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melbsreads 's review for:

Theodore Boone by John Grisham
2.0
mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No

Content warnings: murder (in the past), death, violence, racism

Wow, this was dull. I had high hopes that it would be a crime series for Year 7s who aren't quite ready for One Of Us Is Lying but who've gone beyond Murder Most Unladylike. But unfortunately, this was just dry. It read like Justice System 101 with a murder case tossed into the background. The idea of this 13 year old's classmates coming to him to solve their parents' legal problems was utterly ridiculous, and Theo proved to be an irritating protagonist. And then just as things were finally getting interesting with a surprise witness and some shocking evidence, Grisham - the author of so many plot twist-y legal thrillers! - goes all "that's not how the legal system works" and decides to give us an authentic end to the case? Boo, boo I say! 

But, like, what the hell do I know, I'm a 41 year old reading middle grade books.