Rating: Summary: Disappointing Review: I found this book to be the most disappointing of all the Grisham novels to date ( I am told THE CHAMBER was forgettable, but that is the one I have not read.) The trademark climactic courtroom scenes are absent except for some minor interesting depositions. The character development for all of the Phelan children is quite lacking. The ending was very anticlimactic. All in all, nowhere near his classics i.e. A Time to Kill or The Runaway Jury.
Rating: Summary: NOT Grisham's finest hour Review: A derraged billionaire, bickering losers buried in debt and a fanatic hiding in the ends of the world for heirs of an enormous fortune. That is the Phelan Legacy. A study in failed marriages and addictions with rabid sharks willing to go to the verge of disbarrment in exchange for a fat commision. The Piranhas were not swiming in the Pantanal River, they were backstabbing each other in the courtrooms of Washington D.C. It is a page turner all right. I could not wait to see the end of it and put this miserable story to bed. Not to mention that the end was absolutely predictable.
Rating: Summary: The Testament Review: "The Testament" is a uniquely written book. John Grisham has decifered the true meaning of life. Rachel Lane is one of the main charachters that Grisham uses to show the theme. She is a Christian who is in South America spreading her faith. Meanwhile her ligitiment father has commited suicide and left Rachel with millions of dollars. Her father's lawyer hires an ex-lawyer to find her and deliver the good news. A big suprise hits him, Rachel doesn't have any desire to have the money. Afterall money isn't everything.
Rating: Summary: The Testament Review: If you believe in yourself, you can conquer all. The theme in the book, The Testament, by John Grisham, is best expressed through the hardships and adventures of Nate Riley. Once an alcoholic, he left his wife and now works for a lawyers firm. His case is a billionaire who leaves all of his assets to his unknown daughter, a missionary in South America. Nate's assignment is to find her and give her the papers to sign. Through his adventures she leads him to know God. He overcomes a severe case of dengue fever and comes to believe in God. He believed in himself and is a better person because of it.
Rating: Summary: The Testament: Can probate law really be that interesting? Review: Can probate law really be all that interesting? With a self-discovering protagonist typical of Grisham novels and a cast of truly colorful antagonists, the answer is... almost. The novel succeeded in keeping my attention as it led our recovering alcoholic lawyer Nate through his battles with the jungles of Brazil, Dengue fever, and of course the bottle. It failed to engross me in Nate's conversion to a born-again Christian and his attempts to reconcile with his fractured family. With this personal transformation set against the backdrop of a contested multi-billion dollar will, in which the tawdry escapades of greedy heirs are wonderfully related, probate law is made marginally glamorous... but not quite. I found myself caring more about the mis-doings of the greedy heirs than about Nate's transformation to a "better" person, and I suspect that wasn't Mr. Grisham's intent.
Rating: Summary: An incredibly intense, amazing read Review: John Grisham does it again...but much better. If you don't think it is possible, then read this great book. It leads you half way around the world and back again. It takes many unexpected, but interesting turns and it keeps you guessing until the very end. Don't wait another minute!
Rating: Summary: Nice book but ...... Review: Gripping - disappointed at the end - almost an anticlimax. A great storyline for 90% of the book. The ending was very disappointing ,as if John Grisham had a dateline and had to meet it.Overall however, there was fantastic insight once again into the legal world for which laypersons have no real understanding.
Rating: Summary: overall a good read... Review: "~The Testment was a good read overall. It show's how greedy lawers get. How rich heirs act dispite their financial problems. There are a few parts of the story that can be left untold. Everyone knows buy reading the inside cover, that Nate O'Reily goes into the Amazon. Now, Grisham has been there several times, and really wants everyone to know what it was like. Fine, but, some of the details can be left out."~ happening back Stateside, and I was more interested in knowing more about what was happening there than in the Amazon.
Rating: Summary: Poorly written Review: I have read all of Grisham's books (except The Brethren) and have enjoyed his ability to build suspense and knit complex plots.That said, I absolutely did not like this book. I found it very poorly written and by far his worst book. I found the story directionless and appeared to me to be a quick write. His theme seemed two-fold: recovery from addiction and the ugliness of humanity. I confess that at times Grisham's cynicism is amusing. But I am perhaps worn out with the ugly, self-centered worlds he creates. Every character seems to have selfish motivations, but the intentionally detestable characters he creates are endless and indistinguishable. I have no problem with having colorful or even ample antagonists--it's a story-making fundamental. But when they are all shallow shells of self-servingness, it gets a bit tiring. Few of the endless characters he creates are developed, and few end up important to the conclusion. In this book, the judge is detestable, the testator is detestable, the testator's children and grandchildren are detestable, the testator's servant is detestable, the lawyers are detestable. The few characters with a moral fiber are not enough to rehabilitate this book. Perhaps John Grisham is tired of writing, or perhaps he is trying his hardest to fill an over-ambitious contract, but, whatever the reason, I strongly recommend any prosepective buyer to save his money. If you need to read it, get it at the library--I doubt you'll want to keep it.
Rating: Summary: Interesting Read - But Goes Nowhere Review: It's like Grisham didn't know how to finish the book. Thesetup for conflict was there, but nothing really happens ...Believe it or not, this book would be better if it were the first of a series. I'm not saying how it ends, but if a few twists and turns are added, the follow on would be excellent. END
|