Title: Oxygen
Author: Carol Cassella
First published July 1, 2008
304 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 9781416556107 (ISBN10: 1416556109)
Rating: 3.75
Overview
In Oxygen, Carol Cassella delivers a gripping story that beautifully blends medical drama and family relationships. Dr. Marie Heaton has devoted her life to medicine and is at the top of her game as an anesthesiologist in Seattle.
But when a routine surgery goes awry, Marie’s world is turned upside down as she faces a malpractice suit and a crisis of confidence. Her former lover and colleague, Dr. Joe Hillary, becomes her rock as she navigates the fallout from the disaster.
Meanwhile, Marie’s family is also facing their own struggles, with her aging father’s health declining and her sister’s competing priorities. As Marie’s personal and professional lives collide, she is forced to confront the consequences of her choices and the true meaning of love and loyalty.
Set against the stunning backdrop of Seattle, Oxygen is a page-turner with a heartrending finale.
About the Author
Meet Carol Cassella, M.D., a physician and bestselling author. She has written two novels, Oxygen and Healer, both published by Simon & Schuster and translated into several languages.
Carol holds a degree in English Literature from Duke University and attended Baylor College of Medicine. She is board certified in internal medicine and anesthesiology and has experience in primary care and anesthesiology, with a focus on underserved populations.
Before her fiction writing career, Carol worked for the Global Health division of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, covering grant projects in developing countries. She is an expert panelist for the Wall Street Journal and an associate editor for Mind to Mind, the literary section of Anesthesiology, the journal of the American Society of Anesthesiology.
Carol is also a founding member of Seattle7Writers, a non-profit organization that supports literacy and reading in the Pacific Northwest. She serves on medical boards in Nicaragua and Bhutan.
Carol lives on Bainbridge Island in Washington with her husband and two sets of twins. Her third novel, Gemini, is scheduled for release in March 2014.
Editoral Review
Carol Cassellas Oxygen is a breathtaking medical thriller that explores the complexities of the human body and the human spirit. A former anesthesiologist, Cassella brings first-hand knowledge of the medical field to her writing, infusing the novel with a level of authenticity that is both captivating and unsettling.
Published on July 1, 2008, Oxygen is a gripping exploration of life, death, and the gray areas in between. The novel is set in the fictional Cascade Mountains Hospital in western Washington State.
The protagonist, Dr. Marie Heaton, is a talented anesthesiologist who finds herself at the center of a medical mystery when a patient enters the hospital with unexplained symptoms. Maries efforts to diagnose the patient lead her down a rabbit hole of medical intrigue, corporate greed, and personal betrayal.
Cassellas writing is both meticulous and powerful. Her descriptions of the medical procedures and protocols at Cascade Mountains Hospital are so vivid that readers can practically smell the antiseptic and hear the beeping monitors.
But Oxygen is not just a technical medical thriller it is also a deeply emotional story about loss, love, and redemption. Cassellas characters are complex and sympathetic, and she excels at creating tension between them.
The conflicts that arise from their personal relationships are as compelling as the medical mysteries that drive the plot. One of the most impressive things about Oxygen is how Cassella integrates the medical and emotional elements of the story.
She smoothly transitions between technical language and poignant moments, never losing sight of the fact that medicine is both a science and an art. The book is a testament to the beauty and fragility of life, and it forces readers to confront the difficult questions surrounding medical ethics and end-of-life care.
At times, the pacing of Oxygen can be slow, as Cassella takes the time to carefully develop her characters and their relationships. But the payoff is worth it, as readers become invested in the outcome of the medical mystery and the fates of the characters.
Cassellas prose is both elegant and approachable, making the novel accessible to readers of all levels of medical knowledge. Overall, Oxygen is a stunning debut novel that will appeal to fans of medical thrillers, character-driven dramas, and stories that challenge our assumptions about life and death.
Carol Cassellas expert handling of complex medical concepts and emotional themes is a testament to her skill as a writer and her dedication as a physician. Highly recommended.
Rating: 4.5/5
Recommended For: Fans of medical thrillers, character-driven dramas, and stories that challenge our assumptions about life and death.
