Author:
Dr. Robin Cook
Genre:
Medical-Thriller
I promise a first time encounter with this book will be
breathtaking, especially if you are into Science Fiction, I remember skiving
evening remedial classes in High school. Then, more than four years later, I
read it again, with an exposure to a diverse genre and library; I realize now
just how amateur it really is. From the writing to the plot to the clichéd
characters `Mutation' fails to live up to the reputation of a beloved author.
Maybe my growing distaste of this novel is due to the fact that I'm not a huge
fan of the medical thriller...but before you automatically disregard this
review as biased let me just explain the main reasons for my complaints, for
they in themselves have nothing to do with the `medical' aspect of the story.The strange child / scary child plot-line has been done a time or two or three-hundred. In this book the scenario isn't revived as much as revisited. It seems the same, nothing new or exciting, and when the child or quote-unquote creation trumps over master it seems, what did I call it, that's right...clichéd. The master / creator, whatever you want to call him...dad, is Dr. Victor Frank, a bio-physicist who attempted to create the perfect child but instead created a monster. He quickly becomes the guilty victim and I had trouble decided whether or not I, the reader, was supposed to sympathize or loathe him. Really, his character is so boring that I couldn't muster up any feeling whatsoever for him.
The mother, the true `victim' if this story calls for one, comes off somewhat stupid. Cooks’ first mistake was making her a child psychologist because everyone knows that, at least in the entertainment world, psychologists spend their free time analyzing their own families so it's ridiculous to conclude that she never noticed her son's strange behavior until it was too late. The ending, contrived as it is (the third definition in the dictionary for this is "brought about with difficulty" so it fits), does redeem some of the bad qualities of this book because it is a bit, oh how do I put this, chilling. Not so much, but enough to make me wish to God almighty Robin Cook had started with the last half and built a well-oiled machine.
Like I mentioned, as a young teen this isn't half bad, but now that my palate has been tempted by the fruit of much more deserving literature I can't truly applaud this work. If you are young, both literally and literary, and you love Sci-Fi then there’s a likelihood you will love this novel, this will be a definite page turner for you. If you're a fan of Cook then you may want to read it just to say that you had (I know how I am, if I love an author I will read everything he's written just because he wrote it) However for a good weekend read, I won’t recommend it, I’d rather you invest your money and time reading a better thriller or better still visit a sick relative participate in some charity event. This is not for you. However you might consider it a good birthday gift, for your niece.
