Dense. This book feels dense in a way other John Grisham novels don’t, covering 70+ years and across those years many characters and dramas, all sortsDense. This book feels dense in a way other John Grisham novels don’t, covering 70+ years and across those years many characters and dramas, all sorts of crime and of course—legal cases. It was slow at first—I feel much of the first 50 or 100 pages could’ve been edited way, way down—but I eventually got into the groove, once I got a handle on all the characters. I leave every Grisham novel feeling like I received a bit of education in law, but this felt almost like an entire college course. Not that that’s a bad thing! All these years later this author is still doing what he does well: thrillers that grip the reader and don’t let go. ...more
Started off a bit slow, but by the 1/3 mark I was totally hooked! Despite this book not featuring a bit of courtroom drama, it can easily stand with JStarted off a bit slow, but by the 1/3 mark I was totally hooked! Despite this book not featuring a bit of courtroom drama, it can easily stand with John Grisham’s very best. His exploration of a well-liked and respected judge who is also a serial killer is an interesting and fully developed one, aided by Grisham’s willingness to dive deep into the killer’s head. This is a vast improvement over its predecessor featuring these characters, The Whistler. ...more
A solid 4 stars! I was skeptical of this book living up to its classic predecessor, John Grisham’s 1989 debut A Time to Kill, which is still my favoriA solid 4 stars! I was skeptical of this book living up to its classic predecessor, John Grisham’s 1989 debut A Time to Kill, which is still my favorite of his books. I haven’t been hot on Grisham’s last couple books, so I went into this expecting to dislike it. Instead, I found myself caught up in it, powerless to Grisham’s will, because no one does a courtroom thriller like him. No one.
Taking place 5 years after the action of A Time to Kill, lawyer Jake Brigance is quite known around his small Mississippi town but that doesn’t mean his law practice is thriving—in fact, Brigance is quite in debt. Forced into another controversial case a’la the one he took on years before, Brigance is at risk of losing his practice and house to bankruptcy. Everything is on the ropes.
Grisham’s Ford County books are something special, and this one is no different. The reader can almost feel the author’s joy to be back in this small part of the south, and in the courtroom too. Grisham’s last couple books haven’t been courtroom thrillers, and I feel that’s where he really shines. He was a lawyer, after all!
This book isn’t perfect, however: the opening chapters are slow, and it took me a few days to slog through to the hundred-page mark. Once the story gets going, though, buckle in. I also didn’t care for the ending—realistic though it may be, it wasn’t exactly satisfying. I had a similar problem with The Reckoning.
Fans of classic Grisham would do well to pick this one up, as it checks off all the boxes those readers might require. It made me want to back and check out some of his ‘90s releases I haven’t yet gotten to. ...more
Disappointing. Not as disappointing as John Grisham’s last release, The Guardians, but still pretty disappointing because Camino Island is arguably myDisappointing. Not as disappointing as John Grisham’s last release, The Guardians, but still pretty disappointing because Camino Island is arguably my favorite Grisham novel. If you didn’t like that one, you’ll likely dig this one, and vice versa. Grisham stripped away almost everything I loved about that book—the languid pace, the light romance, the writer community characters—and instead focused his sights on writing a high-concept thriller that almost reminded me of mid-tier Dean Koontz in its the latter half.
Still, this is John Grisham. He’s a seasoned veteran, so anything he publishes is at least readable. I gave this 3 stars after all; there were bits and pieces I liked. The first third or so I dug, it’s only when the few characters left over from Camino Island started investigating I lost interest. Dunno why. I felt like I was reading Stephen King’s Bill Hodges trilogy without the weird quirks and fast pace that made those books such a joy.
This is Grisham without personality, without flavor. It’s his courtroom thriller thing without a courtroom or lawyer. It shows occasional flashes of the color and inspiration that made its predecessor such a success, but most of the time it’s a fairly standard investigative crime thriller, hold the thrilling. I came away from this feeling empty, not hating or loving it. Indifference....more
Being a John Grisham fan in this day and age means accepting he churns out winners and losers. I’ve loved his last three releases, but The Guardians aBeing a John Grisham fan in this day and age means accepting he churns out winners and losers. I’ve loved his last three releases, but The Guardians almost totally missed the mark, for me.
The concept of ‘the guardians’ was strangely underdeveloped, especially for Grisham — an author who never strays from detail and isn’t afraid to fully paint the picture for his reader. I never felt like I knew the first-person narrator — I could never get in his head — nor could I feel out his fellow ‘guardians’ or the wrongfully jailed people they try hard to get off.
