Rating: 
Summary: Give me a break.
Review: A law student gets wooed by a "small firm in Memphis" paying top dollar and promises huge returns. Yeah, that wasn't suspicious. Okay, suspend belief. Greedy lawyer takes obvious bait. Now, go cheat on your beautiful wife with a stranger on the beach? Please. Who does that? Mitch is endeared to his wife, Abigail. Grisham makes that abundantly clear, so he cheats? A bit too convenient, don'tcha think? Photos for blackmail - whew, couldn't see THAT one coming. Come on. The worst thing about the book is that the last 30 pages feels as though Grisham is trying to figure out a way to clear McDeere. He runs around the south east, to Florida, gets on a boat to escape, blah, blah, blah. I think the ending of the movie was more creative than the book. At least the mail fraud was plausible.The central idea of the book was my favorite part. I thought the mafia cover up for laundering money was a great idea, and sucking in unsuspecting lawyers was smart. But Grisham could have done better with the twists and turns, and could have developed a better escape path than just having McDeere run around until he fell onto a boat. Further, having the Firm's security team doctor fake photos of McDeere and mistress would be far better than tarnishing his reputation. Same effect of blackmail without the shame. "The Firm" is an easy read with shallow characters and shallow, convenient plot line, and a lame ending. Enjoy the movie. Cruise is a perfect McDeere, and the ending is better.
Rating: 
Summary: My View on the book The Firm
Review: From a decisive point of view The Firm is one of the best books I have ever read, and I would recommend it to anybody who loves to read. I have the benefit of reading this book. I enjoyed the parts when he wrights in a fast pace style, which occurs throughout most of the book. I also like his use of the central character as a highly regarded lawyer who is faced with the circumstances of spying on his firm for the FBI. I also like how he at first portrays the firm to be well thought-of then as the book progresses he changes your vision on it. Despite the fact that before I started to read the novel the span discouraged me it was well worth it in the end.
Rating:
Summary: Your basic nightmare come true
Review: Grisham's first book describes one of our society's basic nightmares come true in a way that keeps you turning the pages till the very end where you might be a bit surprised about the solution but I don't want to give the story away and spoil the fun so I won't write anything about the ending.
Mitch McDeere is a law student in the last year of the university who is asked by a little law firm in Memphis to work for them for an unbelievable amount of money and other bits (car, house, etc.). Although it seems too beautiful to be true, Mitch accepts the offer but the dream becomes a nightmare very quickly.
The house, the car is bugged, lawyers begin to disappear, the FBI investigates, molests Mitch and as he passes the bar exam he knows that there's no right way out for him. He starts to play a trick which might be his very last trick... if he ever succeeds in playing the trick.
This book is still the best of Grisham, tightly paced, no disturbing side-stories, shocking and keeps you guessing till the end. Yes, we all know, Mitch will get away with it. The only question is: how?
Rating:
Summary: A classic!
Review: I believe this is one of John Grisham's best three legal thrillers, along with "The Partner" and "The Runaway Jury". It's a must.
Rating:
Summary: A Book that will keep you saying WOW!
Review: I tried reading other kinds of books, like Stephen King books but they just didnt do it for me. The action started way to late. However, in The Firm the action started right in the begininning of the book. After the first 40 pages I could already notice something wasnt quite right about the Firm. This made me want to find out even more. Some of the situations that Mitch Mc Deere got himself out of were pure genius on Grisham's behalf. It was also the plot as a whole was just superb. I urge everyone to read it. The thrill of this book will keep you yurning pages until you finish. It had a fully satisfying ending. I just couldnt stop think WOW how did he get himself out of that. It is my new favorite book and I cant wait to read some more of his book. Also , if you like the Firm you will also enjoy the client.
Rating:
Summary: A Book that will keep you saying WOW!
