Scheherazade
08-22-2007, 07:56 PM
A Painted House by John Grisham
Before reading this book, I was not sure what to expect as I was familiar with Grisham's work only through the movies based on his books. The first surprise for me was that in this book Grisham steps away from his usual legal/courtroom drama stories. The story concentrates on a poor farming family in Arkansas in 1950s: Their struggles for survival are depicted without over-dramatisation and realistically; with one exception: The narrator of the book, the seven-year-old son of the family, shows great maturity and wisdom while telling his story (almost too much at times). However, he is still a likeable character and keeps the reader engaged till the very end.
The survival story of the family is also intertwined with element of mystery (murder) and family dynamics.
Over all, I found this book very engaging and enjoyable; with much more to offer than what I had expected of a "Grisham book".
8/10 KitKats!
Before reading this book, I was not sure what to expect as I was familiar with Grisham's work only through the movies based on his books. The first surprise for me was that in this book Grisham steps away from his usual legal/courtroom drama stories. The story concentrates on a poor farming family in Arkansas in 1950s: Their struggles for survival are depicted without over-dramatisation and realistically; with one exception: The narrator of the book, the seven-year-old son of the family, shows great maturity and wisdom while telling his story (almost too much at times). However, he is still a likeable character and keeps the reader engaged till the very end.
The survival story of the family is also intertwined with element of mystery (murder) and family dynamics.
Over all, I found this book very engaging and enjoyable; with much more to offer than what I had expected of a "Grisham book".
8/10 KitKats!