Reviews

The Trials of Rumpole by John Mortimer

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andrealectora's review against another edition

4.0

Es un 4 estrellas redondo, sin dudas.
Lo he pasado muy bien leyendo sobre los casos de este abogado Rumpole. Tiene un toque PG Wodehouse pero mucho más bajado a la tierra. Es sarcástico y de humor ‘british’. Me ha recordado un poco al personaje del abogado de ‘Testigo de Cargo’ (la película, que el libro no lo he leído).
En sí no son misterios, sino pequeños entuertos que Rumpole tiene que solventar.
No me han parecido historias que me dejaran con la boca abierta, ni que me hicieran reírme a carcajadas, pero he pasado un rato muy agradable leyéndolo.

caitgoss's review against another edition

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3.0

I had the omnibus! It wasn't like I had to track all of these down or anything. Still charming!

bella_figura's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

hawkeyegough's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This is the second book in a series of law cases involving the defense attorney Horace Rumpole, and this book is even better than the impressive first installment. I found that I really liked John Mortimer's snapshots of Britain in the '70s and '80s and learning some differences between the English and American legal systems. I found it somewhat interesting to learn that Rumpole takes advantage of quite a bit more leeway in leading witnesses in court than goes on in contemporary American law novels and television shows. Whether this is a product of the differences between our legal systems or the decades between Rumpole's time and ours, I can't say. Additionally, I really liked Mortimer's ability to parallel a story arc within the case at hand in each chapter and a corresponding story arc in Rumpole's own personal life. For example, there is a point at which a crime family tries to encourage one of their members to retire none too gently, and Rumpole experiences something similar within his own career. Overall, these books have been pretty easy to digest and quick reads. They're also a lot of fun, and the main character's wit, compassion, and sense of humor go a long way with me and provided quite a bit of enjoyment. I look forward to reading the rest of these books and will get started on that right away.

ashleylm's review against another edition

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4.0

Not as unexpectedly moving as the first book, but just as enjoyable. I'm binge-reading, and I haven't done that in a long time. Once again Rumpole has a series of legal cases to try, and once again, whether he wins or loses, the stories are richly satisfying and the resolutions seem appropriate and earned.

(Note: 5 stars = amazing, wonderful, 4 = very good book, 3 = decent read, 2 = disappointing, 1 = awful, just awful. I'm fairly good at picking for myself so end up with a lot of 4s.)