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zoevjester's review against another edition
Got bad news and a bad week - wrong time in my life to be reading about a hospital.
zackyswales's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
So descriptive whilst also maintaining a language which is easy to follow
feralwraith's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sarahbelger's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
johnhodges's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
drianturner's review against another edition
4.0
Unsettling. In the beginning I found this book much more satisfying than Galgut's The Promise, which won this year's Booker Prize. But I became less enthusiastic about it as many threads were deliberately left untied. Personally, I would have preferred more resolution but maybe that's the book's appeal: a number of unsettling and unconcluded themes.
johannabeek's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
ellsbells63's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
anusha_reads's review against another edition
5.0
Once upon a time, there was a good doctor and there was a bad doctor…..
What is good and what is bad? How do we assess that? By their nature? Work ethics? appearance? Their behaviour? Their lexicon?
Sometimes we lose our creativity and the yearning to do something. We get into a rut. A nudge from someone in the right direction prompts us toward something that we dreamt of. Years of experience do teach us something, so do we go by our experience, or do we try to do something different suddenly? As experienced people, can we just reject new innovative ideas?
The story has two protagonists, Frank, the everyman and Laurence, a symbolic character.
This book is set in a remote village in South Africa. A fresh medical Graduate, Laurence, keen on doing some community service, comes to an ill-equipped hospital, and with hardly any medical supplies. Where there is poverty, there is corruption, theft, and mismanagement. The lack of funds starkly shows.
Frank is a physician who has been at this hospital for many years. Laurence is full of life and is keen on improving the conditions of the hospital. The whole team at the hospital spends their time in utter dullness as there hardly are any patients.
A quote from the book that I loved: “Past a certain point, maybe, a person's character defines itself and stays fixed in your mind.” This is so true whether a person is good or bad, there are idiosyncrasies of people that get etched in us and we remember them for those traits.
A character I felt bad for was a local woman who sold handmade souvenirs. Although the author does not talk much about her or her life, the events that revolved around her made me want to know more about her.
Having read two other books by Damon Galgut, I now understand his style of writing. All the characters are compelling. All three books I read were based in South Africa and every book had a unique theme and plot. Though anyone can finish this book in a day, I took the time to devour the beautiful writing and the simple storyline.
Though it’s a small book, it kept me hooked till the end. The ending was a bit ambiguous, and I did not expect it. It has been left open to interpretation.
THE GOOD DOCTOR is the author’s fifth book and it was shortlisted for the Booker prize in 2003 and won the Commonwealth writers' prize.
What is good and what is bad? How do we assess that? By their nature? Work ethics? appearance? Their behaviour? Their lexicon?
Sometimes we lose our creativity and the yearning to do something. We get into a rut. A nudge from someone in the right direction prompts us toward something that we dreamt of. Years of experience do teach us something, so do we go by our experience, or do we try to do something different suddenly? As experienced people, can we just reject new innovative ideas?
The story has two protagonists, Frank, the everyman and Laurence, a symbolic character.
This book is set in a remote village in South Africa. A fresh medical Graduate, Laurence, keen on doing some community service, comes to an ill-equipped hospital, and with hardly any medical supplies. Where there is poverty, there is corruption, theft, and mismanagement. The lack of funds starkly shows.
Frank is a physician who has been at this hospital for many years. Laurence is full of life and is keen on improving the conditions of the hospital. The whole team at the hospital spends their time in utter dullness as there hardly are any patients.
A quote from the book that I loved: “Past a certain point, maybe, a person's character defines itself and stays fixed in your mind.” This is so true whether a person is good or bad, there are idiosyncrasies of people that get etched in us and we remember them for those traits.
A character I felt bad for was a local woman who sold handmade souvenirs. Although the author does not talk much about her or her life, the events that revolved around her made me want to know more about her.
Having read two other books by Damon Galgut, I now understand his style of writing. All the characters are compelling. All three books I read were based in South Africa and every book had a unique theme and plot. Though anyone can finish this book in a day, I took the time to devour the beautiful writing and the simple storyline.
Though it’s a small book, it kept me hooked till the end. The ending was a bit ambiguous, and I did not expect it. It has been left open to interpretation.
THE GOOD DOCTOR is the author’s fifth book and it was shortlisted for the Booker prize in 2003 and won the Commonwealth writers' prize.
hoserlauren's review against another edition
3.0
Frank Eloff is a doctor in a poorly funded hospital in remote South Africa. He is coasting in life and career, with his marriage just a signature away from divorce and his career moving nowhere in this small town. When a new doctor shows up for a year rotation, Frank is forced to share his room. Laurence Waters ends up being an idealist, wanting to make a difference in the world. Frank tries to tell him that's not the way things work in this hospital, but Laurence won't take that for an answer. Frank doesn't completely shut Laurence down though. Laurence is able to chip away at Frank's exterior, but it's not just Frank he's fighting against.
An interesting premise, but I'd be lying if I said I understood the ending. The whole book has a pretty depressing feel to it and the final state that everyone found themselves in was probably the most depressing of all. The more things change, the more they stay the same is very true for this book. Though the people of the village weren't discussed too much in the book, I can't help but feel like they were the real victims in this entire story.
An interesting premise, but I'd be lying if I said I understood the ending. The whole book has a pretty depressing feel to it and the final state that everyone found themselves in was probably the most depressing of all. The more things change, the more they stay the same is very true for this book. Though the people of the village weren't discussed too much in the book, I can't help but feel like they were the real victims in this entire story.