Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Even though I gave them both the same rating, I enjoyed this book more than A Time to Kill. Sycamore Row is more a mystery than thriller but I really liked it!
I finished A Time To Kill and immediately ran to the library to pick up the 'sequel'. The book is good, a page turner it is NOT, and if you know anything about how things went down in the south in relation to blacks and whites, you can figure out the ending fairly easily. A decent read, but it didn't have me wanting to stay up late to find out what happened next. The ending was actually a bit of a let down since it was so predictable, but eh, can't win 'em all.
I've never read a John Grisham novel. I have seen several of the films based on his novels, and know from them that he is very good at courtroom drama, which remains true in Sycamore Row. The biggest weakness in this book is its length. There is too much detail about the preparations for the trial. I appreciate the background, to a degree, and it was never really annoying, but it also wasn't all necessary. We also could have done without a character or two; there were a LOT of people to keep track of. The strengths are that Grisham remains excellent with courtroom drama, and Jake Brigance is a very likable character. Also, he does a nice job with making the main characters three dimensional and keeping them away from being caricatures. Also, even when it went on too long, I was invested, and I was sticking with him and his characters.
I listened to this book as an audio book, and it was narrated by Michael Beck, who I had not heard narrate before. In my experience, a weak narrator can detract from a book (as in Where'd You Go, Bernadette?) or even ruin it (as in The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie). A good narrator gets out of the way of the book (as in Before I Fall). And a great narrator actually makes the book better. Michael Beck is a great narrator. I suspect that I may not have enjoyed this book as much as I did had I simply read it; he may well have given Grisham the fourth star on this review.
I listened to this book as an audio book, and it was narrated by Michael Beck, who I had not heard narrate before. In my experience, a weak narrator can detract from a book (as in Where'd You Go, Bernadette?) or even ruin it (as in The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie). A good narrator gets out of the way of the book (as in Before I Fall). And a great narrator actually makes the book better. Michael Beck is a great narrator. I suspect that I may not have enjoyed this book as much as I did had I simply read it; he may well have given Grisham the fourth star on this review.
A very slow start. It doesn't get good until halfway through.
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A slower story with lots of meandering twists and turns, but still manages to keep you interested throughout. Pretty impressive that a book this long without much change of scenery can claim that.
mysterious
medium-paced
Audio version is particularly good, with distinctive southern voices. White, rich man leaves fortune to his black housekeeper. Let the battle begin.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No