Rating: 
Summary: seems like a sequel to midwives
Review: Second book I've read by Chris Bohjalian. The first was "midwives" & when I bought the "law of similars" I at least expected something as good, or a little bit better than his previous book. Instead, what I found was an almost exact replica of "midwives": the same subject--alternative medicine. And almost the same way of looking at alternative medicine: One woman who works in this field (here, the specific field is homeopathy)gets in trouble when a death occurs and doubts begin to arise as to whether this woman and the "medicine" she practised had anything to do with the death. In both books, the author gives a lot of information on alternative medicine, but not in a preachy way. This is good, because we get to know a lot of stuff about midwives (in one book) and homeopathy (in this one), and specifically, we are given both the arguments for and against both types of alternative medicine.But where "midwives" was a page-turner, "the law of similars" is much slower, and all in all, predictable and boring. It's as if Chris Bohjalian decided to write a kind of "sequel" to his previous book, but couldn't get it quite right. Since he's a competent writer, and can definitely produce best-selling books, it would be best, in my opinion, if he looked elsewhere for his subject matter.
Rating: 
Summary: This book is better than "Midwives".
Review: I am a little disconcerted about the similarities between "Midwives" and "The Law of Similars". Both deal with women in Vermont who practice non-traditional medicine and make mistakes that get them in hot water. The reasons that "Similars" is better is that 1) It has more humor. 2) It has a touching love story. 3) It depicts the love between a father and his young child poignantly. However, the case of the misguided homeopath is somewhat contrived and unrealistic. Nor do I believe that Fowler would have played fast and loose with the law the way he did. Bohjalian seems to be hung up on moral ambiguities in life. I have no problem with that per se, but he should stick a little closer to reality. However, in its favor, "The Law of Similars" is an engrossing and a fast read, with snappy dialogue and sharply delineated characters. It is a step up from "Midwives," which was far too dark and depressing.
Rating:
Summary: Passions and Moral Imperatives
Review: This was my first reading of a Bohjalian book and I will definitely read others. It was a compelling, discomforting, frightening, and very readable book.
I feel that most of the other reviewers missed the essence of this book: how people swept up by their passions can and do violate their most deeply held moral convictions to protect themselves and the ones they love during times of stress. Leland and Carissa represent two very grounded, moral characters who find each other and become passionately involved. When Leland feels Carissa may be threatened, he compromises his own knowledge of what is right because of how he feels for her. As he proceeds down this path, he comes to believe (and convinces Carissa) that the ends justify the means. Leland comes to learn that he can live with himself and what he has done. Carissa learns that she cannot.
I found Bohjalian's protrayal of characters swept up in passions to be entirely realistic. I see this happen every day in real life. Anyone who does not, just isn't looking. It's shocking to realize that people we care about, even look up to, are capable of behavior they would ordinarily excoriate in others. People are very complex and rarely one dimensional.
Like other reviews, I found Leland sympathetic in the beginning, but reprehensible by the end. He is a mix of the most admirable (good father, community member) and morally corrupt (self-serving rationalization) features of humanity.
I liked Bohjalian's style. While I did not find Leland to be ultimately heroic, I liked the way his character was developed by Bohjalian.
I will recommend this bood to others.
Rating: 
Summary: It's not a bad book, but...
Review: It's not a bad book, but Bohjalian's follow-up to "Midwives" (a book I highly recommend!) is just that...a follow-up. It seems the author used the success of Midwives as a template for his next novel...alternative medicine plus tragic death equals courtroom drama. It's not a bad equation if you're looking for a simple pleasure read. The character development is still good, although I found the romance a bit trite. As always, Bohjalian backs his words with seemingly decent research to technicalities...I did learn a bit about homeopathy. I hope this talented author will expand his voice and viewpoint for his future works.
Rating:
Summary: Captivating, "stay up all night" kind of novel
Review: Having read Chris Bohjalian's prior book "Midwives", and absolutely loving it, I was very anxious to start reading his new book when I discovered it at the local bookstore. This book was very captivating and charming, catching the magical small town environment of Vermont ! It explores the interesting subjects of alternative medicine, while putting his main character, a nice but stressed out attorney who, because of horrible accident, has lost his wife in their prime. The development of the character is wonderful. I plan on reading the rest of this author's books because I love his style. I also highly recommend the book "Midwives."
