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3.85 AVERAGE
3.85 AVERAGE
Well, Jake seems less racist than he did in A Time to Kill and, thankfully, his financial woes don't consume the book as much as they do in A Time for Mercy. More Southern racism, but historical this time; the sensibilities of the 1980s characters appear less overtly racist than last time. I agree that the court proceedural sections do drag somewhat, esp. for those who are familiar with how court works.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
sad
medium-paced
mysterious
medium-paced
I liked the characters. Makes me want to read A Time to Kill and other Grisham legal thrillers.
This book is a continuance of the "A Time to Kill" universe of Clanton, Mississippi with successful lawyer Jake Brigance once again being caught in one of the most sensational trials in town. I actually thought the plot lines of the book were more interesting than expected, and as always appreciated the depth to which the main characters were described (with the exception of the CRUCIAL less than-than-fleshed-out characters of Lettie and Portia). On a side note, the side characters (and their names) throughout the novel were also a treat. They were creative and made the story feel much more unique than another courtroom drama. I definitely empathize with this not being Grisham's best, but after reading Bleachers, I can very easily say it's not his worst.
Spoiler
The book centers around the aftermath of Seth Hubband's last will and testament and his dramatic decision to virtually of his large estate to his Black housekeeper. At the end of the novel, it's revealed that Seth Hubbard's intentions are a personal form of reparations for the racialized violence and intimidation enacted by his forefathers on the housekeeper's family during the Reconstruction era. That alone was intriguing, and I wished the book contained more unpacking of this act to return land to its rightful owner's descendants. As per usual, the best and most engaging parts of this Grisham novel are in the courtroom during the trial. It's the writing that keeps me coming back, even though the problematic parts of this novel (e.g. the somewhat unbelievable plot twists twists, Jake Brigance swimming in social capital and privilege but complaining throughout, him completely FORGETTING AND OMITTING Ellen Roark, the female intern who was basically essential to the Carl Hailey trial of the first book) makes it hard to be a slam dunk.
Quel ennui profond... A-t-on autant de temps à perdre à entendre pour la x millième fois que Jack Brigance défend le testament de Seth Hubbard et blabla.
Car c'est blablablablablablabla tout au long du bouquin. Comme si John Grisham sait, avant même d'écrire la première ligne, que son film sera adapté pour le grand écran par Hollywood et, donc, décide de prendre le taureau par les cornes en écrivant lui-même le scénario dans ses détails les plus infimes. Mais, avant, faut le vendre sous forme de bouquin et faire perdre du temps.
Max 2h de films vs près de 20 heures d'audiolivre. Je me suis arrêtée au bout de 10h (ça suffit!) et, oui, j'ai deviné la clé de l'intrigue (aussi clair que le nez au milieu du visage).
Car c'est blablablablablablabla tout au long du bouquin. Comme si John Grisham sait, avant même d'écrire la première ligne, que son film sera adapté pour le grand écran par Hollywood et, donc, décide de prendre le taureau par les cornes en écrivant lui-même le scénario dans ses détails les plus infimes. Mais, avant, faut le vendre sous forme de bouquin et faire perdre du temps.
Max 2h de films vs près de 20 heures d'audiolivre. Je me suis arrêtée au bout de 10h (ça suffit!) et, oui, j'ai deviné la clé de l'intrigue (aussi clair que le nez au milieu du visage).
A really great book from John Grisham. It reminded me a lot of his earlier writings. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has read John's books.
Love having characters return a couple of years later.... The twists and turns of this Grisham novel keep you on your toes. I enjoy how this series is addressing institutional racism...
I really wanted to like this story as I am normally a huge fan of John Grisham. I gave it around 150 pages and just had to put it down. I will try again another time.