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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The first book in the series, Camino Islands, introduced us to a fun group of characters and a tropical, small town, community setting. Sadly, I was disappointed with the second book, Camino Winds, finding the story structure wooden and the narrator irritating. While the plot for Camino Ghosts was fascinating, I was left wanting…again. Is it time for me to move on from John Grisham? Relegate him to the “used to love” list of books and authors?
Once again, I’m left wondering if Grisham’s third person narrative style has always been this irritating and I’m just now noticing it. When I read and fell in love with The Firm and The Pelican Brief, did he use the “here let me tell you everything that happened” method? Painting no pictures nor evoking any emotion? Part of me wants to go back and re-read these favorites but what if a re-read ruins that happy euphoria that comes from thinking about those favorite reads from way back when? Maybe I’ve reached the point where only first-person narratives will satisfy me? As I read Camino Ghosts, I actually paused the audio and shouted into the void “Stop telling me! Show me!” I got the most enjoyment from and felt more tension in Lovely’s story-within-the-story about her ancestors escape from a slave ship and settlement on Dark Isle.
Once again, I’m left wondering if Grisham’s third person narrative style has always been this irritating and I’m just now noticing it. When I read and fell in love with The Firm and The Pelican Brief, did he use the “here let me tell you everything that happened” method? Painting no pictures nor evoking any emotion? Part of me wants to go back and re-read these favorites but what if a re-read ruins that happy euphoria that comes from thinking about those favorite reads from way back when? Maybe I’ve reached the point where only first-person narratives will satisfy me? As I read Camino Ghosts, I actually paused the audio and shouted into the void “Stop telling me! Show me!” I got the most enjoyment from and felt more tension in Lovely’s story-within-the-story about her ancestors escape from a slave ship and settlement on Dark Isle.
In addition, with audiobooks, the narrator is key and can make or break a story. I understand Grisham wanting to go with a woman of color for the narration of Camino Ghosts: Lovely Jackson’s story most definitely does not warrant being told by a Caucasian voice actor. However, Whoopi Goldberg, while a talented actor and enjoyable comedian, was not the correct choice for the job. I found her narration skills severely lacking. She seemed to just read the book aloud, pausing in odd spots and offering emphasis in weird places. A skilled narrator could have potentially saved Grisham from my “has been” list. Alas, Whoopi’s narration only irritated me and added fuel to the “do I need to move on from Grisham” fire.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Murder
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No