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3.46 AVERAGE
3.46 AVERAGE
Disgraced former judges executing extortion plans from inside prison. Great theme for a Grisham novel!
Grisham is always good for a quick and interesting read full of plot twists when I need a break from heavier reading. The Brethren didn't let me down. I recommended it if you've liked other Grisham books, but don't expect deep character development or unexpected endings.
The book definitely shows it’s age in terms of some of the content, but it’s a quick read and classic Grisham in its pacing and intrigue.
3 ex judges in jail plan a little extortion scheme. They mess around with closeted rich gay males under the guise of lil old Ricky who's in jail for Drug abuse. Ricky boy here, is a beautiful SWM and everyone wants a piece of him and just when things are boutta get crazy, these amazing judges pull the plug, ask for money in return for secrecy and get about just fine till one day they find one of their clients is the new president candidate who shows extremely great signs for winning. Only problem? Dude's a puppet king who gets saved by the mastermind who planned everything and eventually these guys get a good deal and leave the country with their names cleared.
I'd have liked it more if atleast 1 of them was murdered. Nevermind now.
I'd have liked it more if atleast 1 of them was murdered. Nevermind now.
Not his best work, but a fun read none-the-less. Great for an airplane or a day at the beach. Grisham has a story-teller gift, for sure.
Doing Time Never Paid So Good
To quite a few people, when they hear that John Grisham has come out with a new novel, their first hasty generalization is that it is another “lawyer book.” This may have been true with his first five novels, but the subsequent five had been entirely different. Yes, each involved a lawyer or the court in some way, but they entailed an interesting story not to do with law and the courts, but with ordinary happenstances of life. Once again, John Grisham has delivered with The Brethren, a unique story that keeps the reader hooked until the very end.
The Brethren are three judges doing time in a prison in Florida. All three have committed somewhat serious crimes, nothing as major as murder or manslaughter, but enough that they are doing ten years at Trundle, a minimum-security prison. What separates them from the rest of the inmates is the elaborate scheme they have concocted.
They enter personal ads in gay magazines, and then reply to those interested who seem to be rich and stable. They created a fictitious yet perfect setting: a young boy in rehab, getting off his drug addiction, trying to get accepted back into the real world, and needing someone to comfort him. Then, when the right moment is reached, they launch their attack, revealing their identities and their plot, demanding large amounts of money. The people who have been had have no choice but to comply, unless they want their hidden sexual leanings reveled to their friends and families.
Juxtaposed with this is the election for President of the United States. There is a perfect candidate, backed and controlled by the CIA, guaranteed to win; except he has answered one of the personal ads and currently has a “rich” correspondence with “Ricky” in rehab.
And so begins the ongoing game where the Brethren scam and scam, bringing in the dollars, while the CIA fight to preserve the secrets of the new president. One cannot help but be sucked into the raging maelstrom Grisham has created with The Brethren, following the lives of the judges, the candidate, the CIA and its agents. This tale is sure to delight any reader, whether they are a John Grisham fan or not.
Originally published on April 2nd 2001 ©Alex C. Telander.
For over 500 book reviews, and over 40 exclusive author interviews (both audio and written), visit BookBanter.
To quite a few people, when they hear that John Grisham has come out with a new novel, their first hasty generalization is that it is another “lawyer book.” This may have been true with his first five novels, but the subsequent five had been entirely different. Yes, each involved a lawyer or the court in some way, but they entailed an interesting story not to do with law and the courts, but with ordinary happenstances of life. Once again, John Grisham has delivered with The Brethren, a unique story that keeps the reader hooked until the very end.
The Brethren are three judges doing time in a prison in Florida. All three have committed somewhat serious crimes, nothing as major as murder or manslaughter, but enough that they are doing ten years at Trundle, a minimum-security prison. What separates them from the rest of the inmates is the elaborate scheme they have concocted.
They enter personal ads in gay magazines, and then reply to those interested who seem to be rich and stable. They created a fictitious yet perfect setting: a young boy in rehab, getting off his drug addiction, trying to get accepted back into the real world, and needing someone to comfort him. Then, when the right moment is reached, they launch their attack, revealing their identities and their plot, demanding large amounts of money. The people who have been had have no choice but to comply, unless they want their hidden sexual leanings reveled to their friends and families.
Juxtaposed with this is the election for President of the United States. There is a perfect candidate, backed and controlled by the CIA, guaranteed to win; except he has answered one of the personal ads and currently has a “rich” correspondence with “Ricky” in rehab.
And so begins the ongoing game where the Brethren scam and scam, bringing in the dollars, while the CIA fight to preserve the secrets of the new president. One cannot help but be sucked into the raging maelstrom Grisham has created with The Brethren, following the lives of the judges, the candidate, the CIA and its agents. This tale is sure to delight any reader, whether they are a John Grisham fan or not.
Originally published on April 2nd 2001 ©Alex C. Telander.
For over 500 book reviews, and over 40 exclusive author interviews (both audio and written), visit BookBanter.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I have to say this was a very good novel. Grisham kept me guessing from the very beginning as I tried to figure out how all the characters fit together. Maybe it's just because I was slow to catch on, but it took me right up to near the end to figure out the connections. I was hooked from the get go trying to figure out how each action was going to fit other aspects of the novel. I thought it to be a really good read!
I did enjoy this John Grisham book. However, most of it was pretty predictable and wasn't enough action or intrigue for me. The characters were pretty shallow and hardly memorable. It was a great concept, but dragged on a bit for me. I was hoping for more twist, but overall a nice read.
