Title: Contagion
Series: Jack
Stapleton & Laurie Montgomery, #2
Author: Robin
Cook
Publisher: Pan
Publication Date: June
6, 1997
Genres: Mystery,
Thriller
Reviewed by: Angie
Edwards
My rating: 5/5
SUMMARY
This tale of deadly epidemic spread features Dr
John Stapleton, a forensic pathologist hardened by his experiences of personal
and professional loss. When a series of lethal illnesses strike seemingly at
random in New York City, Stapleton suspects he has stumbled on a diabolical
conspiracy.
REVIEW
Have
you read any of Robin Cook’s books yet? No? NO??!! Dude!! You have no idea what
you’re missing out on! We’re talking epidemic, deadly viruses, panic,
conspiracies, drama, confusion, medical negligence, and gangsters! And of
course, as with any good medical drama worth its salt, at the center of it all
are two competing corporate healthcare giants out to make a quick profit AND an
ad company with a near-impossible deadline. If this sounds to you like a heady
mix of suspense, intrigue, and holy-crap-hope-this-never-happens-to-us chills,
then right you are. Seriously, you have to read this. Contagion is also my first Robin Cook experience, so I won’t judge
you for not having read any of his novels yet.
Right,
so I mentioned the panic and conspiracy theories, a plague, and other killer
diseases. But there are a ton more elements that made this both an exciting and
disturbing read. The scariest thing for me was that this could really happen.
It might seem unlikely that a break-out with such devastating consequences as
described in this story could occur in a real-life large, bustling, modern
hospital, but I personally believe it’s possible. Even if you don’t believe
such a likelihood exists, Contagion
will definitely convince you otherwise.
Here we have a spectacular cast of
characters to keep track of. Most characters have minor roles, and some more
important, but each character is crucial in moving the plot along. It is clear
that a good amount of time was spent on developing every character no matter how
big or small their part in this story. From start to end, there is absolutely
no indication of who the guilty party might be. Yet, when the big reveal is
done, you’ll probably ask yourself why you hadn’t suspected that person(s) from
the start. I love when an author is detail-oriented, but doesn’t weigh the
reader down with too much unnecessary information about the setting and
characters’ histories. Robin Cook balances all this perfectly and sticks to the
storyline without too much explanation (though a lot of the medical- and
biological terminology went right over my head).
You know what I liked most about
Jack’s character? His go-getter attitude. He asks questions, gather as much
information as he can, and then immediately goes out looking for the answers.
He doesn’t even care how many toes he steps on along the way. Plus, he does all
this while adding his own patented brand of tongue-in-cheek humor,
intentionally provoking the tempers of his superiors, the staff at Manhattan
General Hospital where the first plague outbreak occurred, and the corporate
heads at healthcare giant, AmeriCare. Jack is fearless, yet vulnerable, and I
soon realized I’m rapidly developing a soft spot for this character.
One of Jack’s best lines in my opinion
(with which I share the same sentiment):
“The
problem is that I’ve developed an aversion to mediocrity.”
The
only issues I had was that the ending felt a little blunt, and the motivation
behind the spread of the deadly diseases wasn’t as impressive as the continued
build-up throughout the story led me to believe it would be. Although, I did
like how it ended for the antagonist(s), so I’m giving Contagion an easy five stars. I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t
enjoy this book. Want to know what lengths some people will go to to get what
they want? Yes? Then this book was written for you. If not, read it anyway
because it’s kick-ass!
ABOUT the AUTHOR
Dr. Robin Cook (born
May 4, 1940 in New York City, New York) is an American doctor / novelist who
writes about medicine and topics affecting public health.
He is best known for being the author who combined medical writing with the thriller genre of writing. Several of his books have been bestsellers on the "New York Times" Bestseller List. Several of his books have also been featured in Reader's Digest.
He is best known for being the author who combined medical writing with the thriller genre of writing. Several of his books have been bestsellers on the "New York Times" Bestseller List. Several of his books have also been featured in Reader's Digest.
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1 comment:
So glad you loved it, the ending has a reason all it's own. But I will not spoil it for you.
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