Rating:
Summary: Conflict of interest
Review: The heart of the book is the essential conflict of interest between Leland Fowler and Carissa Lake. Leland is a state prosecutor and Carissa is being accused of a crime. What tangles it all up is Leland's feelings for Carissa. While I agreed with some of the other reviewers that it did seem odd that Leland, a successful legal mind and a father, would sacrifice everything for Carissa, it was more believable in light of the fact that he is a widow who terribly misses his dead wife. Carissa reawakens something in him that two years of greiving have depleted, and he doesn't want to lose it. I didn't find Leland Fowler terribly likable, nor did I find myself rooting for Carissa. But, the book somehow worked nonetheless. It was well-written, and as usual Bojhalion tackled an interesting subject, in this case whether homeopathy is a viable alternative medicine. I read it raptly, and although it wasn't as good as Midwives, I recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Slow and Not realistic
Review: I found the book to be well written but very slow. The story about alternative medicine seemed realistic. What I found to be difficult to believe is that a man, who has seen a woman only a few times, would put his career on the line to falsify records. There seem to be no real evidence against Clarissa even without changing her patient notes. In addition, after a while the dialogue on Leland's infatuation with Clarissa became tiring. I won't read another book by Chris Bohjalian.
Rating:
Summary: The Law of Similars
Review: I was disappointed in this book. I expected it to be as good as Midwives. I found Midwives believable. However, in The Law of Similars, I could not imagine a man of Leland's caliber putting himself at risk by helping Carissa, a woman,who at the early stage of knowing her, would put himself in jeopardy of losing his license and his job. What I found most disturbing was the way Bohjalian focused so much on Leland's sexual appetite. It really turned me off. I found it hard to get into the serious part of the story when Leland's sexual fantasies came into focus. It was done in very poor taste. I'm not sure I'd want to read another book by Bohjalian...
Rating:
Summary: The Good Physician
Review: "The good physician will be pleased when he can enliven and keep from ennui the mind of a patient" Dr. Samuel Hahnemann, The Chronic Diseases, 1839.
The same could be said for a good writer and his reader. Grabbed by the first paragraph, this book enlivened me until the final word. Another book about alternative medicine, set in rural Vermont, with realistic and sympathetic characters. Bohjalian has accomplished the impossible by taking a setting so similar to a previous book and creating a story equally compelling. The similarities end with the setting. The protagonist in this novel is Leland, a 35 year old widower, struggling for normalcy with a busy job as a prosecuting attorney, and a much loved toddler to be raised. He only ignores himself and his own well being, and the result is a chronic sore throat. A sore throat that epitomizes his life---a sore tired reminder of what his life once was. Desperate to eliminate throat lozenges from his life, he visits the local homeopath. He is immediately smitten as he senses a lost part of his life reawaken.
Leland is a very straight laced conservative intellectual, who is almost laughing at himself for trying homeopathy. But when it works, and the sore throat goes away, he begins to see the possibilities for the rest of his life as well. There is potential for once-forgotten happiness with Carissa. But when she is accused by the family of a comatose asthma patient of giving him harmful advice, Leland puts himself into the middle of a gynormous ethical conundrum. In trying to do the right thing, will he lose the one thing he was trying to save?
The characters in this story are honest, realistic, and sympathetic. I would have liked to have gotten to know Carissa a little better, but part of the mystery is to wonder how she thinks.
There is no protracted legal battle here, but even so, the answers do not come easily. Leland's self examination brings him self awareness no jury could ever provide.
This is a wonderful novel, difficult to put down and thought provoking throughout. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: engaging
Review: This was truly a book that I could not put down. It is no literary masterpice, but the author does raise some interesting ideas about homeopathis versus allopathic medicine. He has clearly done a lot of research on the topic and really does make the reader think and question his/her own views on medicine. The plot is fast moving and riveteing; stay up all night kind of book. My one major complaint is that one of the major characters, Carissa, is not fully developed, limiting the reader's sympathy for her plight. Overall, I think that Bohjalian has a flair for the legal thriller and also always adds in some points for the reader to ponder. I recommend this book.
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