Reviews

Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee

mossfroggies's review against another edition

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slow-paced

2.25

Could not get into this. Boring and slow. 

jstaton's review against another edition

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2.0

eh okay I expected more

_cecilie_'s review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 Contrary to popular opinion and my own expectations, I liked this novel a lot and thought it very well done. Yes sure, the childhood memory vignettes are mosaic and Scout is a little thick at times, seeming quite a bit younger than 26 but in my experience many people are prone to idealizing and idolizing well past their childhood.

I liked the other characters as well, they were incredibly believable, especially the whole strange Finch family. This book scratched an itch that it's predecessor just couldn't. Both are very emotionally honest and rightfully expect that the reader will connect to Scout and since I was neither a child nor an American I liked 'Mockingbird' just fine but I related much more to the young adult version of Scout who returns home and grows disillusioned with her father whom she worshipped growing up. The conflicting and complex portrayal of Atticus Finch was the central theme of this novel and I found Scout‘s relationship with him and her deeper understanding of him as a person and his flaws didn't take away from his characterization in Book One but instead showed him as a person not a idolised version of himself. You could say, since reading 'Mockingbird' and seeing him as the only good apple in a full fruit basket I waited for the other shoe to drop and when it dropped I was satisfied and even relieved.

Lastly, and this is just my theory, I think the overall negative reception of this novel in a way proves its merits: The average reader of this is probably quite nostalgic and loves Atticus Finch but in this novel they are forced to live through the same disappointment and anger Scout feels when she finally gets to know her father, not as a just hero but a flawed man. There's a mourning in growing up but also necessity. 

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bombadalejr's review against another edition

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5.0

An intimate look at the struggles of loving the South, but outgrowing those in it.

arnaut's review against another edition

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emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I liked this one as much as I liked her previous work

rebeccasarine's review against another edition

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3.0

wow, does this change my perspective... very rough and choppy, don't feel the same about the characters as I did after reading To Kill A Mockingbird, eye opening

growing up is hard, the place we grew up and the people we grew up with don't always look the same as it felt it did in our memories, life is not all black and white, it can be a real struggle between feeling strongly about something or trying to figure out how/what you believe and still love those around you who disagree, seeing the hypocrisy in yourself and others.

Interesting article: https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/13/books/the-invisible-hand-behind-harper-lees-to-kill-a-mockingbird.html

raphabonaretti's review against another edition

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4.0

Eu gostaria que esse livro não fosse a sequência de “O sol é para todos”

Bom, tive que pensar muito antes de escrever essa resenha e dar essa nota pra esse livro.
Uma coisa é inegável, essa história alugou um triplex na minha cabeça e me fez ter sentimentos totalmente conflitantes, os quais eu acho que vou carregar para o resto da vida.
Ao passo que acredito que essa obra carrega uma reflexão muito válida a ser feita, também acho que não deveria ser a sequência de "O sol é para todos".
O primeiro motivo é que "O sol é para todos" é tão único, possui uma narrativa envolvente, e quebra diversos paradigmas, principalmente para época em que foi escrito. Mostra que é possível sim agir diferente, mesmo que isso vá na contramão de algumas "regras" sociais.
É um imenso prazer ver Atticus lutando por aquilo que acredita e criando seus filhos para pensarem diferente. Esse livro é como um sopro de esperança, escrito de uma forma deliciosa.
Mas essa sequência vem e destrói exatamente tudo que o primeiro construiu. Eu acho os argumentos abordados são extremamente válidos, porém contradizem aquilo que foi construído com tanta maestria no primeiro livro. E foi devastador de ler.
Eu me senti como a Scout, sem chão, sem casa. E aí também está a genialidade da obra, se ele foi pensado pra causar esse sentimento, então é bem sucedido. Mas precisava? Minha frustração e admiração, aqui, habitam um mesmo espaço.
Não posso deixar de comentar o quão frio e transformado esse universo virou, Calpúrnia, Atticus, Jem... Ah não sei nem o que comentar. Só não acredito que aquela família, aquela história e aquele universo virariam isso, na minha opinião de leitora seria inconcebível que o Atticus adotasse essa postura, nós os acompanhamos tão de perto. Eu me recuso a acreditar em tudo isso!
Outro ponto que me pegou foi perceber que Scout estava chateada, mas também acabou sendo preconceituosa, isso quando ela disse que ela não era racista, mas também não iria sair e casar com um negro. Foi tão contraditório. Tudo tão incoerente.
Realmente não sei se essa era intenção da autora, causar esse choque e despertar essas reflexões. Não sei nem se eu recomendo que leiam esse livro.

biolexicon's review against another edition

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I picked this up out of curiosity and I'm glad I did. I don't feel like it's fair to give it a star rating because I don't think the author would consider it finished or ready to print, but Harper Lee once responded that she didn't write any novels other than To Kill A Mockingbird because she didn't have anything else to say. This piece refutes that and I'm glad I took the time to listen to the other things she was trying to say.

wolfgold's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad slow-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

3.75

celtic67's review against another edition

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5.0

This is a book that will be compared to a classic. Personally I think this wrong as it is book that merits its own position in the cannon. It is a coming of age book and a coming to terms book. Whilst we all have our own positions we must learn to compromise if we want others to move with us. We also have to learn our Gods are but tarnished beings, with all to human failings. It is a book that opens the mind to many things and will put up with repeat readings. All in all a good satisfying read