I agree with several of the other reviewers -- Taylor does skate awfully close to twee, but reined it in enough to save the book. There are the episodes familiar to the readers of any novel of the early career of a doctor – the eccentric old lady, the outdated but brilliant mentor, the hypochondriac who is, of course, really sick the one time he is ignored. But the episodes are put together very well, and it was a funny, fast read full of great characters including Dr. O’Reilly and especially his priceless housekeeper and her recipes (included in the end of the book). It IS vaguely reminiscent of Herriot without the animals, but crossed with an episode of St. Elsewhere. The clearest echo of All Creatures comes from Taylor’s admiration of the countryside and nostalgic depiction of lost time (in this case rural Ulster just before the “troubles” reignited).