A review by pained_creations
A Time to Kill by John Grisham

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I saw this movie years ago, but now that I am reading more fiction, I decided to try a John Grisham novel. The story is very hard to read, with a lot of racism, a brutal rape, and the n-word more times than I can count. All of that actually led me to stop reading and google Grisham to see if he was a racist, but was relieved to see that he seems to have fought racism, even in politics.

The deep south mentality, culture and racist history are all on clear display in this book. The story is well written, and you feel like you get to know the characters as the drama and legal battle unfold. I think the moral of the story is that even a  few people can make a big difference in the hatred and bigotry on display in this book. I am sure I will read another Grisham book, as the emotional roller coaster and great story telling drew me in....but I hope the next crime isn't so brutal and difficult to read!
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