The Law of Similars

by Chris Bohjalian

From the number one bestselling author of Midwives comes this riveting medical thriller about a lawyer, a homeopath, and a tragic death.  

When one of homeopath Carissa Lake's patients falls into an allergy-induced coma, possibly due to her prescribed remedy, Leland Fowler's office starts investigating the case. But Leland is also one of Carissa's patients, and he is beginning to realize that he has fallen in love with her. As love and legal obligations collide, Leland comes face-to-face with an ethical dilemma of enormous proportions.  

Graceful, intelligent, and suspenseful, The Law of Similars is a powerful examination of the links between hope and hubris, love and deception.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Book Club, Mystery, Literary Fiction, Novels, Adult Fiction

324 pages, Paperback

First published December 29, 1998

About the author

Chris Bohjalian is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of 25 books. His 25th book, THE JACKAL’S MISTRESS, is now on sale. He writes literary fiction, historical fiction, thrillers, and (on occasion) ghost stories. His goal is never to write the same book twice. He has published somewhere in the neighborhood of 3.5 million words.

His work has been translated into 35 languages and become three movies (MIDWIVES, SECRETS OF EDEN, and PAST THE BLEACHERS) and an Emmy-winning TV series (THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT). He has two other novels in development for TV series as well.

He is also a playwright, including THE CLUB in 2024; MIDWIVES in 2020; and GROUNDED (now WINGSPAN) in 2018.

His books have been chosen as Best Books of the Year by the Washington Post, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Hartford Courant, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Bookpage, and Salon.

His awards include the Walter Cerf Medal for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts; the Sarah Josefa Hale Award; the ANCA Freedom Award for his work educating Americans about the Armenian Genocide; the ANCA Arts and Letters Award for THE SANDCASTLE GIRLS, as well as the Saint Mesrob Mashdots Medal; the New England Society Book Award for THE NIGHT STRANGERS; the New England Book Award; Russia’s Soglasie (Concord) Award for THE SANDCASTLE GIRLS; a Boston Public Library Literary Light; a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for TRANS-SISTER RADIO; a Best Lifestyle Column for “Idyll Banter” from the Vermont Press Association; and the Anahid Literary Award. His short story, SLOT MACHINE FEVER DREAMS was a finalist for Best Short Story from the International Thriller Writers Association and the audio production was an Audie Finalist. His novel, MIDWVES was a selection of Oprah’s Book Club, and his novel, HOUR OF THE WITCH, was a Barnes & Noble Book Club pick. He is a Fellow of the Vermont Academy of Arts and Sciences.

He has written for a wide variety of magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Reader’s Digest, and The Boston Globe Sunday Magazine. He was a weekly columnist in Vermont for The Burlington Free Press from 1992 through 2015.

Chris graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude from Amherst College. He has been awarded Honorary Degrees as well from Amherst, Champlain College, and Castleton University.

He lives in Vermont with his wife, the photographer Victoria Blewer.

Reviews

[Shelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't recommend this to anyone. This book reminded me of reading the train wreck that was The House of Sand and Fog. Lots of people making a lot of stupid decisions. People being entirely selfish. Not a single character you can actually admire or respect. I don't think this book has a single redeeming feature. It is awfully similar to Midwives (in terms of general plot), and I wonder if the author was just trying to borrow from the successes of that book.

I enjoyed Midwives, and I'd feel okay recommending it to people. Since that time, I've read two other books by this author, and I've just got to say- read Midwives if you want, but avoid his other books at all cost!

I saw it on the library shelf, and I thought it had a nice title... [[Famous last words:]]

[Brandy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started this book genuinely liking the main character Leland but finished up really very much disliking him. Serves me right for automatically wanting to like a character just because of his circumstances, in this case the fact that he was a widower with a small child. Turns out he was a selfish, obsessive, hypochondriac who made one bad choice after another from the beginning of this book to the end.

The plot itself is compelling whether or not a homeopath is responsible for the death of a patient. The "drama" created by Leland was absolutely ridiculous. He sacrifices his job, his health and compromises himself as a father all because he thinks he's falling in love with his homeopath. REALLY??? What is he 15? I know people act irresponsible but this guy really took it to unbelievable levels.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chris Bohjalian's great talent is to bring his readers into the lives of ordinary people at the moment that those lives begin to unravel. With great compassion and suspense, he demonstrates the struggles that ensue. You embrace every character in their very human nature.