The writing style also felt weirdly choppy in places, chapters beginning and ending in strange places, as if pages were stripped out at random during the editing process and left on the ‘cutting room floor’ so to speak. It was very jarring and I could not immerse myself into the narrative at all.
Aside from a few effective sequences throughout, this book is an almost total failure. But it’s okay; I know Grisham will be back once more with a five-star thriller....more
Torn between 3 and 4 stars here, but I’ll go with 3. The Pelican Brief is solid entertainment—I don’t know if John Grisham could really do wrong in thTorn between 3 and 4 stars here, but I’ll go with 3. The Pelican Brief is solid entertainment—I don’t know if John Grisham could really do wrong in the early ‘90s—but I found it lacking what I really enjoy from this author. What can I say, I’m a slut for courtroom dramas. This isn’t that. It’s a political conspiracy thriller, and Grisham writes it competently, but there’s just a bit too much going on . . . and his female protagonist is not really developed that well. She’s strong, and smart, but I never quite got to know her. Or anyone else in her orbit. Still, I had fun while reading and I’m curious about the film adaptation. ...more
The latest novel by John Grisham, The Reckoning (release date October 23), is a sprawling and enthralling read set in the Ford County of A Time to KilThe latest novel by John Grisham, The Reckoning (release date October 23), is a sprawling and enthralling read set in the Ford County of A Time to Kill, Sycamore Row, etc. By setting this story of murder and Gothic-esque family drama in the county most familiar to longtime Grisham readers, The Reckoning mixes the pleasures of familiarity with the new, experimental territory upon which the writer embarks. If anything, this novel is certainly not Grisham on auto-pilot.
This will likely be the most divisive Grisham release in some time, if ever. The author playfully mixes up and challenges the courtroom drama standard he set, choosing to tell the story in an almost non-linear fashion. At the heart of this novel is the question: What makes a beloved war hero and successful small-town land-owner murder his pastor in cold blood? The consequences set in motion by the murder — which happens in the first chapter, and is mentioned in the synopsis — are gritty and cold and real. Grisham’s focus is not so much the legal system (though it does play a part), but the dissolving of two American families.
This reader respects Grisham for shaking things up and penning what could be the darkest, and most literary, novel of his career. I certainly did not see it coming. If 2017’s The Rooster Bar was a slick crowd pleaser, The Reckoning is a raw challenge . . . one of which William Faulkner, perhaps, would be a fan.
Thanks to Doubleday Books for the free hardcover copy of this book, which was given in exchange for an honest review....more
How does John Grisham do it? Seriously. He keeps me turning pages long into the night, and with baited breath — something no author accomplishes as weHow does John Grisham do it? Seriously. He keeps me turning pages long into the night, and with baited breath — something no author accomplishes as well as he. He makes it look easy, creating tantalizing and memorable stories; not to mention the colorful and sympathetic characters that populate those stories.
The Rainmaker is an early Grisham hit, and it follows he formula this author well known for: pitting an underdog (in this case, a fresh-out-of-school trial lawyer) against a formidable enemy (here it is a scheming Insurance company). Throw in an interesting subplot about a will reconfiguration to the tune of twenty million dollars, and a domestic abuse case, and you’ve got riveting reading.
This novel is unique in Grisham’s body of work: it is the only one to be narrative in first-person simple present tense. This choice on the author’s part causes the narrative to have a breakneck feel, a sense of dizzying danger about to happen at every corner. And often, it does. This 1995 bestseller is filled with more twists than any novel I have read in recent months; at times I had to physically will myself to shut my mouth, for it was hanging open. Prepare to finish this one in a matter of days, for it is effortless, thrilling reading served up in classic John Grisham style....more
I finished this book in two sittings: on my lunch break and on my bed the moment I got home. I didn’t get up to eat dinner, use the bathroom, anythingI finished this book in two sittings: on my lunch break and on my bed the moment I got home. I didn’t get up to eat dinner, use the bathroom, anything. The Rooster Bar is one of those books.
Like almost every Grisham novel, this is a high-stakes crime thriller . . . but the stakes here feel so much higher than in his other books — at least the ones I’ve read, which I admit isn’t a large number. Three laws students mired in debt without any job prospectives on the horizon decide to drop out of sight, change their identity . . . and become faux street lawyers. They know the ropes (well, some of them) and they put up a front. And they’re successful. At least for a while. Then the phony partnership go after bigger fish, more money . . . and from there unfolds one of Grisham’s most captivating plots to date.
