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Do you agree with how Hiram McDowell died (intentionally shot while being unharmed) and if not what other end would you have wanted for Hiram?

Such people develop many enemies and most of the time they end up in a similar way. Can't judge whether he deserved it or not but the end is practical

Ferdinand_otieno wrote: ↑03 Oct 2018, 02:44 Do you agree with how Hiram McDowell died (intentionally shot while being unharmed) and if not what other end would you have wanted for Hiram?

I felt sorry for his family. They needed to see him one last time, for closure. I feel like he had redeemed himself for the way he had treated people in the past and deserved a second chance. Being shot unarmed and while not a threat is always unconscionable.

Shouldn't this question be noted as a 'spoiler alert' or is that just to be understood by the way the question is worded?

BookReader+6 wrote: ↑04 Oct 2018, 09:31 Shouldn't this question be noted as a 'spoiler alert' or is that just to be understood by the way the question is worded?

Nope. This is all under the category of Book of the Month discussions. It is assumed that one has read the book if they are participating in the BOTM forum.

I don't believe he deserved being shot while unharmed, but that is assuming that he was not being aggressive. I think that fact that the sheriff shot the rabbit merely because he got a new gun should be considered. That scene makes me question whether the sheriff was doing his job or hunting for sport. I did eventually expect that Hiram would have been caught, but not necessarily killed, perhaps a few years after he had completely adopted his new identity.

CatInTheHat wrote: ↑04 Oct 2018, 15:29

BookReader+6 wrote: ↑04 Oct 2018, 09:31 Shouldn't this question be noted as a 'spoiler alert' or is that just to be understood by the way the question is worded?

Nope. This is all under the category of Book of the Month discussions. It is assumed that one has read the book if they are participating in the BOTM forum.

Okay, thanks for the clarification.

The ending actually made me almost cry because it didn't seem justified to shoot Hiram down like he was. We didn't get the actual scene of the gunning down of Hiram, but he was unarmed. The ending shows how the law and public might still be viewing Hiram as a murdered and a dangerous fugitive when many others did not see Hiram liked that at all.

I think his being killed was inevitable. I highly doubt that he could have re-entered society and published his memoir. His skills as a physician would have given him away eventually, which they did, so it is highly improbable that he could have just blended into society.

I don't think he deserved to be shot down--if he was in fact unarmed and not putting up a fight. I think he deserved to be caught and sent back to prison to accept the consequences of his actions.

I don't think anyone 'deserves' that sort of ending, but from a karmic view it was inevitable that he receive in kind what he had put forth in his life. His end left a rather believable feeling for the novel. Though it was not a book I enjoyed, it did leave me with a lasting impression.

He didn't have a gun, so he didn't deserve to be shot. He would of been more unhappy in prison though. I thought the book ended well with Sophie and her new happiness.

I wondered how the author meant to resolve the story. It had to be tied up neatly with a ribbon around the memoir and McDowell vindicated to the world. In fact, killing him off was a bit blunt, but the footwork was laid with the nasty Sheriff and the killing of the rabbit. I would say Hiram was taken by surprise and shot, possibly even while he was surrendering, although it would have been in character to make a run for it. He certainly would not have been armed. I think the Sheriff was delighted at the opportunity to shoot something and enjoyed it immensely and without remorse.

I was upset that he was killed and in that manner. I did not like the ending.

I think after cleverly evading capture for so long he shouldn't have been so easily eliminated. I didn't like that the trigger-happy sheriff abruptly ended him.