In THE LAW OF SIMILARS he introduces you to yet another moral dilemma; alternative medicine, specifically, homeopathy. How much are we responsible for our own decisions for our health? When things go wrong how far will we go to desperately protect someone we love?

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

For years, people I trust have been telling me to read Chris Bohjalian. Now that I've finally gotten around to it, I'm sorry I waited so long. This is the best kind of "gripping tale" that book jacket copy is always promising us. It's a thriller, but not a sensational one. These are ordinary people in ordinary circumstances -- no government conspiracies or serial killers to plump up the plot. It's just a convincingly complicated tale about bad decisions compounded by lust, loneliness and desperation. He tells us right up front that the protagonist has done something bad, but then conjures up a character so appealing that you can't help but root for him anyway. Bohjalian's writing is so good that my heart raced and my stomach roiled with dread as I turned the pages, waiting for the moment when Leland's tangled web of lies would give way beneath him. Very few books have ever inspired that kind of physical reaction in me.

[Patty · Rating 1 out of 5]

The longer I have to think about this book since reading it, the lower my rating becomes. To me the book can be summed up as: Woman who is a professional psychologist and homeopath is so attracted to a man who comes to her for help, she decides to risk everything by sleeping with him even though she has stated multiple times how unethical that would be. But he is charming. Bad decision #1. Man (attorney) who has become a widower through a tragic accident, sleeps with said homeopath even though he clearly doesn't respect her or the healing practice she makes her living at. But she does have amazing feet. Bad decision #2. Then after one amazing date, he introduces her to his 4-year old daughter and his pastor at the packed Christmas Eve service. Bad decision #3. When one of her patients (who is an obsessive idiot) puts his life at risk and ends up in a coma (bad decision #4), both the homeopath and attorney decide that destroying evidence and denying they've ever met is the best course of action. Bad decision #5. I stopped counting bad decisions at this point, but for some reason kept reading. On some level I hoped I'd find out that the woman was really cleverly setting this whole thing in motion to get back at the guy for some previous slight. I was hoping she was bitterly cruel instead of just dumb. By the end I realized that the real bad decision #1 was that I started this book.

[Derek Eidick · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was aw-ful. I usually enjoy Bohjalian’s books, albeit some are better than others. This one wasn’t one of the good ones. A lawyer and a homeopath, both of whom know it’s unethical to have a relationship do so anyway, then conspire to destroy medical records when a patient has an anaphylactic shock. Everyone made really bad choices and decisions in their book and that seemed to be the primary plot development.

I really enjoyed the first chapter but then the main character got creepy. I understand why, but trying to explain the widower was getting ready to date again didn’t require the leering or foot fetishization that we were subjected to. It just came off sleazy.

The early introduction of the patient who dies makes sense in theory, but in this case was choppy and confusing. It didn’t come in cohesively and felt like you were reading two different books.

Bohjalian’s books tend to be a bit over dramatic and not always have the most satisfying ending but this was just that: needless drama exacerbated by stupid choices. There really wasn’t any delving into homeopathy. I really had expected more.

Skip this one and stick to Midwives (which has an actual plot) or trans sister radio.

[Cece · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found this at a second hand bookstore even though it’s a title I wasn’t familiar with. I have read several of Bohjalian’s novels and have enjoyed his writing. This one was a little off for me. Leland was a character I had a hard time relating to. The subject matter was intriguing to me, but the story fell flat. This certainly won’t derail me from more of his novels, it just wasn’t as good as his other works.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Chris Bohjalian's books and have decided I'm going to read all his stuff (I love discovering authors like this!) and this one was quite good, although definitely not my favorite of his (it'll be tough to top "Midwives"). I just find his writing very compelling, gripping, and I generally like his topics (medical/legal mysteries, but very character-driven--and I love all the Vermont settings).

This one had all of that (compelling writing and interesting characters) but I found the ending kind of weird. It seemed to end a little abruptly - I expected there to be a lot more story there. Maybe he had a deadline and had to wrap it up, haha. But, still a good read and an interesting topic to think about (i.e. much like "Midwives", an "alternative medicine"-type practitioner--this time homeopathy instead of midwifery--allegedly commits a crime of negligence. Was she guilty? You decide!).

