Scan barcode
A review by jcm
Testimony by Scott Turow
3.0
Meh. I hadn’t read Turow in quite a few years, but saw a review of Testimony and it sounded like a fantastic subject matter. It is, but a few issues bummed me out.
Turow uses the N word to describe the Roma. Out of all the ways to describe them, he chose that?! This was used early on, but as I got to the end it became emblematic of an issue that many white, middle-aged white men can’t help but think they are the good guy when in fact their sexism and racism just aren’t that overt.
****SPOILER ALERT*****
In the manner of this story, of course it is the black queer woman, Atilla, who is guilty; and the sexy lawyer who tricks poor vulnerable men into sleeping with her. Turow actually used “siren call” to describe her.
The character of Esma is the one who brings the plight of the Roma to the ICC. It is a conceit to basically give the protagonist Bill some sexy time, again, for the white middle-aged sad sack whose divorce was as bland as they all should be. But Esma is just another brown woman taking advantage of the guileless hero. That ground has been trod to death.
The worst is that Turow actually set a somewhat-compelling storyline where she isn’t who she seems, but it just falls flat. I kept waiting for a pay-off, because the mention of her being Iranian posing as Roma could be very interesting, but of course it was all just a way that Bill could get the moral high ground.
The next ridiculous contrivance for the white middle-aged guy is to swing from the brown siren to an emotionally confused woman 17 years his junior.
At the end, Bill visits Atilla to essentially, again, claim the moral high ground by refusing to accept that she is a flawed human who ethically and morally did the same things his body Roger has done and continues to do. Does Roger get a visit and a lecture? Nope.
This is not to say she should have gotten a pass, but the character of Bill lays the “I am for Justice!” on THICK, but then applies it randomly.
If this is Turow, I am one and done.
Turow uses the N word to describe the Roma. Out of all the ways to describe them, he chose that?! This was used early on, but as I got to the end it became emblematic of an issue that many white, middle-aged white men can’t help but think they are the good guy when in fact their sexism and racism just aren’t that overt.
****SPOILER ALERT*****
In the manner of this story, of course it is the black queer woman, Atilla, who is guilty; and the sexy lawyer who tricks poor vulnerable men into sleeping with her. Turow actually used “siren call” to describe her.
The character of Esma is the one who brings the plight of the Roma to the ICC. It is a conceit to basically give the protagonist Bill some sexy time, again, for the white middle-aged sad sack whose divorce was as bland as they all should be. But Esma is just another brown woman taking advantage of the guileless hero. That ground has been trod to death.
The worst is that Turow actually set a somewhat-compelling storyline where she isn’t who she seems, but it just falls flat. I kept waiting for a pay-off, because the mention of her being Iranian posing as Roma could be very interesting, but of course it was all just a way that Bill could get the moral high ground.
The next ridiculous contrivance for the white middle-aged guy is to swing from the brown siren to an emotionally confused woman 17 years his junior.
At the end, Bill visits Atilla to essentially, again, claim the moral high ground by refusing to accept that she is a flawed human who ethically and morally did the same things his body Roger has done and continues to do. Does Roger get a visit and a lecture? Nope.
This is not to say she should have gotten a pass, but the character of Bill lays the “I am for Justice!” on THICK, but then applies it randomly.
If this is Turow, I am one and done.