Review: I tried reading other kinds of books, like Stephen King books but they just didnt do it for me. The action started way to late. However, in The Firm the action started right in the begininning of the book. After the first 40 pages I could already notice something wasnt quite right about the Firm. This made me want to find out even more. Some of the situations that Mitch Mc Deere got himself out of were pure genius on Grisham's behalf. It was also the plot as a whole was just superb. I urge everyone to read it. The thrill of this book will keep you yurning pages until you finish. It had a fully satisfying ending. I just couldnt stop think WOW how did he get himself out of that. It is my new favorite book and I cant wait to read some more of his book. Also , if you like the Firm you will also enjoy the client.
Rating:
Summary: Smart guy turns tables on Mafia, FBI
Review: I was disappointed in this novel. I read "The Brethren," a later work by Grisham, and found it interesting. "The Firm" is a bore. It's a "reverse sting" kind of thing, but there's no tension or real struggle here.
Why? Because it's all about the hero and heroine, and the other guys, mostly bad guys, are just cardboard nobodies. You've heard of the Keystone Kops? These guys are funnier in their ineptitude. It reminded me of a Mel Brooks comedy the way the Mafioso and the FBI keep stepping on each other's feet. Meanwhile brilliant Mitch, his brilliant brother (speaks how many languages that he learned in prison?), and his brilliant wife (suckers one of the dumb lawyers into spilling the beans), slip off into the night on a little boat.
You'll waste a lot of time reading this book. I didn't see the movie, so can't compare there, but here's the bottom line: Mitch's opposition is no threat to him because they are all so utterly inept. You know he's going to make it, no problem. There's no tension built up.
On the positive side, for those interested in local scenary, maybe the settings in Memphis and the Cayman Islands would be of interest.
I noticed that Grisham presented a theme in both "The Brethren" and in this book: sailing off into the sunset, never a fixed abode, just living on the boat and moving on when ready. You think he's doing this now? Or has done it?
Diximus.
Rating:
Summary: One of Grisham's best
Review: The Firm is an extremely fast paced thriller, that you won't want to put down. It is packed with classic Grisham twists that kept me wondering exactly how the book was going to end. Here's a bit of a summary: Mitch Mcdeere is a fresh Harvard Law graduate who's looking at the top firms across the country for his first job. Mostly he is thinking about going to a firm on Wall Street or Chicago, because the pay is enormous. But, he interviews with a firm in Memphis, where they offer a generous salary, and a new beamer once he signs on. He thinks that all this is wonderful, maybe a bit too good to be true. Then he founds out their little dirty secret, which could cost him his life... I immensely enjoyed The Firm. I've only read a few of his others, but so far, this one has been my favorite.
Rating:
Summary: Money Kills...
Review: This book is the story of Mitchell McDeere, a young, poor lawyer out of Harvard Law. He finished among the top three in his class and has recieved offers from law firms all over the country, including the small, conservative tax firm of Bendini, Lambert & Locke in Memphis, Tennessee. They offer more than any other firm: a new BMW, a new house, a large salary with many incentives and bonuses, student loan relief, and a community and way of life. But before long, Mitch is confronted by the truth: the firm is actually owned by a powerful Chicago mafia family and once you are in, there are but two ways out: dying and retiring while keeping your mouth shut. The whole book is fascinating, from the beginning when the lawyers were outlining the terms, to the middle, when we discover why those terms are in place, and the espionage begins, to a suspenseful manhunt for the McDeeres which includes the police, the FBI, and the mob. This is absolutely compelling reading and makes you think about if a firm that controls every aspect of your life, that can hear every word you say, does exist.
Rating:
Summary: One of Grisham's best
Review: This is a truly amazing Grisham book, full of plot twists and suspense. It's no wonder it catapulted Grisham into the bestseller arena.
The story starts out simple: Mitch McDeere is recruited into a creepy law firm situated in Memphis. They give him a high salary, a BMW, and a good mortgage. No one has ever quit this firm, which seems to be a good thing... But then Mitch realizes that people from the firm have a tendency to die, and the FBI is involved too. No spoilers, but it gets even more intense as the book goes on.
This is a great and fairly easy read. Like most Grisham books, you will find yourself hooked to this book from the start. The ending is good, and you may even find yourself re-reading it sometime in the future. You will not be disappointed with this book.
|