Does that sound hokey? Silly? Yes, maybe it does. But this book really spoke to me: the frustration with college, the fears of the future, the desire (and, in these characters’ cases, success) to start all over and go on an adventure — an adventure with quite the cash prize, if all goes well. That spoke to where I am at right now. And Grisham writes this story with the reverence, skill, and knowledge that is present in all his works.
Surely one of my picks for favorite new release of the year, this was a book I just could not put down. Check it out — but not with any pressing plans. ...more
My first John Grisham novel was his latest release, The Whistler: a capable, if not entirely thrilling, read. Because I give every author two chances My first John Grisham novel was his latest release, The Whistler: a capable, if not entirely thrilling, read. Because I give every author two chances to 'wow' me, I decided to take a stab at Grisham's debut, A Time to Kill.
Wow. Wow wow wow. Was I impressed!
Set in northeastern Mississippi (an area I've ridden through many times, and have a certain affection for), a young black girl is kidnapped and brutally raped by two white rednecks, both career criminals despite only being in their twenties. The two are caught and arrested, but that does not make the girl's pain go away, of course — so her father takes matters into his own hands, and murders the two rapists in cold blood. Jake Brigance, a young lawyer who is desperate for the big time, takes the case despite its daunting nature. What unravels is something that thoroughly impacts the entire fictional town of Clanton, Mississippi, and the reader as well. There is no black or white here, only a world of gray; while most readers can sympathize with the girl's father, was it right of him to murder the men? What is morally justifiable? What role does the court system play in our lives, and even when juries make the 'right' decision, is it still wrong? These are questions Grisham leads the reader to, never fully answering them but instead inspiring thought and meditation. I know I certainly look at the American justice system in a new light after reading this fabulous novel.
This was a journey that had me glued to the pages, and I would have read it much faster had life not intervened. I was shocked by how fleshed out the town of Clanton and its inhabitants really are, in the pages of this weighty story; Grisham is one who can tell a tale, and had that talent from the very beginning . . . as is evident here, in his debut novel. I was not sure what I wanted the final decision to be — guilty, not guilty, mistrial — because of all the twists and turns and new revelations that come to light during this volume's 480-ish pages. That's a good thing. The person who begins reading this novel and the person who finishes this novel aren't the same, not completely; this is one with true potential to impact, all these years later. It really stands up.
John Grisham is one of America's most popular authors, and I can now see why. I cannot wait to work my way through the rest of his releases, but I don't know if any of them can top this one....more
John Grisham's novels are white-knucklers, and Camino Island is no different. Largely set on a beautiful island in Florida, this is the story of a heiJohn Grisham's novels are white-knucklers, and Camino Island is no different. Largely set on a beautiful island in Florida, this is the story of a heist -- all five original F. Scott Fitzgerald manuscripts are stolen from Princeton -- and the undercover mission to sniff out a suspect in the crime.
In his new novel, Grisham bypasses a lot of the legal jargon and the courtroom settings that have populated his most popular releases. Instead, this is a short and enjoyable character study, all set in the world of rare book collecting and professional writing. I loved it.
Thank you, Mr. Grisham, for pulling me out of a dreaded reader's block. Five full stars....more
This was my first John Grisham book, and I didn't really know what to expect, aside from a legal thriller. Being the collector I am, I've actually attThis was my first John Grisham book, and I didn't really know what to expect, aside from a legal thriller. Being the collector I am, I've actually attained almost all of Grisham's works (in hardcover!) and decided it was time to finally start working through them. What better place to start than his latest, The Whistler?
It wasn't bad. I enjoyed myself, and the story kept me turning the pages — even if it does get bogged down a bit in the middle. The first hundred and last eighty pages are worth the price of admission, however. No doubt.
Unfortunately, this book will always be associated with the memory of the 2016 election. I was reading it when that happened, and now Grisham's latest bestseller will always be tainted, for me, by the knowledge that I was reading it when America elected Donald Trump. Sigh. Did that impact my rating? No, not really . . . Well, not totally. I tried my best to judge this book on its own merits, and not the circumstances of life. I must admit, though, that I read the latter half of this one in a blue funk.
I would recommend this story, but perhaps I wouldn't pay full price. It's a good thriller, but the pace slackens for a good while in the middle, and some of the characters are as flat as cardboard. I think I'll go with an older Grisham title next time. ...more
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