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emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This book is a great example of why I love books set in the South, and Grisham does a marvelous job of capturing a specific time and place. With nary a lawyer or courtroom in sight, Grisham delves into this coming-of-age tale with passionate enthusiasm. Luke Chandler is a precocious, wholly lovable young narrator whose voice rings authentic and true.
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
John Grisham tells a story of a young boy, Luke, who lived his whole life in Arkansas up until he was about 8. This story takes place during cotton season and all of the events that come along with it. Luke really is the star of this book and the reader is given a wonderful point of view of what it is like for a 7 year old to work on a farm picking cotton.
I listened to the audio version of this book while working in the kitchen, and found it very enjoyable. The narrator's voice was soothing and seemed true to the characters. The story of a young boy growing up on a cotton farm in Arkansas, while dreaming of a career as a professional baseball player, seemed very plausible. Although I'm not a huge baseball fan, I still have an autographed photo of Stan Musial that my uncle gave me when I was a kid, and the references to Musial and the Cardinals took me back to my childhood. Grisham's writing is very evocative of place and time, and this was no exception. I really enjoyed the story, and the narration, and I think it would appeal to a wide range of readers.
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
I read this on the recommendation from a friend up north- based on the fact that I loved Wish You Well by David Baldacci. This is a great book that really gives you a wonderful view of life on an Arkansas farm in 1952. The story is beautifully narrated by 7-year old Luke, who has never kept a secret in his life. The fall of their cotton harvest proves to be the first time Luke starts to understand more thoroughly the workings of his family, how poor they really are, but also the ways of the changing world. A wonderful book that is so different from the regular fare of John Grisham.
Enjoyed learning about the culture of the southern cotton farmers during the 1950's, but parts of the story didn't seem to make a lot of sense to me.
loved it was one of the best i read in a long time. happy tears!!
My father, who grew up in northeast Arkansas, recommended this book to me. He said it best describes his childhood.
The narrator is a 7 year old farm boy. It follows him as he navigates a summer cotton harvest. He sees a lot of secrets. Through these secrets, the audience gains a compelling illustration of life in rural Arkansas after the second World War.
I was hooked instantly. It was easy to picture the setting and imagine what my father's childhood was like. My only complaint is the boy seemed like he should've been written older. Particularly because of a scene with a girl 10 years his senior.
The narrator is a 7 year old farm boy. It follows him as he navigates a summer cotton harvest. He sees a lot of secrets. Through these secrets, the audience gains a compelling illustration of life in rural Arkansas after the second World War.
I was hooked instantly. It was easy to picture the setting and imagine what my father's childhood was like. My only complaint is the boy seemed like he should've been written older. Particularly because of a scene with a girl 10 years his senior.