Guardian of Deceit by William H Coles is an entertaining literary novel with well developed and rock solid characters. Darwin Hastings is an orphan and has been under the care of his aunt until she can’t take care of him any longer. Now, he boards a plane from Pittsburgh to New York to join his cousin, a football star, Luther Pinnelli. But things aren’t what he’d expected to find. His cousin is a self-serving and arrogant guy who lives luxuriously and does everything to make life miserable for Darwin, including cutting his access to an inheritance that is rightfully his. Darwin is determined to win and to pursue his dreams of studying medicine. Read on to find out how he learns to be shrewd, to connect with people that matter, and to get the help he needs to achieve his goals.
William H Coles is a terrific writer and he creates a story in Guardian of Deceit that will both entertain and inspire readers. The characters are believable and readers can easily connect to them. I enjoyed the portrait of Darwin Hastings, a young, energetic, determined, and resourceful personality. The conflict in this story is well developed, and while the reader watches with keen attention as the relationship between the protagonist and his cousin gets tenser, they also enjoy the psychological and personal conflicts in the characters. I loved the writing and the author’s unique signature phraseology. Here is a compelling story woven with great characters, a gripping plot, and a conflict that escalates quickly and with a perfect and satisfying finish.
When Darwin Hastings’ aunt can no longer take care of the talented young man, whose parents had died in a car accident five years earlier, Darwin’s guardianship reverted to his famous football star cousin, Luther Pinnelli. In William H Coles' Guardian of Deceit, we first meet Darwin on the flight from Pittsburgh to New York, where he meets Doctor Adrian Malverne who will have a big impact on the young man’s future career and personal life. Staying in a converted storage closet at his cousin’s mansion in the Hamptons, Darwin soon discovers that life with his erratic, drunken and gambling cousin was not going to be an easy one. Nevertheless, Darwin sets out to make his life’s dream of becoming a doctor a reality. Along the way, he will meet and associate with many famous and many dangerous persons, but always manage to keep his dreams and his morals intact.
This is a coming-of-age novel with a bit of a difference, set in the well-to-do world of the Hamptons. I particularly liked Darwin as a character, as despite his obvious academic talents he was well grounded and prepared to work hard for his advancement, regardless of the wealth left to him by his parents and his cousin’s ostentatious lifestyle. He never allowed this to cloud his judgement or his morality, and when the occasion demanded it he was prepared to stand up to authority, for himself and for others, where he perceived injustice. The character of Luther’s wife, famous singer Sweeney Pale, was well drawn and I kept waiting and expecting the big romantic scene with Darwin. In summary, Guardian of Deceit is a study in human relationships and behaviour, a romantic coming-of-age of a gifted young man.
In Guardian of Deceit by William H. Coles, we see seventeen-year-old Darwin Hastings being sent away to New York from Pittsburgh as his dying aunt is unable to take care of him He is sent to a new guardian, his cousin Luther Pinnelli, who is not only rich, but also a famous football player. He meets Doctor Adrian Malverne on the flight, who will later on play an important role in Darwin’s life and career. His dream is to become a doctor like his father. Darwin does not know what he is getting into until he starts living with Luther, who forces him to earn his living instead of giving him the allowance that came from his inheritance. He realizes that life with his celebrity cousin is not going to be an easy one. Living with Luther, and his flamboyant lifestyle of gambling, and reckless behavior results in Darwin also getting involved in the same at med school. As the story unfolds, readers see twists and turns, secrets, lies, scandals, and complications, which make it a compelling book.
It is a story about human relationships and the coming of age of a young man. The author does an excellent job when it comes to portraying Luther and Darwin, and their personalities stand out. There is a lot of drama in the story, which makes it fast paced. Readers are kept on their toes by the thrills, mystery, romance, cheating, and scandals. All the characters lend good support to the main plot, but it is Darwin who stands out with his behavior and character, and how he keeps his dreams and morals intact - despite living with Luther Pinnelli and his reckless lifestyle, which is worth a mention.
Guardian of Deceit by William H Coles is a contemporary literary fiction novel that would appeal most to a mixed audience of adults and young adults who enjoy mystery adventure stories. Darwin Hastings lost his parents and now his aunt can no longer care for him, which forces him to travel from Pittsburgh to New York to live with his cousin. Darwin Hastings’ cousin, Luther Pinnelli, is a well-known football star who is an arrogant, selfish person with no interest in helping Darwin, but instead prefers to show him cruelty. However, Darwin has a high level of intelligence and empathy that allows him to get around the obstacles Luther throws in his path by befriending allies. Will Darwin’s allies help him to achieve his dream of studying medicine, or will all his work go down the drain, thanks to his arrogant cousin?
Guardian of Deceit by William H Coles is an enjoyable book that did not truly fit into any one genre. The story line was clearly well thought out and it showcased the author’s ability to create a cast of well-developed characters and a gripping plot line. I found that Darwin’s home situation with his arrogant cousin reminded me a lot of the Harry Potter book series with how Harry also lives with relatives that do not care for him, but instead preferred to treat him badly. Darwin managed to make the most of his situation in finding and befriending people that could help him to achieve his dream. Overall, I really enjoyed the book, Darwin’s intellect, and his ingenuity.
In another of William H. Coles' literary fiction novels, Guardian of Deceit, is Darwin Hastings, who lands wide-eyed, bushy-tailed and driven to succeed under the care of his sports celebrity cousin, Luther. Luther is wealthy and insensitive to those who love and even worship him, like his celebrity pop star girlfriend, Sweeney Pale. Like Sweeney, young Darwin is loyal to a fault. With every challenge Luther throws at him, Darwin becomes stronger, wiser and eventually very rich, while also fulfilling his role as the Guardian of Deceit...and deceits surround him. From Luther, to Darwin's mentor in the medical field, to his mentor's chalk and cheese daughters, Helen and Coral, to their boyfriends, to Darwin's own relationships, secrets abound. Darwin handles all them expertly, ever mindful of the possible pain and damage to those he cares about if the truth were revealed.
The result of all this is a novel that is not unlike a collection of short stories. There are so many characters in Guardian of Deceit that occasionally the reader forgets Darwin is the protagonist and that this is a story about a young man coming of age in an upper class society full of petty jealousies and lies. Readers get caught up in the juxtaposition and bickering of the two very different sisters. Next moment, readers are following Luther's head security guard as he works with police to find out who murdered a potential Olympic swimmer. Or we are weeping with Sweeney as she worries whether fans love her music or Luther loves her. And there is the saga of Luther himself, who is on a steady downward roll thanks to drug abuse, gambling and violence.
In Guardian of Deceit, every character has a story and few of them know themselves very well. Darwin becomes not only a guardian of their secrets but a sounding board for their insecurities. And occasionally, one of the characters, like Ms. Pearlstein, bounces his advice back at him to consider for himself. So many characters; so many stories. Yet, it's the reality of life in any neighbourhood, town or city. Who really knows what's going on next door or what the real situation is between husbands and wives, sisters and brothers, grandparents, employers and employees. William H. Coles simply lets the dialogue between his characters reveal all and leaves it to readers to draw their own conclusions about each of them. But if there is one need they all share, it's the need for love. Throughout Guardian of Deceit, every character is looking for love. Does each find it? Does Darwin? Read the novel to find out.
