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3.21 AVERAGE
3.21 AVERAGE
I think this is an interesting sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird, with Scout a young adult trying to reconcile her family's views in small town Alabama with her own ideals. I liked that her uncle wanted her to come back, to try to change those around her or make them also brave enough to speak their truths and go against the vocal racists.
As I suspected, I did not much enjoy this book. I literally just finished To Kill A Mockingbird yesterday and thought I would immediately pick up the 'sequel'. I had no high expectations after finishing To Kill A Mockingbird, as I didn't much care for the white saviour story in that book, nor for the long, meandering plot about children growing up in the South.
Go Set A Watchman is set twenty years after To Kill A Mockingbird, and follows Scout as she returns home from New York for a visit with her father. Atticus is ageing, has rheumatoid arthritis and has changed.
This book is not really a sequel to the first. It is actually the manuscript that the author wrote first, and which became To Kill A Mockingbird once an editor got their hands on it. You can see where the author has taken entire blocks of text and inserted them into TKAM. The passages about people in the neighbourhood, mainly. The events of TKAM are briefly discussed in this book, but there is no consistency - in TKAM the accused man is not acquitted, but in this book he is. In TKAM the white girl accusing him of rape is 19, in this book she is 14.
I know very little about race relations in the US, as we are taught barely anything about the US in UK schools (or at least that was the case when I was at school). So I cannot comment on the things that this book mainly discusses - the Supreme Court ruling, the changes to the constitution, the NAACP. What I can say, is that most of what the characters say regarding black people made me extremely uncomfortable, and I hated that this ended on such a 'oh well, that's just the way things are' kind of note. Scout, from being outraged at her father's racist views, even though she expresses some racist remarks herself, goes to immediate acceptance of it after being hit by her uncle. I mean. It's just ridiculous. Women just need slapping around by male relatives to talk some sense into them, that's all. No!
The book is boring. The plot is non-existent. The characters don't change. The actual writing was sloppy - from first tense to third and back again. I just did not enjoy this at all. I rated it two stars initially, but I think I'm going to knock it down to one.
Go Set A Watchman is set twenty years after To Kill A Mockingbird, and follows Scout as she returns home from New York for a visit with her father. Atticus is ageing, has rheumatoid arthritis and has changed.
This book is not really a sequel to the first. It is actually the manuscript that the author wrote first, and which became To Kill A Mockingbird once an editor got their hands on it. You can see where the author has taken entire blocks of text and inserted them into TKAM. The passages about people in the neighbourhood, mainly. The events of TKAM are briefly discussed in this book, but there is no consistency - in TKAM the accused man is not acquitted, but in this book he is. In TKAM the white girl accusing him of rape is 19, in this book she is 14.
I know very little about race relations in the US, as we are taught barely anything about the US in UK schools (or at least that was the case when I was at school). So I cannot comment on the things that this book mainly discusses - the Supreme Court ruling, the changes to the constitution, the NAACP. What I can say, is that most of what the characters say regarding black people made me extremely uncomfortable, and I hated that this ended on such a 'oh well, that's just the way things are' kind of note. Scout, from being outraged at her father's racist views, even though she expresses some racist remarks herself, goes to immediate acceptance of it after being hit by her uncle. I mean. It's just ridiculous. Women just need slapping around by male relatives to talk some sense into them, that's all. No!
The book is boring. The plot is non-existent. The characters don't change. The actual writing was sloppy - from first tense to third and back again. I just did not enjoy this at all. I rated it two stars initially, but I think I'm going to knock it down to one.
As a huge fan of To Kill a Mockingbird, I was so excited when I heard about Go Set a Watchman. However, after hearing that this was never intended to be published, and that it only had the tiniest bit of editing, I was wary when I picked it up. I didn't allow myself to have high hopes, and therefore, I wasn't disappointed.
I think I should preface this review, for those who aren't already aware, with just a little background information as I understand it. This isn't a sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird, as some have claimed. It is set after the events in To Kill a Mockingbird, but it's definitely not a sequel. It was written first, but Harper Lee was advised that a story about Scout as a child would work better, and that's when she wrote To Kill a Mockingbird. It was great advice, and I'm glad she took it. To Kill a Mockingbird is a masterpiece, and it's considered a classic for a reason.
On the other hand, it's obvious that Go Set a Watchman is not a polished and completed novel, and I'm glad I kept that in consideration as I read it. I think it's important to note that, again, Go Set a Watchman was not originally meant to be published by Harper Lee. If anything, I would consider it a very early rough draft of To Kill a Mockingbird, which, in essence, is what it is. Some parts of the book - especially character descriptions - are repeated word for word in To Kill a Mockingbird. If I hadn't just finished rereading To Kill a Mockingbird before starting this book, I probably would never have noticed those instances, but as it was still fresh in my mind, those passages stuck out. And that, more than anything, showed me that this was, indeed, an early version of To Kill a Mockingbird. Though an early draft from Harper Lee is still better than some books that are published today.