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought the premise and plot idea for this book was really intriguing and had a lot of promise. But in the end, it just didn't deliver for me. The introduction of Richard Emmons earlier in the story was choppy and not at all fluid. There was much jumping back and forth but the transitions weren't handled well.

The idea of a homeopath dating a state's attorney who then finds herself potentially libel for a patient's negative reaction and complicating her relationship with the attorney was very interesting. It could've delved more into the legal aspects, but didn't. I also felt like the ending was a cop-out. How did the author resolve these things? Well, I think he took the easy way out and side-stepped resolution.

It was a quick read and an easy read and some of the medical/homeopathic and legal/ethical issues held my interest. But the ending was not satisfying.

[Sallie Dunn · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the second Chris Bojhalian book I’ve read. The first was published last year (The Lioness) but this one is much earlier (1999). This one followed Midwives, which supposedly catapulted him to fame. Midwives is sitting on my shelf (still unread). The Law of Similars is an okay read. The plot was somewhat unbelievable. Local attorney - the chief deputy states attorney for Chittenden County in Vermont is widowed for two years raising his 4 year old daughter alone and seeks help from a local homeopathic practitioner after he gets a bad cold that just won’t go away. Naturally he falls hard for her. They have a whirlwind romance lasting exactly two dates when another patient of hers goes into anaphylactic shock. Turns into an ethical dilemma of outsized proportions and some pretty bad decisions.

I have a number of Chris Bohjalian books on my WTR and I will most likely read of few more of them. Time will tell if he becomes a favorite author of mine.

The 52 Book Club Challenge - 2024
Prompt #12 - Title starting with the letter “L”

[☮Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree with the reviewer Tom who said this book is like watching a train wreck. The 2 main characters made some very stupid but well intentioned choices in their lives and careers, and I had a hard time feeling any sympathy for either of them in the end. The best parts of the book were the educational segments on homeopathy, and I loved that he makes the point that although many of the drugs used by homeopaths are poisons, such as arsenic, belladonna or tarantula venom, so is chemotherapy being used today. This book reminded me of Midwives, but I think Midwives was much better written.

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where's the twist, Chris?

A single symptom is no more the whole disease than a single foot a whole man. -Dr. Samuel Hahnemann

Not even the most extreme hypochondriacs will entirely fabricate their complaints and symptoms. -Dr. Samuel Hanhnemann

[Marie Theron]

One cannot put this novel in the same class as the excellent Midwives by the same author. There is almost no tension and everything is predictable.



Homeopathic medicine is not sacrosanct, we use it all the time and can buy it readily, and I cannot imagine a homeopath hiding 'the cure' or withholding it. It is really sad that the Richard character was banned from having more of the so-called 'cure', and driven to his tragic self-experimenting. He was keen for a breakthrough and Carissa fobbed him off as if she alone had the right to a 'wonderful secret'.



The history and quotations were interesting. There are some good passages and metaphors but good writing alone does not make a good story. Much ado about nothing!

[Kendra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is very similar to Midwives (written by the same author) and I enjoyed it about the same. Leland narrates as he shares the story of a month that changed his life. Leland’s wife died in a car accident and left him with a baby daughter. A few years after his wife’s death, Leland meets Carissa Lake, a homeopath. Leland falls head over heels in a very short period of time…but at the same moment Leland is feeling blissfully happy, horror is happening within another family also involved with Carissa. Leland fights to help Carissa and struggles to control his own life, now spinning out of control. I enjoy Bohjalian’s style of writing. The story flows and the characters easily come to life.

[Connie T. · Rating 2 out of 5]

"The Law of Similars" has a somewhat satisfying ending but the premise upon which the whole story is based is hard to believe. During the two years Leland has been a widower, he has only gone on a handful of dates. He doesn't appear to be interested in finding love or establishing a relationship. Nor does he engage in one-night stands. Yet the moment he enters the health food store, he fantasizes about the woman working there. He returns, encounters a different woman and again has sexual thoughts. When he meets Carissa he is instantly taken with her. He claims love but it sounds more like lust and infatuation. The relationship progresses very fast and what he does, after knowing her for only a few days, is highly unbelievable.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was OK at best. It was an easy read and if you are interested in the weather or scenery of Vermont, you will not be disappointed. The story just seemed totally implausible to me. Man has prolonged sore throat. Man goes to homeopath because he met a pretty girl in a health food store in randomly decided to shop in. Falls in love with homeopath after 1 date, introduces to his daughter, spends Christmas Eve with her and then puts his entire life on the line for her? No sir, that is just silly.

[Lianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story about a lawyer who falls in love with a homeopath. One of the homeopath's patients falls into a coma and eventually dies. The back cover describes it as a thriller, but I see it more as a story of ethics, relationships, and responsibility.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was introduced to Chris Bohjalian’s writing through my mom, who read his book, Midwives, when it was hot on Oprah’s Book Club list and who later recommended that I read it (but not until after I’d already delivered my first child). Several years later I read another of his books and enjoyed it as much as the first, but it’s taken me another year to read another. This third book piqued my interest because it deals with the science of homeopathy, a healing art that I briefly researched in college and have maintained an interest in ever since.

I enjoyed this book, if more for the storyline and its believability than for the writing. This is the story of a mid-30s widowed father and public attorney in Vermont who comes down with a cold that lasts for well over six months, and for which he desperately turns to a local homeopath for a cure. What follows is the story of how his experience with homeopathy varies so widely from another man’s experience and interpretation of how homeopathy heals on the principle that “like cures like”, and the aftermath of allowing himself to fall in love for the first time since his wife died.

What distracted me from the story was Bohjalian’s repeated use of the phrase, “And so”. He not only uses this two-word combination in the middle of his sentences, but also when beginning sentences and paragraphs, and with a frequency that made me cringe every time I saw it written yet again. I’m probably only sensitive to this because I tend to use that phrase to begin my own sentences in my own writing, but the difference between us is that I write casual and widely unread blog posts, and this is a novel in which more formal writing is called for and is deserved. If I hadn’t read other, better formed, works by Bohjalian this detail alone might have turned me off of reading anything else by him, and I believe that he has since corrected this issue, given that this book was published over a decade ago.

Don’t let my editorial criticism of this small detail keep you from reading this book, though. If you’ve read and enjoyed any of Jodi Picoult’s works, it’s likely that you’ll also enjoy books by Bohjalian, as they cover many of the same legal/medical parameters that she often centers her books around

[Sharon Metcalf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two years ago Elizabeth Fowler died suddenly after being involved in a motor vehicle accident. She left behind her husband Leland and toddler daughter Abby. Since then Leland has done his best and is a devoted single dad but he has never stopped missing his wife. He struggles to find the balance between his work as chief deputy states attorney as a prosecutor and raising his precious girl. His health has been suffering, not in a big way but he's had a cold he cant shake and decides to see a homeopath. The story revolves around the relationship he develops with Clarissa, his homeopath, and his role in trying to protect her when one of her other patients falls into a life threatening coma. The wife of the other patient strongly believes Clarissa is responsible and fully intends to see her pay. The ill-formed decisions he makes, the actions they take and lies that are spun left me feeling anxious about what might result, what the ultimate consequences might be. I really hate it when a character I like behaves in a questionable manner. I allow myself to be stressed by their actions and in this case I think my anxiety levels increased in accordance with his.

Initially I found this to be one of those cant-put-it-down books. I felt compelled to keep reading and was intrigued by the way the story was being gradually revealed. However as the book progressed and my anxiety increased I found I needed to pace my reading and this turned into a slow read. Which is not a terrible thing. I really enjoyed the book and can honestly say I am rapidly becoming a Chris Bohjalian fan.

