Novel:
“Nothing Lasts Forever”
by Sidney Sheldon
Summary:
Dr. Paige Taylor is on
trial for the mercy killing of a patient (Did she off the guy for his
fortune?); the action then flashes back five years, when Paige and two other
female doctors meet as first-year residents at a San Francisco hospital. Paige
is the dedicated one, Kate Hunter ("Kat") an African American whose
aunt inspired her to lofty ambitions ("You can be anything you want to be.
It's up to you") and Betty Lou Taft ("Honey"), the plain
Southern belle whose diligent application of techniques gleaned from the Kama
Sutra has assured her a professional niche. The trials and tribulations of both
patients and medicos include suspenseful operations, natural deaths, murder and
suicide
Criticism:
Criticism:
This was my
first Sidney Sheldon novel and I am pleased to admit that despite my lofty
expectations, I was not disappointed. In fact "Nothing Lasts Forever"
is a fast paced, thrilling and riveting novel. I found it simply unputdownable
and seriously can’t remember the last time I finished a 400 page book in a
matter of two days. The way Sidney Sheldon builds suspense, from the very first
page which opens right in the middle of a court hearing, where a certain Dr.
Paige Taylor is being tried for killing a patient of hers who incidentally left
behind a million dollars in Dr. Paige’s name, till the unexpected and dramatic
ending, is quite brilliant.
Sheldon’s
masterly crafted story also provides an insight into the hurly burly of a
resident doctor’s existence. The long working hours, the low salaries, demanding
and sadistic superiors, desperate patients, virtually non-existent personal
life and the high pressure working conditions, make doctors’ life a never
ending tale of misery and hardships. The author skillfully mixes drama,
romance, mystery and medicine in this cleverly plotted novel. The characters,
in particular the leading ladies – Dr. Taylor Paige, Dr. Kat Hunter and Dr.
Honey Taft are beautifully drawn with intriguing and attractive personalities
and engaging back stories. They are unique in the way they deal with
challenges. While Dr. Paige is sincere and idealistic with firm belief in her
convictions, Dr. Hunter is practical and focused, she also hates men, the
result of a childhood of abuse, and Dr. Taft though kind, cheerful and
compassionate is not averse to using her skills in the bed to move up the
career ladder. The coming together of such characters in one story makes for an
entertaining mesh.
All said and
done this is one frenetic novel which leaves the reader glued from the first
page till the last. The ending is the only weak part of this otherwise solid
and enjoyable story. It is somewhat predictable and a little abrupt yet, it is
still a satisfying and positive conclusion to the story. The characters and sub
plots are tightly written, the pacing is fast and the writing extremely lucid
and precise.
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