relatable story, and clear indication everyone deserves a second chance. I give it a perfect rating.

[Fozia-Bajwa]

Well I have explained it with details in my review written recently and it got published. Anyway I can tell here also.
I like this book because it is closest to the reality and seems to be a real world story. But due to the anti ethical behavior of McDowell, it is not likeable for me. I gave it 4 0ut of 4 stars.

[SpencerVo]

I rate the book 4 out of 4. I didn't fully enjoy the first part as I intensely disliked many characters. But the second part was excellent. It featured simpler lives, portrayed people with certain depths, and that's important to McDowell's journey of redemption. As for the ending, well, I hope it was not the author's attempt to go the easy way, but it was a little bit disappointing. It was still a good read.

[Harley-Panda]

I did enjoy the story itself, although I agree with some other posters that there were grammatical and spelling errors throughout. I may have missed some of these if I hadn't been reading with thoughts of writing a review in mind, but they did take me out of the story a little at times.
I enjoyed the character progression of McDowell throughout the novel and felt that he learned a lot about himself and society in general during his travels. I did feel, though, that some other characters and stories were rushed (such as Billie and Tasha at the beginning of the novel) which made it a little unbelievable at times.
Despite this, it was an enjoyable read overall and was thought-provoking in parts.

[jibby9]

The first few chapters had me scratching my head, saying, "Am I supposed to like this character? He's a real piece of work..." The last few chapters had me genuinely rooting for him, hoping he'd find rightful redemption somewhere in the in-between. Obviously, Hiram was never and could never be a saint BUT I love how the author deeply humanized him, letting us feel compassion for him that he so egregiously lacked in Part I. Do I agree with his actions? No. One of my favorite parts of this book, however, is the close lens that author brings to the idea of judgment, justice, and perspective. This is the kind of book that rolls around your head for a while after it ends.

[Sanashiii]

The prologue about leaving his dying friend while mountain climbing really put me into shock. It gave me bad impression about the protagonist that time.

[Kibet Hillary]

What I liked most about the book is that although it lacked a lot of action as expected, the author was able to develop all characters well and they also had important roles to play. Repetitions were also rare as seen from similar books. A rating of 4 out of 4 stars was well deserved.

[Kibet Hillary]

The prologue about leaving his dying friend while mountain climbing really put me into shock. It gave me bad impression about the protagonist that time.

Indeed, I also began despising Hiram right from the prologue. I could not figure out if he had any positive trait in him. He was depicted as a person who cared less about others including his own family.

[kemp1kor]

Judging by the issues brought up in the book, I don’t believe I would enjoy reading it, but maybe I’ll give it a try at some point.

[bootsie0126+]

I thought the beginning of the book was hard to get into. It seemed a bit slow and the characters seemed disconnected. I did not like Hiram McDowell from the very first page of the book. This attitude continued well into the second part of the book and although I can see some instances of redemption in the doctor, I believe that it was a little too late. Almost to the very end of the novel, Hiram still could not take responsibility for the things that happened to him. His perception of right and wrong is totally screwed up even how he interacts with his children.

With that being said, I did enjoy the remainder of the book. I was able to appreciate the life lessons that the author created in the character of Hiram. I believe that the direction the author intended was achieved. He took an unlikable character with many flaws and showed how his choices in life affect him and everyone he comes into contact with.

[Analeigh]

I'm sorry I can't get past the blurb: "When readers first meet Hiram McDowell, he is leaving a hiking partner for dead and trying to make a decent alone on a mountain in Nepal in 1981. McDowell is a world-renown surgeon who treats women like sex-objects and deceives his third wife."
I have better things to do than read a book where it is required to read English naively and a man who makes a decent alone on a mountain...I think someone meant natively and descent. If you can't get the description right...yeah, I don't need to waste my time.

I have to agree with you! I was going to give this book a chance but I have a hard time getting past basic errors. It makes me feel that the author is not taking the reader seriously.