The Citadel – Review

I never knew about this author, I just picked up this book from my lending library, after reading the Blurb.

The story is the journey of a Doctor Andrew Mason from his first day in duty. His insecurities when he joins this profession, his friends and foes, his passion and convictions. How he slowly builds on his career.

This story covers almost all career options of a Doctor, starting from being an Assistant in a mining community and then becoming  a Doctor in another mining community. Doing his higher studies and then the research. Then an option to work in a research organization and then working as an independent medical practitioner. This completes the full cycle isn’t it!!

The first 2 jobs are dealing with the “card system” Medical Practice, wherein you are paid a fixed amount for the number of members in the community (who gives you their cards). I think this system  exists even today when each office has a visiting Doctor. This is technically the lower most line of work in Doctor Profession in terms of remuneration.

I sometimes felt stopping reading the novel, because it looks monotonous and predictable. The number of character appearing in one part will not appear in another as the characters move from one place to another. Also it’s a predictable story, the hero is always correct with respect to this diagnosis and is a highly principle man and doesn’t get well with the environment and then moves on.

But you have to wait till the last part to see the story actually picking up as it shows that the Hero has shades of negativity as well, as he pursuits money. Almost 70% of the story was to get to the point since it was essential to know where he came from.

One important character of this story is the Doctor’s wife Chris. She was always in his side supporting and comforting him. The relationship between the Doctor and his wife gets stained when he starts chasing money and the friction in their relationship is shown very naturally. The Doctor thinks that his wife wants him always to be poor and when he starts getting rich she is not appreciating it!

The last part of the story which deals with the money in the business and the network among the doctors who rotate the rich patients among themselves!! This is so relevant even today. The revelation happens to this Doctor only when he realizes that the “network of doctors” who chase money are not really skilled doctors. This is very dramatic and need not be the case in real life, there are doctors who chase money and are also very well skilled.

Also the last part of the story talks about the healers (with no formal degree) and should the doctors work with these unconventional healers.

Overall this is a story of a man who is searching for success fuelled by ambition and towards the end almost losses his way but he comes back strong with a new noble ambition!