Ben Skute
New writers are often advised: Write what you know. With her 2008 novel Oxygen, author Carol Cassella-a practicing anesthesiologist in Seattle-did just that, and more.
According to a review in Publishers Weekly, this nicely wrought debut follows the travails of an experienced Seattle anesthesiologist after an 8-year-old patient dies while under the knife…the plot moves at a brisk pace, but the real hook is Cassella’s knowing portrayal of the health industrial complex’s inner workings; she knows the turf and doesn’t spare readers the nasty bits.
In addition to a tightly paced plot that twists and turns, the story also has fully realized characters facing heartrending misfortune.
Contributor: Monica Starkman from University of Michigan Medical School