Beloved characters from To Kill a Mockingbird are altered in Go Set a Watchman, or missing entirely, and I was already heartbroken by page 13. No spoilers here, but I literally had to put the book down and walk away while I processed what I had just read.
I did enjoy this book, but I appreciated it for what it was (an unpolished novel from a wonderful author), instead of what it wasn't - a sequel to one of the best books ever written. If you remember that, and don't go in expecting a masterpiece, you won't be disappointed.
I think I should preface this review, for those who aren't already aware, with just a little background information as I understand it. This isn't a sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird, as some have claimed. It is set after the events in To Kill a Mockingbird, but it's definitely not a sequel. It was written first, but Harper Lee was advised that a story about Scout as a child would work better, and that's when she wrote To Kill a Mockingbird. It was great advice, and I'm glad she took it. To Kill a Mockingbird is a masterpiece, and it's considered a classic for a reason.
On the other hand, it's obvious that Go Set a Watchman is not a polished and completed novel, and I'm glad I kept that in consideration as I read it. I think it's important to note that, again, Go Set a Watchman was not originally meant to be published by Harper Lee. If anything, I would consider it a very early rough draft of To Kill a Mockingbird, which, in essence, is what it is. Some parts of the book - especially character descriptions - are repeated word for word in To Kill a Mockingbird. If I hadn't just finished rereading To Kill a Mockingbird before starting this book, I probably would never have noticed those instances, but as it was still fresh in my mind, those passages stuck out. And that, more than anything, showed me that this was, indeed, an early version of To Kill a Mockingbird. Though an early draft from Harper Lee is still better than some books that are published today.
Beloved characters from To Kill a Mockingbird are altered in Go Set a Watchman, or missing entirely, and I was already heartbroken by page 13. No spoilers here, but I literally had to put the book down and walk away while I processed what I had just read.
I did enjoy this book, but I appreciated it for what it was (an unpolished novel from a wonderful author), instead of what it wasn't - a sequel to one of the best books ever written. If you remember that, and don't go in expecting a masterpiece, you won't be disappointed.
WOW! Generated the same emotions of "To Kill a Mocking Bird"; maybe more so. I felt such a connection to Jean Louise (always Scout to me!). It could have been her personality, growing up in a community similar to hers, or my strong agreement with her beliefs. Whatever it was, I enjoyed this book. I also was able to connect to the other characters. I loved the flashbacks!
Fav Quote:
“A man can condemn his enemies, but it’s wiser to know them.”
Fav Quote:
“A man can condemn his enemies, but it’s wiser to know them.”
Me pareció un muy buen complemento a su predecesor, se tocan los mismos temas de Matar a un ruiseñor pero desde el punto de vista de una Scout madura que podrá comprender lo complejo del problema ahora que tiene 26.
Como antes, me identifico completamente con Scout su actitud es muy afín a la mía, al crecer con un hermano y sólo primos hombres, mi forma de criarme fue muy parecida.
Debo confesar que se me escapó una lágrima en su encuentro con Calpurnia pues me puse a recordar como mi niñera, quien básicamente me crió, también fue una mujer negra.
Como antes, me identifico completamente con Scout su actitud es muy afín a la mía, al crecer con un hermano y sólo primos hombres, mi forma de criarme fue muy parecida.
Debo confesar que se me escapó una lágrima en su encuentro con Calpurnia pues me puse a recordar como mi niñera, quien básicamente me crió, también fue una mujer negra.
This book comes at a hauntingly prefect time in our nation's race relations. First though I will say that I'm not sure this was actually meant to be published. It's drafty. And it is unfortunate that Harper Lee did not have the vernacular in the 1950's to tackle the themes she was going for in this book. What I loved mostly was that it was about Jean Louise, not Atticus, despite what big reviewers have focussed on. She is coming to terms (much like our country is now) with her roots and her southern history. It's confusing and messy and she can't deny that it's a part of her, "She looked at Maycomb, and her throat tightened: Maycomb was looking back at her."
challenging
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Reese Witherspoon is a terrible audiobook narrator. Maybe a better one would have left me with a better experience.
There are a lot of continuity errors from To Kill a Mockingbird that probably would have been caught by a careful editor. I honestly don't think Harper Lee would have wanted it published in this form and if she has been in a state to allow collaboration with an editor it would have been a better book.
All that being said, it was a book with a message I needed to hear as I am struggling with being on the opposite side of moral issues from most of my family. It is easy to slip into Scout's shoes and relate to the struggle of finding that so many people you have loved all your life are capable of believing reprehensible things and still feeling an obligation to love them.
There are a lot of continuity errors from To Kill a Mockingbird that probably would have been caught by a careful editor. I honestly don't think Harper Lee would have wanted it published in this form and if she has been in a state to allow collaboration with an editor it would have been a better book.
All that being said, it was a book with a message I needed to hear as I am struggling with being on the opposite side of moral issues from most of my family. It is easy to slip into Scout's shoes and relate to the struggle of finding that so many people you have loved all your life are capable of believing reprehensible things and still feeling an obligation to love them.
Atticus being racist was terrible, but honestly I can’t judge too hard. There is a reason it wasn’t originally published