"The Law of Similars" is an astonishing novel about the hardships Leland Fowler faces when he loses his wife in a car crash, leaving him with grief and his young daughter. The most pleasurable aspect of this book is definitely the character development of Leland. Chris Bohjalian develops Leland's character very uniquely by using Leland himself; everything he does and thinks constantly revealing more to Leland's character throughout the entire book. "I raise my daughter. I go to work. And though some days it is very hard, I try not to live for the future. And I try not to dream of the past"(Bohjalian, 330), is what Leland says resolutely after going through every emotion possible such as grief, despair, infatuation, it really shows how his character evolves after many life experiences and it becomes something everyone can relate to which makes this one of the most enjoyable element of the novel. An intriguing aspect of the book would be the use of homeopathy. Like cures like, the law of similars which is the basis of homeopathy, the same method of treatment Carissa Lake use to cure Leland’s cold and sore throat. The intriguing part of homeopathy is that the cure didn’t only help his cold, but it had given him a boost of confidence. This allowed Chris Bohjalian to use the effects of homeopathy as a catalyst for romance as Leland’s new found courage became the starting point with his relationship with Carissa Lake. Using the combination of love and non-traditional medicine, Chris cunningly turns Leland's frown upside down and allows us to look past all the grief and despair of Leland’s character, the other side to him. I strongly recommend this book especially if you enjoyed reading Chris Bohjalian’s other novel “Midwives.” The two novels written by Chris may seem very similar including the unfortunate deaths leading on to legal trouble but it is extraordinarily different as each person reacts differently even in the same situation. I see the different reactions as Chris Bohjalian’s intention as he writes amazing books about people in difficult situations.
I would have rated The Law of Similars 2.5 stars, had it been possible. The extra .5 was because I liked the other Bohjalian book I read and think he's basically a good writer. But I was sorely disappointed by this one. It's more a "lust story" than a love story, and a feeble one at that. I had a really hard time connecting with and/or feeling empathy with any of the characters, particularly Leland Fowler. He seems so obsessed with sex and women's bodies, that it felt creepy. In fact, the creepiness factor began when he described how he and his young daughter slept together in his bed following the tragic death of his wife. It was written to portray innocence and a way to comfort a little girl who lost her mommy. But it just didn't sit right with me. But by far the most egregious flaw was Fowler's seeming lack of judgement and morals when it came to Carissa. How he could have continued as a prosecutor is beyond belief. And Carissa Lake's practice of homeopathic medicine left a bad taste and probably did a disservice to alternative healing. As annoyed as I was by this book, I will give Bohjalian another chance simply because the first book I read was very good. But had this been the first of his books I picked up, it would have certainly been my last.
What do You think about The Law Of Similars (2000)?
I started this book genuinely liking the main character Leland but finished up really very much disliking him. Serves me right for automatically wanting to like a character just because of his circumstances, in this case the fact that he was a widower with a small child. Turns out he was a selfish, obsessive, hypochondriac who made one bad choice after another from the beginning of this book to the end. The plot itself is compelling whether or not a homeopath is responsible for the death of a pa
—Brandy
Probably I would not have picked up this book had my Book Group not been reading and discussing it later in the week. I looked at the 320 pages, and wondered if I could plod my way through it by Wednesday. But then I started reading, and literally could not put it down. Leyland and Carissa became real. Despite the fact that I got a bit irritated with them at times - after all, Leyland is a bit of a hypochondriac and Carissa can be a little intense. But I lived their tale and here in sunny Florida felt the Vermont Christmas snow on my face. What a story Chris Bohjalian told; full of disaster, love, moral choices and the inevitable way that we all make the wrong decisions. Now I can look forward to his other books, which I bought and never got round to reading. And what a wonderful discussion this will raise for a Book Club meeting. A great and enjoyable read!
—Sue
I have been home not feeling well this week and enjoying lots of reading! This is another Chris Bohjalian (dos anyone know how to say that last name!) novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. It kept me reading with hints of things to come, so I finished it quickly. This author has a definite way of bringing you into the characters and story right away. I had read Midwives recently and this one also set in Vermont with homeopathic medicine at the center in place of midwives. Very interesting. The main character (a states attorney) gets himself involved in a situation after the death of his wife as he deals with that grief. After a long time of symptoms, he meets a homeopath and off we go as she becomes the center of an investigation. Ethics come into play and the struggle he has with his feelings vs. the ethics of his profession. It certainly kept me reading!
—Donna
