Brain

By Robin Cook

After just finishing Robin Cook's novel Brain, I can honestly say that it's probably one of his most meaningful based solely on the point it makes with an intriguing story-line.

While some of the content seemed a tiny bit squished towards the end of the book—as if his structure were on some kind of timetable or maximum word count, giving some of the other sections more of a slow pacing, it successfully created a myriad of frequent twists. This was effective in keeping the reader engaged from a structure point of view, but it almost made the character introductions in the exposition read plastic. Rather than taking the time to introduce his characters organically in a meandering approach, Cook chooses to charge toward the general setup elements head-on.

This might be a weakness to the work, but Cook compensates for it with accelerated pacing that almost glosses over it while heading straight to the heart of the bigger idea: human experimentation. It begs the question how far is too far in terms of research? There have been a number of breakthroughs in our understanding of the workings of the human body and diseases, but at what cost is it? Do the ends justify the means? Since we're young, we're taught to trust our physicians and our government with our general wellness. They create studies and projects which generate results, such as the BMI scale, vaccines, and new equipment for simplifying diagnostics. But do we ever ask ourselves what makes them qualified and should we ever question whether it is in our best interests? Do we think these people testing us would subject a member of their family or themselves to such a scenario?

I do not mention this to evoke fear, as many of the studies conducted by researchers- regardless of government or otherwise- are safe and executed properly with the full, informed consent of the individual. But, as we first learn from Kindergarten, not everyone pays attention to the rules, creating the thin minority that plays dice with human lives. I'd like to quote a section of the author's note for this select sliver of the whole: "The intellectual elitism that medicine and medical research fosters creates a sense of omnipotence and with it, a double standard." (Cook 305). Once again, Dr. Cook asks us to be mindful of what is best for our own well-being and to compare that to what another suggests is right in such a situation as any kind research study.

The debate over the morals of research and whether or not they are worth the potential benefits still lingers. It is not as widely discussed as abortion or who will be in the White House next political race, but it still needs to be addressed before (as Cook suggests with the end of his note) "fiction and fantasy become fact." Such powerful implications make Brain the important novel that it is, again proving Dr. Cook's skill in providing a thrill ride of intrigue to readers everywhere while attempting to argue a larger point over a controversial subject.

It is an excellent read for anyone who wishes to challenge their personal position on research studies. And from a craft point of view, it’s great for learning a more traditional way of ratcheting up the tension in a tale, as well as the cost you pay as a writer if it’s mismanaged.