Book of the Month -- The Heart Specialist
I just recently finished reading The Heart Specialist . I really enjoyed it. I think a lot of different types of readers will too. This book offers something for nearly everyone. Students of Canadian history, particularly Canadian medical history, will enjoy the topics covered in the novel (the Spanish flu, McGill University’s Medical School and Medical Museum, Heart anomalies and congenital heart disease, etc). Montrealers will love the atmosphere of turn-of-the-twentieth-century Montreal. Yet others will be drawn to the depiction of a pioneering woman's struggle. Mystery lovers will revel in the slowly unveiled secrets. And romantics will discover at least a little of the stuff of dreams.
I read a review of this book in the Gazette sometime in the spring. The reviewer (sorry, I can’t recall who) wrote that The Heart Specialist is a page turner and that she was sorry to see the book end. Well, with a review like that, I was intrigued. And then, when I finally had the book in hand, I noticed on the back cover that Lawrence Hill, author of The Book of Negroes (which I loved!), also praised it. In his words: “The writing is striking, the emotion immediate, the medical detail fascinating, and the story compelling from the first page to the last.” Now, my curiosity was truly peaked!
Let me tell you, the book didn’t disappoint. I loved that the author, Claire Holden Rothman, used the professional life of Dr. Maude Abbot as the starting point for her character, Agnes White. (Every aspect of Agnes’ life, other than professional, is purely a product of the author’s imagination.) I was perplexed by Agnes’ father’s decision to simply abandon his young family. I was inspired and awed by Agnes’ determination to achieve the impossible dream of becoming a medical doctor. I was angered by McGill University’s refusal to admit her into their medical school, despite fulfilling their demands. I was elated when Agnes’ medical career soared and her findings became world renowned. I was saddened when Agnes’s sister’s marriage fell apart and her mental health weakened. As you can see, it was quite a roller coaster ride.
Read it and let me know what you think.
I read a review of this book in the Gazette sometime in the spring. The reviewer (sorry, I can’t recall who) wrote that The Heart Specialist is a page turner and that she was sorry to see the book end. Well, with a review like that, I was intrigued. And then, when I finally had the book in hand, I noticed on the back cover that Lawrence Hill, author of The Book of Negroes (which I loved!), also praised it. In his words: “The writing is striking, the emotion immediate, the medical detail fascinating, and the story compelling from the first page to the last.” Now, my curiosity was truly peaked!
Let me tell you, the book didn’t disappoint. I loved that the author, Claire Holden Rothman, used the professional life of Dr. Maude Abbot as the starting point for her character, Agnes White. (Every aspect of Agnes’ life, other than professional, is purely a product of the author’s imagination.) I was perplexed by Agnes’ father’s decision to simply abandon his young family. I was inspired and awed by Agnes’ determination to achieve the impossible dream of becoming a medical doctor. I was angered by McGill University’s refusal to admit her into their medical school, despite fulfilling their demands. I was elated when Agnes’ medical career soared and her findings became world renowned. I was saddened when Agnes’s sister’s marriage fell apart and her mental health weakened. As you can see, it was quite a roller coaster ride.
Read it and let me know what you think.
posted by Staff / Personnel @ 10:12 AM
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