The Law of Similars
by Chris Bohjalian (Goodreads author!)
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 852)
Read in July, 2007
Interesting story about a lawyer who falls in love with a homeopath. One of the homeopath's patients falls into a coma and eventually dies. The back cover describes it as a thriller, but I see it more as a story of ethics, relationships, and responsibility.
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Read in November, 2008
I read this in two days. Granted, they were weekend days and I didn't have to do anything else during them, but this book was zippy, engrossing reading and really unputdownable.
This is a surprise because I didn't like the protagonist. Leland is really obviously an unreliable narrator--not as full-on crazy as that chick from the old standby definition of the unreliable narrator, "Why I Live at the P.O.", but still pretty wacky. He makes unbelievably bad choices and is in deep denial...more
This is a surprise because I didn't like the protagonist. Leland is really obviously an unreliable narrator--not as full-on crazy as that chick from the old standby definition of the unreliable narrator, "Why I Live at the P.O.", but still pretty wacky. He makes unbelievably bad choices and is in deep denial...more
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Read in August, 2007
recommended to Betelle by:
Bohjalian fanrecommends it for: Book clubs
Here is another of Bohjalians' page turners. Again the setting is New England(Vermont) ...a close community. It is the story of the downfall of widowed Leland, a state prosecuter, and his four year old daughter who after developing a relationship with Carissa, the town homeopath, become involved in a malpractice struggle between Carissa and a deceased patient. The plot captured me and as I neared the end of the book, I ran over in my mind all the possible endings...none which brought me satis...more
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Read in December, 2007
For years, people I trust have been telling me to read Chris Bohjalian. Now that I've finally gotten around to it, I'm sorry I waited so long. This is the best kind of "gripping tale" that book jacket copy is always promising us. It's a thriller, but not a sensational one. These are ordinary people in ordinary circumstances -- no government conspiracies or serial killers to plump up the plot. It's just a convincingly complicat...more
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Read in November, 2008
Like his other books, this is an incredibly good read. Unlike Midwives and The Double Bind, both written from the point of view of females, The Law of Similars is written from the point of view of a man. I can't make up my mind about this book...it was very good, but different voice from the other two I've read. I don't think I liked it as well, but I would still recommend it.
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Read in November, 2008
I really hoped that this guy would "do the right thing". But, maybe my view of the right thing is so strongly colored by my education and the ethics instilled by my profession that I can't justify at all how Leland handles his girlfriend's involvement in a malpractice situation. Of course, she goes along with his advice as well and is equally culpable. However, Carissa sacrifices much more for hr decision, in my view, whereas Leland loses less. I gues you could dramatically say he los...more
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Read in April, 2008
This was a very good book which delves into the world of homeopathic remedies and examines the ethical responsibilities of healers, as well as lawyers. A state's prosecuter becomes involved with a homeopathic healer, who relieves him both of his symptoms and his loneliness since his wife passed away, leaving him to raise their young daughter. However, their relationship is almost immediately threatened when one of her patients dies, and his wife holds her responsible. What ensues is not only ...more
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Read in July, 2007
I really enjoyed Midwives, so I was interested in picking up another novel by Bohjalian. He seems to have a thing for women non-traditional health care practitioners getting into trouble.
I found this book interesting for its discussion of homeopathy, of which I have little knowledge. The story line was predictable but still enjoyable. This book filled the need of something to be read while sitting on a deck in the summer sun. Not great literature.
This book would be good for book grou...more
I found this book interesting for its discussion of homeopathy, of which I have little knowledge. The story line was predictable but still enjoyable. This book filled the need of something to be read while sitting on a deck in the summer sun. Not great literature.
This book would be good for book grou...more
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Read in July, 2008
Interesting story with a great sense of place. Reminds me of Jodi Picoult's style. Although I feel I learned a little bit about homeopathy, the traditional-alternative medicine divide could have been better drawn and explored. The narrator started out as very likable and sympathetic but ended up too quirky (and inconsistently presented) for me -- I really think that aspect more than any other leaves me with some reservations about the story.
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This book caught my eye mostly because it dealt with a homeopath. It was interesting, but to me, not very well written.
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in August, 2008
I really enjoyed Midwives which is why I picked up this one. BUT... there was a paragraph mid-way through the book that was so sexually graphic and gratuitous, it tainted the rest of the book for me, even though the rest was clean. Generally, I like Chris Bohalian's writing style and sarcasm/humor. The storyline itself was interesting... homeopathy vs. traditional medicine. Not as good as Midwives, though.
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Read in September, 2007
While I think it was interesting to hear this story from Leland's point of view, I think it would have been more powerful to hear the story from Carissa's point of view. However, maybe Bohjalian felt more comfortable with Leland's pov or was trying to explore using a more limited perspective. I might read some more of his books, but, based on this, they're not high on my priority list.
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Read in April, 2008
This is one of those that you pretty much know the outcome in the beginning, and the rest is just the story leading up to it. So what about some twists and turns to keep it interesting? There weren't any that weren't predictable. I didn't enjoy the sporadic foul language and the guy's sexual obsession with the homeopath that he falls in "love" with.
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