A Painted House

Rating:
Summary: Very Good Book
Review: I really enjoyed reading "A Painted House;" I hope John continues this one with a sequel; I really want to know what happenes to Luke. He is so young, and he holds so many family secrets. And Family secrets have a way of coming out at the worst possible times. So I loved this one, and I hope he writes a sequel - soon!!!

Rating:
Summary: Save your money!
Review: I am a big Grisham fan but this book was not worth the cost. I quit reading about half way through because I lost total interest in the story line and the characters. The story line was dull and exceedingly boring. When I reached the point that I did not care what happened to the seven year old protagonist or his family it was time to give this book away.

Rating:
Summary: Real Life
Review: I loved the book because it is so real. This isn't based JUST on Grisham's life. The "hill people" of Arkansas are as real as my father and grandfather,(and thousands of other grandfathers!) The stories I heard from my Dad about pickin' cotton on someone else's farm until his fingers bled. The mean old mountain man that was killed in the middle of town and no one said a word because they all felt he deserved it. My Dad left Salesville, Arkansas, (outside of Mountain Home) for the GM factory in the late 50's, thousands of other people did the same,because they all had the same dream. A better life for their children. Thank you Mr. Grisham, you touched my heart!

Rating:
Summary: Re-title this to "How I Spent My Summer" by Luke C., Age 7
Review: In essence the book was about the summer experience of Luke Chandler, a seven year old. The book contained observations and story-line introductions but no resolutions or endings to dilemmas that had been introduced during the telling. It was a decent read, the writing definitely had a nostalgic flavor and a nice feel, but there was no real story. Therefore, there was no real ending. It is too bad, the characters and their situations held potential for a good story - but it all fell way short at the end.

Rating:
Summary: Grisham is not Faulkner
Review: Grisham ventures out of his familar environment of law and into world of sharecroppers and white trash which Faulkner did so well.He should have stuck with the familar, he's definitely not in Faulkner's class with these topics.

Rating:
Summary: Grisham is not Faulkner
Review: Grisham left the familar law environment and ventured into the world of sharecroppers and white trash which Faulkner did so well. He should have stuck to his familar area. This book did not hold my attention as the others did. A Time to KIll remains his best book ,in my opinion.

Rating:
Summary: A fine book
Review: A very good book; an interesting look at life on a poor farm in the 50's. It's well written, with interesting characters. None of these people are cardboard cutouts; they're all believable, interesting personalities.

Rating:
Summary: See also Ferrol Sams
Review: I think that this book is very similar to the "Run With the Horsemen" series that Ferrol Sams wrote. I enjoyed those books as well as this one.

Rating:
Summary: A MAGICAL STORY
Review: THANK YOU JOHN GRISHAM FOR THIS FANTASTIC STORY AND FOR THE GREAT CHARACTERS WHO COME ALIVE ON THE PAGES OF 'A PAINTED HOUSE'. WHO COULD BELIEVE THAT A SIMPLE TALE ABOUT POOR COTTON FARMERS COULD HOLD SO MUCH EMOTION AND SURPRISES AND CAPTURE THE READER FROM THE FIRST PAGE. I FELT THAT I KNEW LITTLE LUKE CHANDLER AND HIS DELIGHTFUL FAMILY AS I WAS TRANSPORTED TO 'BLACK OAK, ARK.' - 1952. I WAS CAPTIVATED BY AND ADMIRED THE STRONG BOND BETWEEN LUKE AND HIS DEVOTED MOTHER. UNDERLYING THIS TOUCHING TALE ARE SECRETS, LIES, TENSIONS AND MURDER WHICH MAKE IT AS SUSPENSEFUL AND EXCITING AS ANY LEGAL THRILLER . I ENJOYED MR. GRISHAM'S STYLE OF WRITING AND HIS SUBTLE HUMOR. AS I BECAME ENTHRALLED WITH THE ADVENTURES OF THIS WONDERFUL FAMILY I FOUND MYSELF LAUGHING AND CRYING. I DIDN'T WANT THE BOOK TO END...AND I EAGERLY AND HOPEFULLY LOOK FORWARD TO THE SEQUEL!!

Rating:
Summary: John, John, John... you can do better than this
Review: I am an avid Grisham fan and as always couldn't wait to get my hands on A Painted House as soon as it was out. The whole while I was reading the book, I kept saying to my husband "Look how far I've read and nothing has happened yet." This was truly a disappointment. Hopefully this is not the direction Grisham will be taking in his future publications.