The mystery of Dr. Kingsbury and a tonic that cures
everything drives the plot. How can one medicine cure skin ailments, hearing
loss, and disease? How well does Jack actually know the doctor and his past? The
elixir’s ingredients are never revealed but the symptoms of some characters
improve or disappear. The explanation might be a coincidence but it doesn’t
explain how a man’s hearing comes back or another man is finally able to walk
without crutches. The unknown aura surrounding Dr. Kingsbury will keep readers
captivated as they try to discover the truth about this character and his tonic.
Dr. Kingsbury is an intriguing and perplexing character as
he displays the light and dark sides of his personality. He’s charming and
empathetic with the townspeople as he inquires about their problems and ailments.
However, Dr. Kingsbury strikes another employee for challenging him and this
character leaves and never returns. However, he’s not forgotten as Jack
continues to think about his friend and tries to learn what’s happened. Dr.
Kingsbury treats Jack well enough but his mood can swing drastically when he’s
displeased. While the health of his customers seems to be a high priority,
making money by selling more tonic is his main motivation. Who is this man?
One subplot involves a character named Simon. When he was
younger, Simon once traveled to Oakdale looking for a job to help his family.
He worked as a farmhand for a man named McCall despite being treated poorly by other
boys working for the farmer. Now, he’s returned to buy McCall’s deteriorating
farm and observes events around town from afar. Ms. Moore owns a hat store and
struggles to remember where she previously saw the doctor and has trouble
feeling welcome in Oakdale even after living there for years. Then, there’s an
oak tree in the center of town that represents the citizens’ deep roots and
their close-knit community. A picket fence encloses the tree for protection,
although it may have symbolic meaning too. Finally, the lone school teacher begins
to suffer from a disease and fears he may be fired from his position.
What didn’t work as well:
I often dislike plots told from various points of view and
the early part of this narrative shifts between multiple characters and time.
This creates some confusion as the story develops since it’s more challenging
to make connections with unfamiliar characters and events. Rest assured
everything comes together and the author saves a few surprises as the plot
nears its climax.
The Final Verdict:
Some things are too good to be true. The book features several
compelling stories concerning interactions between members of a closed
community and several recently-arrived characters. The overall story teaches a
lesson about acceptance and morals. The plot isn’t overly dramatic but I recommend
you give it a shot.
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