Bad Reviews. Good Reviews

Back in August I posted ab0ut a bad review on Amazon for my latest novel in the NICU series, Saving Julian. The review written by a NICU nurse was downright offended that such a novel should ever have been published.

Here it is

1.0 out of 5 stars As a NICU nurse, I was excited to read this book

Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2024

"But I don’t know if I will continue. Just within the first few pages, there is so much wrong about NICU care. First of all, you would never nasally intubate a 24 weeker. A 2.0 ett would never fit in the nares of a 636 gram infant. You wouldn’t do an ROP exam in the first week or two of life. Those start at 34 weeks when the blood vessels in the eyes are more developed. You wouldn’t run a continuous drip of bicarb. The baby has a respiratory acidosis, not metabolic. As far as needling the chest of a newborn with pneumonia without an X-ray? That wouldn’t happen either. In fact, that baby’s nurse’s very first course of action would be to deep suction without the need to be told by the doctor. It’s obvious that the author, while maybe being a professor in pediatrics, is not at all familiar with NICU environment, and would have done well to consult with an experienced NICU nurse in the writing of this book.After reading a bit more, I have found this to be quite a disgusting read. The idea of a physician getting drugs and sex from the parent of a patient is ludicrous and I am not seeing any type of real plot or purpose to this book. It is a disgrace to the medical and neonatal community."

More recently I received a good review ( very good!) from another nurse.

Here it is.

5.0 out of 5 stars The Power of Empathy & Human Connectivity

Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2025

“Saving Julian” by H. William Taeusch is a deeply rich and poignant novel that invites readers into the world of medicine and neonatal healthcare with a storyline that focuses on life and death decision-making, professional dynamics, mental health and substance use, human vulnerabilities and empathy – and the unique bonds created in the doctor-patient care relationship.

This well-crafted story features a fictional Boston-based neonatologist (Dr. Eli Kurz) who is awakened in the middle of the night and heads into the hospital for birth of a high risk baby (Julian) to a heroin addicted, HIV positive mother (Sula), a Harvard graduate. Through the development of deeply complex characters, we are brought into layered, dramatic story set initially in a fast-paced hospital neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) where behind the scenes conversations and events reveal how quickly life and death decisions are made. In this setting we bear witness to the decisions and dilemmas confronting doctors and nurses who do not always agree with one another and whose time-sensitive observations, critical decisions related to treatment and care - and ability to act in crisis - are revealed.

Taeusch uses vivid imagery exposing us to the relationship that emerges between Sula, Julian and their savior, Dr. Kurz. We also see how addiction and mental health issues impact Dr. Kurz himself - and how Sula and Julian also become the savior of Dr. Kurz.

Saving Julian provides deep and sensitive insight into how mental illness and addiction transcends race, class and education. Each layered chapter exposes hidden gaps in the existing system of care that are not always obvious. This includes the need for family-centered care and the power of providing support and referrals to help addicted mothers who want to keep their babies. It also includes the challenges providers face in navigating social service reporting requirements and the potential impact on a mother and her newborn when separated. This story also illuminates the gaps that exist in recognizing medical provider substance use and abuse and the heightened need to assist providers in obtaining help and peer support. It is a tribute the complexities of life, inherent character flaws and the role of professional duty to “do no harm”.

In summary, Taeusch has crafted a story that is both an emotional rollercoaster and a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. This novel is a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the complexities of addiction and the power of love and friendship in the face of adversity. In Saving Julian, Taeusch brings us into a microcosm of the world of medicine and the impacts of living with addiction. Most importantly, he shines a bright light on the complexity of human relationships and how the power of empathy, care, compassion, connectivity, friendship and support are the vital “saving ingredients” for recovery and healing."

So what you might say. People are different and don't always like or dislike the same stuff. Some may rave about french salted butter and others are content with the cheaper generic brand on the same shelf. But books are different. They're a product with the author's name and (sometimes picture) emplaced on every product. And for books, reviews are expected, so it's more personal than with sales of butter.

Other than burnishing or burning the authors' egos and sales, of what use are these reviews? Michael Chabon, one of the best living writers. has said he prefers a negative review if it's well reasoned more than a vapid 5 star review and has offered examples of how some such have affected his work.

I stayed up most of last night to finish reading Presumed Guilty, the best-selling third novel in the Rusty Sabich mystery series. Now 75, Scott Turow, the author, is a lawyer and the book has over 10,000 Amazon reviews 93% of them 4 or 5 stars. Yet under 1 % of the reviews are one star and these critical reviews point out the book at over 500 pages is too long and perhaps the author has stuffed too much description of settings, too many characters, too many plot lines, and too much detailed legalese into the novel. All true, but the writing is excellent, the suspense sustained, the characters and multiple plot lines fascinating. The experienced author knew exactly what he was doing--continuing the bildungsroman of a lawyer who no doubt has similarities with the main character of his last three novels. Turow made choices regarding how to build this novel. Like all artists he made it not only for his readers, but also for himself. He knew what he liked, and the reviews help him know what his readers like--not always the same thing.