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shelbymarie516's review against another edition
3.0
Pretty good. I did not realize this was a sequel for To Kill a Mockingbird. Read because a coworker said it was one of her favorite books.
alanak8's review against another edition
This book took me a month to get over. I’m sorry I didn’t write a review before now. This book I’m sorry, but was awful. I am not a person who writes one star reviews soooo.
I do NOT RECOMMEND this book. I’m sorry but this may be a bit of a spoiler I’m not sure.
✨SPOILER WARNING (maybe?! I’m still not sure)✨
The reason this book is so bad is because… Atticus. Is. Racist. That’s right you read that correctly, our loving father Atticus, who defended Tom Robinson IS RACIST?! I’m still mad.
I do NOT RECOMMEND this book. I’m sorry but this may be a bit of a spoiler I’m not sure.
✨SPOILER WARNING (maybe?! I’m still not sure)✨
The reason this book is so bad is because… Atticus. Is. Racist. That’s right you read that correctly, our loving father Atticus, who defended Tom Robinson IS RACIST?! I’m still mad.
bhnmt61's review against another edition
4.0
If you didn’t grow up in the south, you’re probably not going to fully understand this book. You’re not going to get what it’s like to feel deeply, deeply embedded in a place that is home, and then to slowly, painfully become aware as you age that it is profoundly flawed. And you either find a way to make peace with that— as Jean Louise does— or you don’t (me). It’s so much more complicated than it looks from the outside. My solution— to move across the country and visit for 3-5 days once or twice a year— is not necessarily the best option. But Jean-Louise’s solution is not one that would work for me. It’s.... oh, it’s just so complicated.
Anyway. This is not a perfect novel. It is famously not a final version— it’s the version an author turns in to their agent or editor knowing full well it still needs a lot of work. There are scenes that sing, and scenes that go clunk. But it comes the closest of any book I’ve ever read to capturing the way your heart breaks into a million pieces when you finally realize that your home isn’t home anymore. And maybe it never was the place you thought it was.
There are the stifling expectations of young women in the pre-feminist South. There’s racist rhetoric that turns your stomach. Lee presents quite clearly the legacy of both casual and systemic racism that we are still trying to overcome today. Sadly, by today’s standards, Jean Louise is only a few steps more aware than her elders. It stirred up feelings of outrage and sadness that were far stronger than I usually allow myself to feel. I’m glad I read it. I’m not sure if I recommend it.
Anyway. This is not a perfect novel. It is famously not a final version— it’s the version an author turns in to their agent or editor knowing full well it still needs a lot of work. There are scenes that sing, and scenes that go clunk. But it comes the closest of any book I’ve ever read to capturing the way your heart breaks into a million pieces when you finally realize that your home isn’t home anymore. And maybe it never was the place you thought it was.
There are the stifling expectations of young women in the pre-feminist South. There’s racist rhetoric that turns your stomach. Lee presents quite clearly the legacy of both casual and systemic racism that we are still trying to overcome today. Sadly, by today’s standards, Jean Louise is only a few steps more aware than her elders. It stirred up feelings of outrage and sadness that were far stronger than I usually allow myself to feel. I’m glad I read it. I’m not sure if I recommend it.
dmchesher's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
jcv9999's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Great story for expressing what many liberal minded kids experience when they realize they disagree with their parents on things.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs
Moderate: Sexual assault, Racism, Rape, Suicide attempt, and Incest
gardner98's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Some good quotes. Overall terrible book. Long monologues.
zachnachazel's review against another edition
1.0
This is one of the worst book I've read in 2016. So many expectations before opening to the first page and all of them were shattered by the bore that is this book.
rachd24's review against another edition
2.0
Check out the full review here: http://confessionsofabookgeek.com/2016/03/31/review-go-set-a-watchman/
When I picked up To Kill A Mockingbird, I had no idea it was going to be a 5* read, or that it would become one of my favourite books of all time. So, when I heard the manuscript for a “sequel” had been found, I was very curious and just a little bit excited to reunite with my beloved Scout and Atticus.
Promoted by the publisher as a “sequel”, make no mistake that Go Set A Watchman is actually a draft manuscript of the novel we've come to know and love. This is evident in Lee’s less polished voice, and in inconsistencies in storyline. If ever there was a book that showed the merits of a fantastic Editor, it’s To Kill A Mockingbird. Ultimately, I struggled with this novel. It was impossible to judge it solely on its own merit and not compare it to Mockingbird, but more than that, even if attempting to read it as a standalone novel, it simply wouldn’t have had anywhere near the same impact.
To enjoy Watchman in any way, I think you need to look at it as a fascinating insight into the mind of a writer, a physical manifestation of the writing process. Consider it the behind-the-scenes-documentary of Mockingbird. When reviewing this as a book, from the point of view of a Mockingbird lover, I think it’s the literary equivalent of Sex and The City 2: we’ll all check it out, we’ll all have our thoughts on it, and then we’ll all pretend it never happened because the original was so much better.
When I picked up To Kill A Mockingbird, I had no idea it was going to be a 5* read, or that it would become one of my favourite books of all time. So, when I heard the manuscript for a “sequel” had been found, I was very curious and just a little bit excited to reunite with my beloved Scout and Atticus.
Promoted by the publisher as a “sequel”, make no mistake that Go Set A Watchman is actually a draft manuscript of the novel we've come to know and love. This is evident in Lee’s less polished voice, and in inconsistencies in storyline. If ever there was a book that showed the merits of a fantastic Editor, it’s To Kill A Mockingbird. Ultimately, I struggled with this novel. It was impossible to judge it solely on its own merit and not compare it to Mockingbird, but more than that, even if attempting to read it as a standalone novel, it simply wouldn’t have had anywhere near the same impact.
To enjoy Watchman in any way, I think you need to look at it as a fascinating insight into the mind of a writer, a physical manifestation of the writing process. Consider it the behind-the-scenes-documentary of Mockingbird. When reviewing this as a book, from the point of view of a Mockingbird lover, I think it’s the literary equivalent of Sex and The City 2: we’ll all check it out, we’ll all have our thoughts on it, and then we’ll all pretend it never happened because the original was so much better.
kord's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0