I love a well-written medical fiction and this book was a pleasure to read. It started out in a rather straightforward, linear fashion in that it introduced us to our main character and fleshed out the personal and professional aspects of her life. There is something about reading of the fragilities of the human life and the point in our lives where; either our youth runs inevitably out, or our bodies betray us...but the going-ons in a hospital are some of the grittiest and realist experiences that can possibly be encountered and it fascinates me. Carol Cassella does a very good job at accurately conveying the medical aspect of the book, but beyond that her writing captivates and was a pleasure to read. The plot that had seemed very linear throughout the book went in a somewhat unexpected direction and ended up surprising me. Overall it was a quick, easy read and I enjoyed walking in this doctor's shoes (and learning a bit about anesthesiology in a fun way). Maybe 2.5. Decent story, but her never-ending internal drama/distress/monologue started to get a bit boring and forced. The twist at the end was ok, but it wasn't set up for very well beforehand. The twist in her relationship with her father was out of the blue and was left hanging and unfinished, so that it felt completely random. But an easy read. The information about anesthesiology was very interesting, and the problems with the medical system and medical malpractice were spot on.
