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3.32 AVERAGE
3.32 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
informative
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Didn’t find the main character likeable. I thought she was immature
A fun John Grisham novel...just what you would expect. A legal drama. Intrigue. Murder. Perfect for light summertime reading!
A quick and entertaining read if you're in that mood, although there are probably better Grisham novels out there...
A quick and entertaining read if you're in that mood, although there are probably better Grisham novels out there...
Every character is unlikable. No development at all. If it weren't for the personal connections related to the setting I would've stopped much earlier.
challenging
dark
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Liked this book more than I initially thought I would. The story about the coal mining industry was very compelling. Been awhile since I've read Grisham and glad I picked this one up.
Having no preconceived idea of what the book was about, nor a burning desire to read a thriller, I downloaded this book because it was on sale and wound up loving it. It's not a thriller, not much of a mystery - but it is a great read.
Samantha is a 4th year lawyer working in a huge NYC firm and going nowhere when due to the recession she is laid off. The lay off deal offers her the possibility of working for a non-profit for no pay, keeping her medical insurance and hiring her back in a year if things pick up. She winds up in hick town in a coal mining village in Virginia, definitely a fish out of water. From proofing contracts in NY one day to being thrown into a courtroom defending the disenfranchised the next, she experiences a rude awakening. Gone are the "Sex in the City" moments. Her reality includes the consequences of coal mining, a poor population and legal aid.
I have a son who works as a lawyer in NYC; in fact his first job was so much like Samantha's that I thought maybe Grisham modeled her workplace on my son's workplace. 80 hour weeks, somebody else taking credit for her work, and no personal satisfaction were par for the course.
I also met a guy who had black lung disease. He was my neighbor's father, from West Virginia. He got screwed by the system and died.
This book brings it all together. Not a lot of cloak and dagger stuff, some, but not enough for those who expect a real thriller - but plenty of substance.
Samantha is a 4th year lawyer working in a huge NYC firm and going nowhere when due to the recession she is laid off. The lay off deal offers her the possibility of working for a non-profit for no pay, keeping her medical insurance and hiring her back in a year if things pick up. She winds up in hick town in a coal mining village in Virginia, definitely a fish out of water. From proofing contracts in NY one day to being thrown into a courtroom defending the disenfranchised the next, she experiences a rude awakening. Gone are the "Sex in the City" moments. Her reality includes the consequences of coal mining, a poor population and legal aid.
I have a son who works as a lawyer in NYC; in fact his first job was so much like Samantha's that I thought maybe Grisham modeled her workplace on my son's workplace. 80 hour weeks, somebody else taking credit for her work, and no personal satisfaction were par for the course.
I also met a guy who had black lung disease. He was my neighbor's father, from West Virginia. He got screwed by the system and died.
This book brings it all together. Not a lot of cloak and dagger stuff, some, but not enough for those who expect a real thriller - but plenty of substance.
This is a bit different from the usual Grisham. For a start, the lead is female, which I cannot recall in any of his other books. I'd suggest he might want to go back to what he knows, as I can't help but feel she is a bit of a cliché. The story also references the 2008 financial crisis, politics of the time and life in a way that Grisham's other novels do not. If you read 'The Firm' now, it is still just a story about a lawyer involved with the Mafia - it is only dated to the extent that there is no social media etc. This, having read it way past it's original publishing feels a bit dated.
The story evolves around a NYC lawyer who loses here job at a big law firm and ends up in the land of Big Coal. Working at a legal clinic, Samantha Kofer works with the poor, and becomes involved with cases against Big Coal. There is a running theme of explaining the sins of Big Coal (there are plenty!), and the impact on the community and the people. Kofer slowly becomes entangled in the fight with the coal companies, through her own clients and through her friendship with a local trial lawyer who spends all his time fighting said coal companies.
This is an OK read - i do think the references to the politics of the time, whilst perhaps fine at the time seem to make the book feel out of touch. The characters are also a bit "obvious", there are no real surprises. And the book is incredibly open ended - it almost feels as though a sequel was planned - something that you don't normally get from a Grisham novel. An OK beach read, but not a classic.
The story evolves around a NYC lawyer who loses here job at a big law firm and ends up in the land of Big Coal. Working at a legal clinic, Samantha Kofer works with the poor, and becomes involved with cases against Big Coal. There is a running theme of explaining the sins of Big Coal (there are plenty!), and the impact on the community and the people. Kofer slowly becomes entangled in the fight with the coal companies, through her own clients and through her friendship with a local trial lawyer who spends all his time fighting said coal companies.
This is an OK read - i do think the references to the politics of the time, whilst perhaps fine at the time seem to make the book feel out of touch. The characters are also a bit "obvious", there are no real surprises. And the book is incredibly open ended - it almost feels as though a sequel was planned - something that you don't normally get from a Grisham novel. An OK beach read, but not a classic.
This book was ok, I kept reading to find out what happened but it barely held my interest. I will continue to read John Grisham.