Rating: 
Summary: SEQUEL! What about RICKY? Libby? The Latchers?
Review: I WAS BESIDE MYSELF when this wonderful story-- and it's brilliantly developed characters-- ended! Maybe that's part of why this book was so good; I really CARED about these people, and wanted to know MORE of what happened to them... I finished it last week, yet I still wonder about Ricky, and Talley and Cowboy, and what happens 'up North.'
IF there is a fault, it would only be that the narrator, 7 year old Luke, does often seem to BE 7 years old, but occasionally his thoughts and words belie a more mature point of view. If this is a fault, it is a minot one, as it allows Luke paint a more clear picture, and tell a better story.
Grisham is as good a story teller as one could ever wish for, and this work of his deserves a full FIVE stars. Don't "get into it" if you have to get up early the next morning...!
Rating:
Summary: Grisham's finest work...
Review: This was the most captivating book I have ever read! I was so taken by this novel and I could not put it down. The characters are wonderful and, as usual, Grisham's extraordinary descriptions put me right in the middle of the cotton fields. The most magnificent thing about this book is that I actually experienced every emotion possible.
I loved this book so much that I am waiting for the sequel.
Rating: 
Summary: Almost Classic Literature
Review: It's not the typical Grisham novel. If legal thrillers are all you enjoy then stay away from this book, you won't enjoy it. Grisham gives his readers a greater appreciation for his writing by trying something new in his career. It is not a suspenseful, edge-of-your-seat thriller but rather, a look at farm life during the 1950s through the perspective of a seven year old boy. The book is well-written, well-paced and much more enjoyable than my initial expectations. Pick this book up today, you are sure to enjoy it. There is, however, a mildly disappointing conclusion but the journey there is thrilling.
Rating:
Summary: The best Grisham yet !!!
Review: This book is not the typical Grisham storyline .. however the writing and story telling are -- wonderful !! This book has you turning pages faster and faster the closer you get to the end. And .. for the first time ever .. Grisham touched my heart !! This book has bumped A Time To Kill from my favorite spot.
Rating:
Summary: You Can Change The Cover, But You Can't Change The Spots
Review: "A Painted House" is about secrets. At first they are subtle like the ones we have in our own lives. We hardly notice that they dwell among us; they nestle in our busy lives unnoticed. Soon, however, we notice the secrets in this book. They come faster and faster, piling up like compounded interest. There are secrets of all sorts. Some are kept because of blackmail, some because of guilt. There are secrets that are disguised prejudices, secrets that surround a legend like the aura of perfume.
Grisham's protagonist, six-year-old Luke Chandler, becomes so inundated in secrets the pressure builds like it does in the cooker his gran and mother use to "put up" tomatoes and beans. "Lots of secrets," he says, "and no way to unload them." The thing about secrets is that you just can't keep them covered up. A new cover on this book will not hide the fact that it is a literary novel, as entertaining as Grisham's courtroom dramas but a cut above. Why try to disguise it? Shout it out! Literary novels can be fun reading, too. Help us, Mr. Grisham, to get the word out. Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of "This is the Place" --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition
Rating: 
Summary: Dissappointed
Review: The story was beautfully told, but at times dragged on and on and on..... Can't believe I actually finished it. Frankly it was boring and left too many loose ends.
Rating: 
Summary: An Odd Book
Review: I've thoroughly enjoyed the many hours I've spent reading John Grisham's novels. This one was no exception. I grew up in the same era as the story, about 50 miles from the Chandlers' home in Arkansas and could relate. However, I have trouble with the character of Luke. He was obviously too mature for a seven year old boy. However, at times he expressed the emotions of a very young child, then switched to thoughts more familiar to a twelve or thirteen year old adolescent. I'm curious as to whether John may have written the book from adult lenses looking back -- Lucas' thoughts distorted by time and maturity. My wife disagrees and just thinks that John missed the mark on this one (she's never cared for his character development, anyway). I just cannot believe that John Grisham is that bad a writer and insist that he must have known what he was doing. After all, how interesting would this story have been if told through mind of an actual seven year old? I dare say it wouldn't have sold many books. It's still an entertaining story, though, if you can excuse the absurdity of Lucas' character. And, thanks John, for keeping the lawyers hidden in this one.
Rating:
Summary: A Story About Secrets--Take the Time to Find Them
Review: "A Painted House" is about secrets. At first they are subtle like the ones we have in our own lives. We hardly notice that they dwell among us; they nestle in our busy lives unnoticed.
Soon, however, we notice the secrets in this book. They come faster and faster, piling up like compounded interest. There are secrets of all sorts. Some are kept because of blackmail, some because of guilt. There are secrets that are only disguised prejudices, secrets that surround a legend like the aura of perfume.
Grisham's protagonist, six-year-old Luke Chandler, becomes so inundated in secrets the pressure builds like it does in the cooker his gran and mother use to "put up" tomatoes and beans. "Lots of secrets," he says, "and no way to unload them."
Finally the book is about telling secrets as release. That can be done in a myriad of ways, too. If one is an author, he might fictionalize secrets and put them in a really good book. The trick is to find the perfect voice, just the right time, and just the right audience. Grisham does just that. This may be the book John Grisham always wanted to write. If he's not careful he may soon have the whole nation reading literary novels as freely as they do romances or mysteries. Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of "This is the Place"
Rating:
Summary: Happily Surprised
Review: A Painted House is not your usual Grisham novel, so if you go into it expecting lawyers and suspense, forget it. I read this book in one setting and found the story enthralling. It is set in rural Arkansas, outside Jonesboro, in 1952. The rural setting, family values, and hard work depicted in this story reminded me of my own childhood in Oklahoma, so I suppose this is one reason I enjoyed it so much. If you're looking for something different, and well written, start here.
Rating:
Summary: Generally ok
Review: I found the book rather slow and draggy at times. Some of the parts seemed almost repeated. But it is interesting to know more about countryside America through the eyes of a 7-year-old (considering I have always lived in an urban Singapore). The characters are mostly rather built up through the story and I appreciated the ending where the family warmness could be felt, although not very strongly. Good attempt to say the least.
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