La Doctora Cole

"After the resounding success of The Physician and Shaman, with The Doctor Cole Noah Gordon puts a superb end to the story of a family whose adventures have accompanied us throughout the centuries, from the magic of the Middle Ages to the harsh reality of our times."

Dr. Cole is a woman of our time. She's forty, recently divorced, and holds a medical degree that allows her to practice her profession with dignity and absolute dedication. However, in Bill Clinton's America, the art of healing has become pure bureaucracy, and the relationship with patients grows more distant every day.

True to his family tradition, which has made medicine a sacred calling, RJ Cole decides to leave the comforts of his Boston apartment to return to the countryside and work as a rural doctor. It is there, in the rugged hills of Massachusetts, that he will finally be able to recover that peculiar gift of divination that distinguished his ancestors, and where he will rediscover those personal pleasures that the big city had taken from him.

The story presents us with a strong and independent, but also lonely, woman who must face not only the medical challenges of the countryside (such as harsh winters and home emergencies), but also the most current personal and professional conflicts.

About the author: Noah Gordon
Noah Gordon (Worcester, Massachusetts, 1926 – 2021) was an American novelist of worldwide acclaim.

Most famous work: He is known worldwide for The Physician, the first novel in the Cole family trilogy, which sold millions of copies worldwide.

Style: It is characterized by meticulously documented historical novels, with protagonists who are often doctors or scientists and who explore themes such as medicine through history, medical ethics and identity.

Awards: He received the James Fenimore Cooper Award for best historical novel for Shaman (1991/1992) and was a finalist for the Bancarella Prize in Italy.

The Cole Family Trilogy
This book is the third and final installment in the famous Cole medical saga, following The Physician (1986) and Xaman (1992). Reading the previous books is not strictly necessary to enjoy this one, but it is highly recommended to understand the legacy of the "gift" and the surnames that appear.

No. Title in Catalan Original Title Setting
1 The Physician 11th Century (Persia)
2 Shaman Xamán 19th Century (America)
3 Dr. Cole ?Matters of Choice ?20th Century (Massachusetts)
⭐ What readers think
This third installment has generated mixed opinions among fans of the saga. While many readers have found it interesting, it is often compared unfavorably to the first two, more epic novels.

What readers value most
Current and thought-provoking themes: The novel addresses topics such as abortion (from the point of view of a doctor who performs them), anti-abortion (pro-life) groups, rural versus urban medicine, and the health care business in the U.S.

Strong female character: The protagonist, RJ Cole, is described as a "woman of our time," strong, independent, and professional, with whom many readers identify.

Enjoyable reading: Despite being a novel with a more leisurely pace, many agree that the prose is direct and that the short chapters make for a very agile reading experience.

What some readers qualify
Disappointment compared to the others: This is the most frequent criticism. "After the success of The Physician and Shaman, this one is somewhat disappointing." "It doesn't have the magic or the epic feel of the previous ones."

Too much "romance novel": Some readers feel that the plot veers too far into the protagonist's love life, losing the strength of the first two parts.

Bittersweet ending: The ending is described as realistic, but not the epic conclusion many were hoping for in a trilogy.