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3.54 AVERAGE
3.54 AVERAGE
Wow, I don't really know where to start! This novel (I felt) was slightly departed from Grisham's other works, and was less forumlatic. That being said I struggled through the first 60% and had to push myself to keep going as I wanted to see the end of the case. It didn't disappoint and the last 40% took me hardly any time to read.
I dont' know if I would recommend it, but certaintly I liked it more than [a:Michael Connelly|12470|Michael Connelly|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1202588562p2/12470.jpg]'s books. Grisham has a talent for taking the mundane aspects of law and turnign them into thrillers. And I think maybe that's the issue I had with this book as it was a traditional legal thriller, though the characterisation and story was rich and colourful.
I dont' know if I would recommend it, but certaintly I liked it more than [a:Michael Connelly|12470|Michael Connelly|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1202588562p2/12470.jpg]'s books. Grisham has a talent for taking the mundane aspects of law and turnign them into thrillers. And I think maybe that's the issue I had with this book as it was a traditional legal thriller, though the characterisation and story was rich and colourful.
Writing and plot-wise, this probably only deserved three stars -- it was perfectly enjoyable, but nothing terribly impressive. However, the big case is a class action lawsuit against a big pharmaceutical company for a drug named Krayoxx that allegedly causes heart attacks. Since I just wrapped up a case where we represented a big pharmaceutical company in a lawsuit alleging that there were undisclosed cardiovascular risks to a drug that also ended in "oxx," I found myself unduly fascinated by the subject matter.
It also helped that the opening chapter involves a lawyer at a Biglaw firm suddenly and dramatically deciding that enough is enough... his exit may play into my work-related fantasies for years to come.
It also helped that the opening chapter involves a lawyer at a Biglaw firm suddenly and dramatically deciding that enough is enough... his exit may play into my work-related fantasies for years to come.
Grisham introduces potentially interesting characters but doesn't do very much with them. Most of the legal maneuvers happen before they even enter the courtroom so the the drama is anticlimactic. More humorous than many of his novels but predictable.
I've read a fair amount of Grisham and this was, undoubtably, the weakest of the bunch. The most interesting character was the bartender you meet in the earliest chapters or maybe the blogger you meet in the later ones, but it certainly wasn't any of the litigators.
This read like a bad "Day in the Life" narrative. Sure, not every case that a lawyer sees will be about racketeering, coal mines, or white supremacists, but this was a slog through the mundane. No depth. Rather than being presented as one work, I think this would have worked much better as a collection of vignettes.
Every major plot point (the breakdown, the divorce, the break in, the major cases) could have been worked to stand alone. You can even have a shifting perspective to match the POV of the key character. Without the weight of the entire narrative on them, they hold up much better.
I'll still read Grisham, but this is a miss.
This read like a bad "Day in the Life" narrative. Sure, not every case that a lawyer sees will be about racketeering, coal mines, or white supremacists, but this was a slog through the mundane. No depth. Rather than being presented as one work, I think this would have worked much better as a collection of vignettes.
Every major plot point (the breakdown, the divorce, the break in, the major cases) could have been worked to stand alone. You can even have a shifting perspective to match the POV of the key character. Without the weight of the entire narrative on them, they hold up much better.
I'll still read Grisham, but this is a miss.
I knew I had read this before but I suppose I should have looked to see if I had given it a star rating before checking out the audio book. Just as mediocre in audio format as in the Kindle.
The book was okay, not great and not bad. I did keep reading it and got through it in only 3 days but I think it was more about hoping there would be something more interesting to come. I'm afraid that I had higher hopes for this book since I loved Grisham's earlier works like The Firm. This book doesn't come close to that.
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
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:
Yes
A very Grisham book. He stuck very closely to his formula for this one, and it showed. From the moment he finished introducing characters, I knew exactly how the rest of the book would go.
It's still well-written, though formulaic. But he forgot to make his legal thriller thrilling.
Hey, at least he stuck to Chekhov's Gun.
It's still well-written, though formulaic. But he forgot to make his legal thriller thrilling.
Hey, at least he stuck to Chekhov's Gun.
Come sempre molto scorrevole. Quando si inizia un libro di Grisham è impossibile smettere di leggere. Una stella in meno perché i personaggi sono sempre un po' uguali, però la storia è coinvolgente e la trama sempre molto fitta.