[Tom Hooker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Most books have a main character who is good and who does good things throughout the book. Bohjalian's book, "The Law of Similars" is a bit like watching a train wreck as the reader morbidly watches a very sympathetic main character risk disassembling his life and career before our eyes. Leland Fowler is an assistant state attorney whose wife was killed in a tragic car accident two years before. He bravely continues, working as a single father to raise his daughter, and to do good work in the state attorney's office. But inside, he's falling apart. Then he meets a young woman, a homeopath, who gives him a homeopathic remedy with amazing results. But he falls in love with her, and she with him. Shortly after, one of her patients suffers anaphylactic shock after eating a cashew (which he's deathly allergic to). He lapses into a coma. The man's wife believes the homeopath encouraged him to do this, and she contacts the state attorney's office to try to file criminal charges. Leland instructs the homeopath on how to answer the state attorney's questions, and helps her rewrite her file notes to cover what Leland perceives is her potential liability, all the while concealing his relationship with her.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably I would not have picked up this book had my Book Group not been reading and discussing it later in the week. I looked at the 320 pages, and wondered if I could plod my way through it by Wednesday. But then I started reading, and literally could not put it down. Leyland and Carissa became real. Despite the fact that I got a bit irritated with them at times - after all, Leyland is a bit of a hypochondriac and Carissa can be a little intense. But I lived their tale and here in sunny Florida felt the Vermont Christmas snow on my face. What a story Chris Bohjalian told; full of disaster, love, moral choices and the inevitable way that we all make the wrong decisions. Now I can look forward to his other books, which I bought and never got round to reading. And what a wonderful discussion this will raise for a Book Club meeting. A great and enjoyable read!

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an interesting story - I learned a little about homeopathy - but I get really frustrated with Bohjalian's style. I find his writing unnecessarily dramatic, and I wish he would stop with this foreboding sense of doom he uses throughout his books. With this book, and with Midwives, it caused me to be very disappointed at the ending, which in both books I felt was not worth all of the build-up.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had an overall interesting concept and storyline. The longer I read it, the more bored I got though. I felt like it was really repetative (how many times do they have to explain what the "Law of Similars" actually is?), and the end seemed to fizzle out for me. I did feel like I learned something about homeopathy, though, and I always enjoy learning something when I read.

[Marylene · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was tough to get into. It didn't catch my interest in the beginning, but once I got closer to the middle of the book, it got better for me. The book was well written, but the story was just ok for me. By the end of the book it was much more invested and then a bit of disappointment again at the very end. I thought something bigger would happen.

[Saleh MoonWalker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Onvan : The Law of Similars - Nevisande : Chris Bohjalian - ISBN : 679771476 - ISBN13 : 9780679771470 - Dar 336 Safhe - Saal e Chap : 1998

[Rina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A widower, attorney Leland Fowler, and his little girl live in a small town; he works in the larger city nearby. Hehas a malady that has not been served well by his medical professionals. He, though skeptic, turns to a homeopath, Carissa Lake. After two years of being a widower, he finds himself falling in love. But the coin turns when one of her patients falls into a coma and she is under investigation. Leland the straight arrow finds himself faced with a moral and ethical dilemma. The story is an examination of the fragile threads that hold people together when the worst that can happen really does, and the unexpected ways we are made well.
Another wonderfully researched and put together book by Chris Bohjalian. And only 425 large print pages, which flew by. Keep them coming CB!

[Charlotte Guzman · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK, I have read many books by this author and have loved most of them.
This one was just ok and left me a little non-satisfied.
A short story about a man (Leland) whose wife has died, left raising his daughter on his own, meets a homeopathic (Carissa) and falls in love. When a patient of Carrisa's dies from ingesting chashews (which he is allergic to) it is blamed on her. Leland tries to help with advise but, stays out of going much further since he is a lawyer and may be involved with this case in another capacity.
Well the ending left me hanging with the thoughts that you have to figure this one out on your own.

[Rebeccah Haines · Rating 1 out of 5]

Didn’t like it. Unbelievable characters and situations. Thought the main character was stupid and I was unsympathetic to his trials despite the fact that the man is a widower with a four year old daughter.

I’ve read many of this author’s books and in my opinion they are wildly inconsistent- either very very good or very very bad. This one falls into the bad category.

[Mallory · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is at night, after all, when without fail the strangest crimes in this world occur, and some of the biggest mistakes are made. I know. For years, I have helped clean up the mess that is left in their wake. - Leland Fowler

Conventional medicine vs. traditional cures. A flippant remark with possibly fatal consequences. Morals gone astray. There's a lot to digest in this short, compelling novel. Much like Midwives, there is uncertainty about whether or not a crime has been committed. Although the story and setting were interesting, I didn't find much to like about either Leland Fowler or Carissa Lake and their ambiguous actions. Both seemed to shrink away from their lawful duty at the moment of crisis.

[Meg Boland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will never read again but so very different!
I like reading everyone's reviews I can understand everyone's opinions
But this book made me think and in the end I couldn't put it down
Very