Tears before Exaltation, by Fidelis Mkparu (Hatchette, 2018, 324 pages, $22.95)
(Exaltation:
a feeling or state of extreme happiness)
Yes, Of Course
Tears before Exaltation brings us into the world of hospitals turning medical
students into doctors along with all the backbiting and bullying it entails, at
least in the imagination if not in reality.
The title tells it all: that
one must experience a lot and work hard before the fruits of one’s labor are
realized. Pretty obvious.
Choppy Writing Style
Author Fidelis Mkparu uses a
choppy writing style with elementary sentence structures and, of course, short
sentences so that the reader may think him a non-native speaker - except for
numerous literary words (big words) interspersed throughout, perhaps added by
the editor.
A Tennessee Setting
Set in two Tennessee towns,
one on each side of the state, Tears
characterizes both so well that you will think you are there and may even want
to visit.
Choppy Organization
This reviewer was not able
to identify with the characters and she tried, being quite knowledgeable with
medical training. Conversations and reactions did not seem realistic. Ditto
with the plot.
A change occurs in the
character development, pace and plot about ¾ of the way through as if someone
else finished writing the book – a good author. However, the change in plot and
one character’s personality did not follow naturally from what went on before.
The Fans
Give this book a try! You
just might like it, if you can skim over the superficial plot, characters and
style. Read it fast (chop, chop).
Chop, Chop
As for me, I don’t think I
will try Mkparu’s other books* even though the descriptions are intriguing: I
wonder if they all are partially autobiographical in any way. However, I will
remember his name and if I come across a non-fiction article, I will give it a
try. I suspect I will meet up with his works soon: he also writes about
cardiology, which I suggest he stick to (without having read that genre of
his).
*Award-winning Love’s
Affliction (2015)
I read your review of Tears Before Exaltation. Let me thank you for spending your valuable time to read my book. I am grateful for your critical comments. I'll learn from them.
ReplyDelete