212 reviews for:

The Brethren

John Grisham

3.45 AVERAGE


I really liked the story line of this book. I liked the duplicty of the presidental candidate and the protrayal of the sneakiness of politics

Two separate plotlines would not make sense for the longest time. But then, you should keep on reading. The first John Grisham I read and immediately was hooked in his simple storytelling prose.
adventurous mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Hard to get into but after the first 50 pages really enjoyed the plot 
mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
adventurous funny mysterious tense fast-paced
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

I'm not usually a John Grisham fan. As a lawyer, I read to escape the drama of my daily life, not to be immersed in another attorney's fictional version of what he wishes our occupation looked like. However, this book far exceeded my expectations. The writing was creative, descriptive, and exciting, with incredible attention to detail. Although technically a drama, reading this book felt like an adventure I did not want to end.

This wasn't a book about the law, or lawyers, or the legal field. Half of the story takes place in a federal prison, and there is a lawyer in it (if you can call him that), but that's really the extent of "The Law" in this book (except for the eccentric Kangaroo Court, of course). Thankfully.

The plot-line could have been very one-dimensional, but it wasn't. Instead, I counted a minimum of five separate plot-lines that all intertwined to make an exciting novel that ended far too soon. And far too abruptly.

3 stars

Not my favourite Grisham. It got better when the two threads started to connect but I found the "filler" content quite boring. I guess lawyers and politics aren't high on my list of interests though.

Not one of his best.

Not impressed with the subject in the book, ok, Grisham is able to create some very interesting characters and he knows how to make a story gripping - but no, nothing for me, I leave it to middle aged man, 2 of them recommended the book to me ;-)