Oct 31, 2002 05:19 PM
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(Updated Oct 31, 2002 05:19 PM)
THis is surely a stunning novel for Segal seems to have captured all human emotions and all varieties of humans in the pages of this book.Startling though it may be the truth value exhalted in the novel is commendable.The essence of this novel is the portrayal of the medical community as it is with its virtues as well as vices.At the heart of the story is the relation between Barney livingston and Laura castellano.Childhood friends who blossom into lovers. The special relation between them is beautifully brought out by segal.
The link between the various doctors in the novel is that they all belonged to the Harvard Medical School's class of 1962.The contrast between the future doctors is amusing not just with respect to their characters but also with respect to their backgrounds.The students of the class of 1962 vary from Bennet Landsmann,the only black in the class who is the adopted son of jewish parents and is forced by a harsh stroke of fate to give up surgery- his calling in life and pursue law,to Seth Lazarus the introverted but compassionate scholarly doctor who's only flaw in character is that he is too compassionate which urges him into euthanasia(mercy killing).Segal successfully convinces the reader that euthanasia is not a dreaded disgrace to the medical profession but just an act which exhibits that doctors are human.
Grete Anderson,Alison Redmond,Laura Castellano are the representatives of femalehood in the class.Though the numero uno student alison meets a tragic end and Grete is an astoundingly confused and insecure character.Laura could be called the protagonist of the novel who makes quite a success of her life and her chosen profession.Barney the only true friend Laura ever had is somehow the only character in the novel who appears larger than life.The psychologist,the leader,the most friendly,the handsome,the successful Barney,the very life of the novel could have been portrayed a little less virtuously.
Hank dwyer,a student of holy cross,Lance mortimer,easy go lucky chap,Maury eastman,psycho turned achiever give an interesting flair to the novel.
Peter wyman the heartless genius who is loathed by one and all is the greatest success of the class.This proud and arrogant character leaves Laura and Barney quite stumped in the end.
Many more characters are blended marvellously into the story and the alarming number of characters gives the story a complete effect.The medical jargons used are not many but are precise and leaves the reader better informed.The references to the Latin language and the amount of literature embedded in the story are noteworthy.The end though may seem abrupt and mysterious befits the novel as ,if it were ended any other way ,Segal would have contradicted what he tries to bring out in the whole novel that ''healing is possible.''
This novel is surely a treat for reality/fiction lovers as it brings out the best in both.
