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A review by rachd24
Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee
2.0
Check out the full review here: http://confessionsofabookgeek.com/2016/03/31/review-go-set-a-watchman/
When I picked up To Kill A Mockingbird, I had no idea it was going to be a 5* read, or that it would become one of my favourite books of all time. So, when I heard the manuscript for a “sequel” had been found, I was very curious and just a little bit excited to reunite with my beloved Scout and Atticus.
Promoted by the publisher as a “sequel”, make no mistake that Go Set A Watchman is actually a draft manuscript of the novel we've come to know and love. This is evident in Lee’s less polished voice, and in inconsistencies in storyline. If ever there was a book that showed the merits of a fantastic Editor, it’s To Kill A Mockingbird. Ultimately, I struggled with this novel. It was impossible to judge it solely on its own merit and not compare it to Mockingbird, but more than that, even if attempting to read it as a standalone novel, it simply wouldn’t have had anywhere near the same impact.
To enjoy Watchman in any way, I think you need to look at it as a fascinating insight into the mind of a writer, a physical manifestation of the writing process. Consider it the behind-the-scenes-documentary of Mockingbird. When reviewing this as a book, from the point of view of a Mockingbird lover, I think it’s the literary equivalent of Sex and The City 2: we’ll all check it out, we’ll all have our thoughts on it, and then we’ll all pretend it never happened because the original was so much better.
When I picked up To Kill A Mockingbird, I had no idea it was going to be a 5* read, or that it would become one of my favourite books of all time. So, when I heard the manuscript for a “sequel” had been found, I was very curious and just a little bit excited to reunite with my beloved Scout and Atticus.
Promoted by the publisher as a “sequel”, make no mistake that Go Set A Watchman is actually a draft manuscript of the novel we've come to know and love. This is evident in Lee’s less polished voice, and in inconsistencies in storyline. If ever there was a book that showed the merits of a fantastic Editor, it’s To Kill A Mockingbird. Ultimately, I struggled with this novel. It was impossible to judge it solely on its own merit and not compare it to Mockingbird, but more than that, even if attempting to read it as a standalone novel, it simply wouldn’t have had anywhere near the same impact.
To enjoy Watchman in any way, I think you need to look at it as a fascinating insight into the mind of a writer, a physical manifestation of the writing process. Consider it the behind-the-scenes-documentary of Mockingbird. When reviewing this as a book, from the point of view of a Mockingbird lover, I think it’s the literary equivalent of Sex and The City 2: we’ll all check it out, we’ll all have our thoughts on it, and then we’ll all pretend it never happened because the original was so much better.