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3.21 AVERAGE
3.21 AVERAGE
Disgusting. The only thing I can say about it is that I envy the people who never had to kill a mockingbird tarnished by this pathetic collection of basically unfinished plots.
Disappointed. But, this is not a sequel to TKAM. It is the first draft of the first book that Harper Lee presented to the publisher.
Why would they publish a book which desperately needs editing and some revisions?
Why would they publish a book which desperately needs editing and some revisions?
I would like to preface this by saying, if you cannot disconnect yourself from To Kill a Mockingbird then you probably should not even pick this book up. You will be shattered, upset, and more than likely enraged with the defamation of Atticus Finch.
If you can manage to pry your feelings of that novel away, ignore the names, and read this with an unbiased perspective (really hard to do, I understand)...this novel is amazing, painful and realistic. I heard in the rumor mill that this may have been written even before Mockingbird...I don't know if that is true or not...however if that is the case it would make a lot of sense.
I really enjoyed this. In this world today, where Fifty Shades of Grey among other mind numbing books flood the NYT bestseller list, Go Set A Watchman was much needed. There is an art to Lee's craft that cannot be imitated. Quality writing, with a cultural aim. I hope some others enjoyed this as much as I did.
If you can manage to pry your feelings of that novel away, ignore the names, and read this with an unbiased perspective (really hard to do, I understand)...this novel is amazing, painful and realistic. I heard in the rumor mill that this may have been written even before Mockingbird...I don't know if that is true or not...however if that is the case it would make a lot of sense.
I really enjoyed this. In this world today, where Fifty Shades of Grey among other mind numbing books flood the NYT bestseller list, Go Set A Watchman was much needed. There is an art to Lee's craft that cannot be imitated. Quality writing, with a cultural aim. I hope some others enjoyed this as much as I did.
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I cried so hard I almost vomited
I know a lot of people had trouble with this book and how Atticus is portrayed, but I think that was the point. Our heroes are human, and our Enemy is not our brother. Our heroes can't be our saviors because their humanity gets in the way. If you put a person on a pedestal, they're bound to disappoint you. Our humanity makes us all anti-heroes.
I loved it. I loved being disappointed, and I cried with Scout. It's raw and real and so disappointing to see your hero as flawed. We can all relate. I get why that's not what people were looking for in the sequel, but it's honest....
I loved it. I loved being disappointed, and I cried with Scout. It's raw and real and so disappointing to see your hero as flawed. We can all relate. I get why that's not what people were looking for in the sequel, but it's honest....
The Go Set a Watchman controversy made me uneasy, and my first inclination was to not read the book. But I am merely human (as my family loves to point out), and the right thing to do is not necessarily what I do.
Here's the short version of what I thought (for a longer version, you can read my blog):
The story is thin. Little actually happens over the course of the story. Unlike To Kill a Mockingbird, no action actually happens. The book is mostly Scout’s arguing with her boyfriend and her father, and her uncle trying to reason with her. Atticus is a racist. The ending is simplistic.
Yet, this novel is not a sequel. Yes, the incidents take place after TKAM, but it’s important to remember that this book was written first. Atticus doesn’t become a racist; he started out a racist (in GSAW) and then he becomes a open-minded champion of racial equality (in TKAM). And if you view it that way, then this book has some merit for writers and students and anyone else who has to truly work on something to make it great. This book is an excellent lesson that the first go-round is not the final go-round for a reason. That even authors who are heralded as “great American novelists” have to do considerable work—and be provided with considerable editing and feedback–to create their works of art. This book is not a companion piece in any way, but an example to be shared: No one gets it write the first time. Go Set a Watchman is a draft of To Kill a Mockingbird.
So I will not pan this book. I will treat it as a blueprint—the rough sketch—to a truly wonderful novel, as a peek into the inner workings of the mind of a great writer. This book does not influence the way I see TKAM except to make me appreciate even more the labor that Harper Lee put into writing it. No, I won’t recommend my son reads it. At least not now. And I don’t think this is a book my friends should read, if they’re just looking for a summer book to entertain them. But for those for whom writing is a process, this book is indeed an education.
Here's the short version of what I thought (for a longer version, you can read my blog):
The story is thin. Little actually happens over the course of the story. Unlike To Kill a Mockingbird, no action actually happens. The book is mostly Scout’s arguing with her boyfriend and her father, and her uncle trying to reason with her. Atticus is a racist. The ending is simplistic.
