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3.21 AVERAGE
3.21 AVERAGE
I'm not going to rate this because I don't think it's fair to rate a book that the author originally decided not to publish. I read this because I was interested to see what Harper Lee started with and what details would differ between the two books. I think the theme of growing up idolizing your parents just to have an experience that makes you realize your parents are actually flawed people is a great one to explore, but I see why many people didn't like that. Atticus Finch was such a great, specific character in classic American literature, I think a lot of people got just as upset as Scout did to learn that Atticus actually held some pretty racist views. The story is an interesting one because Scout sea-saws back and forth between her points of view (such as saying she wants equal rights for Black people but would never think about marrying a Black man) however I do think that is accurate for the time period. People become more liberal in steps and some people are more mixed in their views than others. Overall, I think this was a very interesting read that gives a hard look into the thoughts and viewpoints of race at the time, but it definitely was not as compelling and interesting as To Kill A Mockingbird and the ending message of having to learn to live with and accept racists is a bit wild.
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
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
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Interesting and particularly useful to people like me I think
I'm really not sure how I feel about this book. It's either completely profound or total crap. Still deciding...
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Meh
I really don't know where to start with this review. First of all, with respect to what the critics are saying about the quality of this book, it is NOT a mess. It is still a well-constructed plot. Harper Lee's writing is still as rich and compelling as in Mockingbird. There are some spots where descriptions go on too long, but you have to remember that this is the original draft of Mockingbird that Lee sent to publishers; it is NOT intended to be a full-fledged sequel.
All that said, there are quite a few moments that will break your heart, and I am not talking about the media outrage over Atticus. Read the book and form your own opinion.
All that said, there are quite a few moments that will break your heart, and I am not talking about the media outrage over Atticus. Read the book and form your own opinion.
There were absolutely parts of this book that I enjoyed. I felt as though I could relate to the story arc of having to realize that your parents aren’t “heroes or gods”... seeing them as human can be this tough transition; one that I’m currently going through myself.
At the same time, I wasn’t a huge fan of the way Atticus was portrayed in this book. Atticus, who stood up for racial justice in the first book, is now attending meetings that are against giving other races equal rights... and he is quoted as agreeing with the philosophy. I don’t get how you can have written one of the greatest characters in literary history, and then pretty much make it seem like he is the complete opposite in the next book.
At the same time, I wasn’t a huge fan of the way Atticus was portrayed in this book. Atticus, who stood up for racial justice in the first book, is now attending meetings that are against giving other races equal rights... and he is quoted as agreeing with the philosophy. I don’t get how you can have written one of the greatest characters in literary history, and then pretty much make it seem like he is the complete opposite in the next book.
I loved it because I loved To Kill A Mockingbird, so it's a great book to relive my days of reading that and to see Scout as a young woman
I had read mixed reviews about this sequel to To Kill A Mocking Bird and, now that I've read it, I can see why they were mixed.
On the positive side it was interesting to see how such familiar characters developed. The writing flowed easily and some of the scenes were handled with skill.
The problem with the book though is that there is virtually no plot to guide you through. Things happen certainly but not enough to keep it moving.
One of the themes from the book is that people are rarely the simple characters you see as a child - they mostly have a more complex nature often with darker undertones. This was handled well.
I would recommend it if you've already read TKAM but otherwise probably not. It doesn't stand well as a stand alone novel.
On the positive side it was interesting to see how such familiar characters developed. The writing flowed easily and some of the scenes were handled with skill.
The problem with the book though is that there is virtually no plot to guide you through. Things happen certainly but not enough to keep it moving.
One of the themes from the book is that people are rarely the simple characters you see as a child - they mostly have a more complex nature often with darker undertones. This was handled well.
I would recommend it if you've already read TKAM but otherwise probably not. It doesn't stand well as a stand alone novel.