Rating: 
Summary: A Needed Departure.
Review: "A Painted House" is a definite departure for Grisham, and I am glad it has come. With "A Painted House" he proves that he is a "southern writer" which is even more difficult than being a popular writer. He proves that he has "literary" abilities and that he is not just another spinner of suspenseful, movie script yarns-- which is not to say the book is not suspenseful. It is quite suspenseful, and the way it is told is charming. The boy is an endearing character. First published in "The Oxford Review" as a serial, "A Painted House" gave us a taste of old fashioned serialized fiction-- something for which most people do not have the patience now days. Read this book, and if you like Grisham, be double sure and catch the utterly suspenseful short novel by southern writer Rhett Ellis titled "Castle of Wisdom," which is a truly amazing story.
Rating: 
Summary: Weak Narration
Review: At the beginning of Grisham's fourth novel, two packets of papers written in Chinese calligraphy fall into the hands of Ruth Young. One bundle is titled Things I Know Are True and the other, Things I Must Not Forget. The author? That would be the protagonist's mother, LuLing, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. In these documents the elderly matriarch, born in China in 1916, has set down a record of her birth and family history, determined to keep the facts from vanishing as her mind deteriorates. A San Francisco career woman who makes her living by ghostwriting self-help books, Ruth has little idea of her mother's past or true identity. What's more, their relationship has tended to be an angry one. Still, Ruth recognizes the onset of LuLing's decline--along with her own remorse over past rancor--and hires a translator to decipher the packets. She also resolves to "ask her mother to tell her about her life. For once, she would ask. She would listen. She would sit down and not be in a hurry or have anything else to do. In all, this is a weak pretext for plotline and it ultimately fails in the end.
Rating:
Summary: Classic StoryTelling
Review: Can anyone say John Steinbeck. Grisham proves that he is not a lawyer who writes books but actually an author who worked as a lawyer for a while. The elegant and descriptive prose brings the reader so close to this world that I could feel the humidity in the air, I could smell the supper cooking, and I could see the cotton blowing in the wind. But whats most important is that Grisham still remains his best-selling self as he builds up a suspenseful story that has us all wondering "what is that hillbilly gonna do to that kid?"
Rating: 
Summary: A real departure for Grisham
Review: This story is quite a departure from the usual Grisham epic. It's a pleasant tale of a young boy's experience growing up in rural Arkansas. The boy is only seven years old and as he relates the story it is a little unbelievable in the detail for one of that tender age. I cannot imagine a boy so young speaking in such a way. It would have been more easily believed had the character been ten or twelve years old. Nonetheless, it's a very readable account, but don't expect any excitement or surprises. I don't think this is a good direction for Grisham to head and I can only hope he returns to the type of story he does so well.
Rating:
Summary: Different? Yes. Good? Certainly!
Review: I didn't buy this book because it was different, I bought it because it is John Grisham. Typical of Grisham books, I couldn't put it down and had to read it in one sitting. As for the storyline, it was brilliant in my opinion. It is a diversion from typical Grisham books, but a refreshing change just the same. I would recommend this book to anyone, not just fans of the Grisham.
Rating:
Summary: Great Read
Review: I have read all of John Grishams books and this one has to rate as his best. Having digested all the lawyer books this was a refreshing change. A great story told through the eyes of a seven year old. Also a book that would entertain a young reader.
Rating:
Summary: Beautifully Written Novel
Review: This is not your usual Grisham book, and I am a fan, having read all of his books more than once. Simply put, it is a wonderful book. It tells a story of a family in simple, yet eloquent terms. It was lovingly written. Kudos Mr. Grisham!
Rating:
Summary: And now, for something a little different
Review: While Grisham's novels usually appeal to me, I was somewhat concerned over the departure from his usual themes. In the genre usually called "legal thriller," Grisham has established himself as the best. This book, however is very different, yet very, very enjoyable. Set on the Chandler farm at harvest time, Grisham described the backbreaking work of a cotton farm with characters, to my mind, very different from his usual stock in trade. Set in the 1950's, A PAINTED HOUSE, the story is told through the eyes of young Luke, who witnesses a murder. While the plot moves along well, it often takes a back seat to the descriptions of time and place. The book does not succumb to sugary sentimentality however; the descriptions support further development of the plot. Most Grisham fans will be satisfied with the book although those who expect "more of the same" may be somewhat disappointed. However, the book shows the author's versatility and is an excellent book by any standard.
Rating:
Summary: Grisham writes a masterpiece
Review: After The Brethren, I was ready to give up on John Grisham. He had made a couple of attempts at writing fuller books with more complex characters, but then fell back with one of the most one-dimensional -- and implausible -- stories I had ever read. I thought that, whatever talent he had, it was burning out. So it was not with great eagerness that I picked up A Painted House. But something has happened to John Grisham. He has decided, after all his years as a commercial writer, to finally give in to temptation, and try his hand at being an author. And he has succeeded beyond any expectation. Grisham finally is reaching deep inside of himself, digging into his personal experiences to frame stories, characters and plot line. This is a story of themes -- of life, death and renewal -- that intertwine throughout the book. Yes, that is, by necessity, the tale of any farming community. But Grisham has mined it deeply, allowing the readers to grow and understand alongside his characters. I disagree with some of the other writers who believe they see another thriller in here. There is no thriller. But what there is instead is information that seems to indicate where some of the thrillers came from. Grisham is either hitting on the same themes, or is revealing the secrets in his own life, that led to his writing of other books -- in particular, The Client. But all of these come naturally in the course of the narrative. There is no force, there is no sudden switch to drama. It evolves naturally, as the secrets and hidden meanings of life flood over this small farm as quietly as the actual waters from the nearby river. And they prove no less threatening to their way of life. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It is almost as if there have been two John Grishams, and he has been afraid at pursuing his true calling. You could see hints of his temptation in other books -- The Street Lawyer, The Testament -- but only here is it on full display. Whatever muse Grisham has that keeps pulling him back to the shallow thriller, I hope he begins to ignore it. If he sticks with what he knows -- in this case, presenting one of the best explorations of the rural south since Faulkner -- he has the capacity of turning out books that will live on as great.
Rating: 
Summary: He gets "southern" right
Review: I love to read about the south from a real southerner. John Grisham gets every nuance right. The tale is so true to real life that I wasn't able to "escape" as I did reading his previous work. I missed the lawyers, but this was a beautifully written book, and well worth the investment of time.
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