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heysunbee's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
I love Michael Crichton's writing because he knows how to keep the story moving without alienating us from a world most people would not be familiar with.
I'm ambivalent towards books with medicine and its dramas as its focus. There are so many terminologies, concepts, and lore that goes with the profession that a less skilled writer may glaze over essential details about medicine or a doctor's behaviors that we end up observing the story rather than empathizing with the protagonist. With his background in medicine, Crichton knows when to explain and when to pull back when it comes to surgical procedures and relevant medication.
A Case in Need is a great medical thriller because we are presented with the same facts that the protagonist encounters and we are given enough tools to try to piece together the entire story. Although an understanding of medicine might've helped us better grasp the severity of some events, it doesn't detract from the pacing or the importance of the story at all. Not to mention the main plot point of abortion and the arguments for it remain relevant today, despite this novel being published around 1969.
He includes footnotes and an appendix on concepts or terms that require a more in-depth explanation and I really appreciated that, since I have had no experience with some of the jargon or abbreviations that were used. It's like being let in on a secret, with a little wink and a nudge in the right direction.
I gave it 3.5 stars because there were a couple of elements that I cannot agree with.
I am not from the US. I'm not sure what the prevailing sentiment or behavior is in the country at the time of writing of this book. I'm not quite sure if the usage of the N-word, the racist subtext, and the sexism that Crichton portrays to be rampant in hospitals is a personal quality or an objective observation of the state of the world at that time. There are plenty of sections in this book that made me raise an eyebrow and wonder if this is really how Crichton sees the world or if this was how the world was back when he was 26 and fresh from the hospital. Despite that, it didn't make for a fun read to see how women were objectified and reduced to become supporting characters with no substance or that POCs were eitherthe victim or the perpetrator, destined to be saved or condemned by a white man .
Crichton's sketch of a hospital's lifestyle and culture was unique and eye-opening. I don't know if much is still retained today or if the overall movement of hospital culture has changed today compared to when this book was written. What I do know is that the culture in hospitals, which may not be the same for all hospitals in all countries, has a tendency to lean towards tradition. Conservative doctors are common and they are often strict, imposing, and dominating especially toward those who work under them. I have heard that surgeons are the 'hot-shot' doctors in a hospital and tend to have personalities that are more untenable to work with, idiosyncrasies that either help or hinder their own practices but are sometimes overlooked if they are as good as they say are. Or if they've been there long enough to gather enough acclaim from the industry or the hospital.
These were all shared with me by friends and friends of friends, those who actually are part of the industry and have witnessed some of these happen. It is anecdotal so I can't really say for sure if how Crichton portrayed it is a good view into the world of doctors or if it's been exaggerated to fit the narrative of a high-stakes tension-filled novel.
Overall, it's a great book to read if you're fond of medical thrillers but are not familiar with medicine or have not worked in the medical field. If you enjoyed Crichton's other works and the medical elements he uses for science-fiction, this novel shows you his expertise and understanding of medicine before he learned how to extrapolate to improve the quality of the story.
I'm ambivalent towards books with medicine and its dramas as its focus. There are so many terminologies, concepts, and lore that goes with the profession that a less skilled writer may glaze over essential details about medicine or a doctor's behaviors that we end up observing the story rather than empathizing with the protagonist. With his background in medicine, Crichton knows when to explain and when to pull back when it comes to surgical procedures and relevant medication.
A Case in Need is a great medical thriller because we are presented with the same facts that the protagonist encounters and we are given enough tools to try to piece together the entire story. Although an understanding of medicine might've helped us better grasp the severity of some events, it doesn't detract from the pacing or the importance of the story at all. Not to mention the main plot point of abortion and the arguments for it remain relevant today, despite this novel being published around 1969.
He includes footnotes and an appendix on concepts or terms that require a more in-depth explanation and I really appreciated that, since I have had no experience with some of the jargon or abbreviations that were used. It's like being let in on a secret, with a little wink and a nudge in the right direction.
I gave it 3.5 stars because there were a couple of elements that I cannot agree with.
I am not from the US. I'm not sure what the prevailing sentiment or behavior is in the country at the time of writing of this book. I'm not quite sure if the usage of the N-word, the racist subtext, and the sexism that Crichton portrays to be rampant in hospitals is a personal quality or an objective observation of the state of the world at that time. There are plenty of sections in this book that made me raise an eyebrow and wonder if this is really how Crichton sees the world or if this was how the world was back when he was 26 and fresh from the hospital. Despite that, it didn't make for a fun read to see how women were objectified and reduced to become supporting characters with no substance or that POCs were either
Crichton's sketch of a hospital's lifestyle and culture was unique and eye-opening. I don't know if much is still retained today or if the overall movement of hospital culture has changed today compared to when this book was written. What I do know is that the culture in hospitals, which may not be the same for all hospitals in all countries, has a tendency to lean towards tradition. Conservative doctors are common and they are often strict, imposing, and dominating especially toward those who work under them. I have heard that surgeons are the 'hot-shot' doctors in a hospital and tend to have personalities that are more untenable to work with, idiosyncrasies that either help or hinder their own practices but are sometimes overlooked if they are as good as they say are. Or if they've been there long enough to gather enough acclaim from the industry or the hospital.
These were all shared with me by friends and friends of friends, those who actually are part of the industry and have witnessed some of these happen. It is anecdotal so I can't really say for sure if how Crichton portrayed it is a good view into the world of doctors or if it's been exaggerated to fit the narrative of a high-stakes tension-filled novel.
Overall, it's a great book to read if you're fond of medical thrillers but are not familiar with medicine or have not worked in the medical field. If you enjoyed Crichton's other works and the medical elements he uses for science-fiction, this novel shows you his expertise and understanding of medicine before he learned how to extrapolate to improve the quality of the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abortion and Miscarriage
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Self harm, Violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Racism, and Blood
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