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karenstory 's review for:
The Exchange
by John Grisham
The Exchange is the highly anticipated sequel to “The Firm” answering the question of what happened to Mitch and Abby McDeere after they escaped from Memphis, 15 years earlier.
Only, for Grisham, it has been 32 years since “The Firm” launched his career as a legal novelist.
With “The Exchange,” he plops us into the early 2000's, where we find McDeere a high-powered partner for one of the world’s largest law firm, Scully & Pershing. He now lives a very privileged life with his twin sons and wife, Abby in Manhattan.
The first 37 pages of the novel takes him back to Memphis, where he has the opportunity to clear the air with an old friend/colleague.
Was Grisham trying to fill in the 15-year time gap since Mitch and Abby fled the town?
And…
Was it necessary to the overall story? Especially since there was no resolution to what occurred when he visited.
We then see Mitch being sent to Rome to take the lead in a case involving a Turkish company, that is seeking payment for building a bridge in the Libyan desert. When Mitch assigns the London-based Scully associate, Giovanna to go on a fact-finding mission to the bridge, she is taken hostage with a demand for a $100 million in ransom.
And…
Now this book becomes a "legal" thriller, with Mitch having to outsmart the captors (to keep Giovanna alive) and find a way to pay the ransom.
The book moves at a fast-pace, and sometimes it doesn’t feel like Grisham is giving readers an opportunity to breathe comfortably through each scene.
Which makes this novel somewhat frenetic. Almost like searching for Waldo, where readers may ask…
Where in the world is Mitch now?
And wondering, when we do have a moment to catch our breath…
Is it necessary to give readers the feeling that Mitch and Abby may be on the run again?
What happened to Grisham’s writing?
Do we really need all these dull details about plane tickets, car rides, and another delicious meal the characters are eating?
I have been such a fan of Grisham, devouring each book I can read, especially since they are typically so generously donated to my Little Free Library Shed.
But…
This one, even though I couldn’t wait to read it, I wish he hadn’t written it.
For a much better Grisham, see my review of “The Firm” here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5496185716
Only, for Grisham, it has been 32 years since “The Firm” launched his career as a legal novelist.
With “The Exchange,” he plops us into the early 2000's, where we find McDeere a high-powered partner for one of the world’s largest law firm, Scully & Pershing. He now lives a very privileged life with his twin sons and wife, Abby in Manhattan.
The first 37 pages of the novel takes him back to Memphis, where he has the opportunity to clear the air with an old friend/colleague.
Was Grisham trying to fill in the 15-year time gap since Mitch and Abby fled the town?
And…
Was it necessary to the overall story? Especially since there was no resolution to what occurred when he visited.
We then see Mitch being sent to Rome to take the lead in a case involving a Turkish company, that is seeking payment for building a bridge in the Libyan desert. When Mitch assigns the London-based Scully associate, Giovanna to go on a fact-finding mission to the bridge, she is taken hostage with a demand for a $100 million in ransom.
And…
Now this book becomes a "legal" thriller, with Mitch having to outsmart the captors (to keep Giovanna alive) and find a way to pay the ransom.
The book moves at a fast-pace, and sometimes it doesn’t feel like Grisham is giving readers an opportunity to breathe comfortably through each scene.
Which makes this novel somewhat frenetic. Almost like searching for Waldo, where readers may ask…
Where in the world is Mitch now?
And wondering, when we do have a moment to catch our breath…
Is it necessary to give readers the feeling that Mitch and Abby may be on the run again?
What happened to Grisham’s writing?
Do we really need all these dull details about plane tickets, car rides, and another delicious meal the characters are eating?
I have been such a fan of Grisham, devouring each book I can read, especially since they are typically so generously donated to my Little Free Library Shed.
But…
This one, even though I couldn’t wait to read it, I wish he hadn’t written it.
For a much better Grisham, see my review of “The Firm” here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5496185716