Yet, this novel is not a sequel. Yes, the incidents take place after TKAM, but it’s important to remember that this book was written first. Atticus doesn’t become a racist; he started out a racist (in GSAW) and then he becomes a open-minded champion of racial equality (in TKAM). And if you view it that way, then this book has some merit for writers and students and anyone else who has to truly work on something to make it great. This book is an excellent lesson that the first go-round is not the final go-round for a reason. That even authors who are heralded as “great American novelists” have to do considerable work—and be provided with considerable editing and feedback–to create their works of art. This book is not a companion piece in any way, but an example to be shared: No one gets it write the first time. Go Set a Watchman is a draft of To Kill a Mockingbird.
So I will not pan this book. I will treat it as a blueprint—the rough sketch—to a truly wonderful novel, as a peek into the inner workings of the mind of a great writer. This book does not influence the way I see TKAM except to make me appreciate even more the labor that Harper Lee put into writing it. No, I won’t recommend my son reads it. At least not now. And I don’t think this is a book my friends should read, if they’re just looking for a summer book to entertain them. But for those for whom writing is a process, this book is indeed an education.
Uh, so many feelings.
It's hard to accurately talk about this book because, what is it really? A prequel? Sequel? I don't know. It's more an interesting insight into the progression of an author than anything. The story behind it's publication is enough to warrant some raised eyebrows.
This book is not nearly as well-written as Mockingbird. Not even close, really. The writing was disjointed. The flashbacks seemed random and pointless. It flipped back and forth from first-person to third-person. One thing I loved so much about Mockingbird is that you got this rich, detailed portrait of a town and people but Lee wasn't explicit in doing it. Watchman failed in this regard.
Watchman would not have stood by itself. Atticus is more a peripheral character than anything. The whole climax of the book would have been void of any emotional angst had you not known his entire history.
All that said, I thought the climax (an argument between Jean-Louise and Atticus) raised some great questions and important points. I love the idea that Jean-Louise had to tear down her idols, to strip everything away and really evaluate what she believed and how she would live her life. Personally I think that is a lesson we all need to learn, and to one degree or another, are forced to learn as you grow. People betray you. Institutions fail you. What is that going to mean for you? Until Jean-Louise keenly felt betrayed by Atticus, "she did not know she worshiped him."
As for Atticus being a racist, I'm not totally convinced. Mockingbird gave us the ideal - a possibly whitewashed portrait through the eyes of a child. Watchman humanized him more - for better or worse.
Was it as good as Mockingbird? Absolutely not. Am I glad I read it? Yes.
It's hard to accurately talk about this book because, what is it really? A prequel? Sequel? I don't know. It's more an interesting insight into the progression of an author than anything. The story behind it's publication is enough to warrant some raised eyebrows.
This book is not nearly as well-written as Mockingbird. Not even close, really. The writing was disjointed. The flashbacks seemed random and pointless. It flipped back and forth from first-person to third-person. One thing I loved so much about Mockingbird is that you got this rich, detailed portrait of a town and people but Lee wasn't explicit in doing it. Watchman failed in this regard.
Watchman would not have stood by itself. Atticus is more a peripheral character than anything. The whole climax of the book would have been void of any emotional angst had you not known his entire history.
All that said, I thought the climax (an argument between Jean-Louise and Atticus) raised some great questions and important points. I love the idea that Jean-Louise had to tear down her idols, to strip everything away and really evaluate what she believed and how she would live her life. Personally I think that is a lesson we all need to learn, and to one degree or another, are forced to learn as you grow. People betray you. Institutions fail you. What is that going to mean for you? Until Jean-Louise keenly felt betrayed by Atticus, "she did not know she worshiped him."
As for Atticus being a racist, I'm not totally convinced. Mockingbird gave us the ideal - a possibly whitewashed portrait through the eyes of a child. Watchman humanized him more - for better or worse.
Was it as good as Mockingbird? Absolutely not. Am I glad I read it? Yes.
Review coming some day. For now, I'll just say that though I'm glad I read this book, I'm relieved to return to the Charles Manson biography. At least I know what kind of beast I'm dealing with.
Not sure if my thoughts on this would have been different had I read it closer to To Kill A Mockingbird, or as well if I read it when I was younger, when I read the predecessor. Obviously there was a lot to live up to. Not sure it was worth it. Definitely catches the time, but overall kind of weak in substance if you aren't invested in just following the characters.
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense