Rating: Summary: Sweat it out in Arkansas with the Chandler Family Review: True, it's not exactly "Huckleberry Finn" or "Catcher on the Rye," but "A Painted House" is a fun "coming of age" novel. Grisham has suprised us all in trying this new format, taking a break from the common theme of his first 8 or 9 books, all about lawyers and judges. Not a single legal character to be found in this book, with the exception of the town sherrif. Luke is a seven year old boy reaching an age where he starts to have the cognitive/emotional abilities to understand some of the more complex issues of life, that adults deal with everyday. The story deals with this curious (and very bright) mind during the summer of his seventh year, where he lives on a cotton farm in Mississipi. The story doesn't seem to have one specific plot...it's more like his memoirs for that summer. But there are several sub-plots that deal with these "issues" that I mentioned before. Some of them are: -Racism/Classim. The family farm hires Mexicans and "Hill" People every summer, and racial tensions abound. -Economic Survival. What to do when the farm is suffering economically due to weather, to a point where the family could go into debt. The "climax" in the last few pages tell how they decide to deal with this. -Moral Decisions: If you witnessed something you weren't supposed to, what are the consequences of telling? And of not telling? What should you do? These and more themes/plots are interwoven throughout the story, including a crush on a 17 year old girl, adventures at a town fair and town baseball game, and much more. The characters are real and likeable (except of course the bullies, who you'll love to hate). I felt like I was on the farm with them, sweating it out in the fields, looking forward to the Saturday trip to the movies and store, etc. His narration is great; we tap into the thoughts of this boy (who I heard, by the way, is loosely based on himself at that age) and really feel some of the dilemnas he is going through. It's weird to read that many people were looking for more lawyers/judges and were disappointed. It's a nice story, I don't know why anybody would give it a low rating. Keep up the good work, John!
Rating: Summary: Unsatisfying.. Review: I absolutely LOVE John Grisham's legal thrillers, but I was excited to see that he had written something else. I bought it the second I saw it. It's one of those books where I had to keep starting over - I would get through a few pages, get bored and not pick it up again for weeks. Eventually, I forced myself to read it during my lunch break. I found it very predictable, no real depth to any of the characters, not thought provoking.. I just kept reading because it seemed like Grisham was building up to something, and I kept waiting for it. Then the book was over. I didn't have any attachment to any of the characters and in general I didn't really care what happened to them (this never happens to me!) But if you're a Grisham-lover like I am, you'll probably have to read it for yourself. My advice, borrow it from someone.
Rating: Summary: A story for all ages... Review: I loved the story!! I bought the book for my daughter and have listened to the audio (unabridged) 3 times, and enjoyed it each time. I highly recommend it for anyone, any age. Enjoy!!!
Rating: Summary: Turnabout's Fair Play! Review: A lot of us Homer Hickam fans think Mr. Grisham has managed to move in on Homer's territory with this excellent book. Well, I'm happy to tell all the Grisham fans that Homer's latest is turnabout's fair play. SKY OF STONE is a well-written page-turner that includes some dazzling courtroom scenes - mountain style and unfettered by anything but the truth sworn on the Bible! For those of you who miss Grisham's courtroom antics, now you can try Hickam instead and get the best of both worlds!
Rating: Summary: A first for me - Review: I haven't read anything by John Grisham. I don't care for legal thrillers, so I'd never picked up any of his books. I read reviews of this one, and after finishing it I purchased several copies for gifts. What a voice this man has! His characters are believable, the plot perfect, and the chain of events foreseeable but unstoppable. A pleasant read for a rainy weekend!
Rating: Summary: Review: A Painted House Review: A Painted House, by John Grisham, is a gripping story of a young boy's trials and tribulations during the summer of 1952. The story takes place on a cotton farm in rural Arkansas, not far from the little town of Black Oak, Arkansas. The young boy, Luke, age seven, is faced with having to keep many secrets. Should he confide in his family with the information he has reluctantly locked away, or could the simple act of sharing these secrets put his life in danger...or worse yet, the lives of his family? Overall, we found this book to be quite good. Reading it proved to be both a fulfilling and pleasurable experience. And, reading this book as elementary educators, we were reminded that children come from different backgrounds and that we should be much more sensitive to their situations.
Rating: Summary: Not your typical Grisham Review: It's a slow story with a not so good plot and shallow characters. So far I think John should stay in the courtrooms. As I read on, I kept waiting for a climax that never came. I was surprised at the end when I realized that after all I had sort of enjoyed the reading. It's not the typical Grisham but I wouldn't recommend it unless you have no other book to read.
Rating: Summary: A Change For The Best Review: This story is not a legal thriller, which is a first for Grisham. Instead, this story is a narrative that keeps you wanting more, especially at the ending. The story begins in rural Arkansas in 1952. Seven-year-old, Luke Chandler, tells of the trials of sharecropping and the adventures of farm life. Luke goes through more experiences than most seven-year-olds and his life changes that summer. The adventures and challenges in the book keep you reading.
Rating: Summary: Painting Great Review: A wonderful work from a great artist. Highly recommended.
Rating: Summary: House Painted Review: Loyal fan of John Grisham....I bought "House Painted" and what a disappointment! What was the point to the story? The same scenerio repeated itself throughout the entire book. Was this book supposed to be a test, something different from the "lawyer/crimal" books Grisham usually writes?
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