Rating: 
Summary: A well-written story
Review: If you're expecting the usual John Grisham novel with big-city murder and action, you're half right. There's murder and action, all right, even a little sex thrown in, but it's told from the viewpoint of a 7-year old cotton farmer's son in slow-paced 1952 Arkansas. Unlike most stories set in the South, this one does not feature wrenching black-white conflict. However, the characters clearly react to their places in society, whether they're hill folk or farmers, Mexicans or Americans, Methodists or Baptists, or even fans of baseball's American or National Leagues. At its core, "A Painted House" explores themes of growing up, culture clashes, and a realization that the world isn't always going to be exactly as you think it will be. It's a well-told story, filled with characters that seem like old friends three pages after you meet them. It's a good book and a fine story; however, I wish the ending were not so abrupt and so cliche. But it's well worth that minor disappointment.
Rating: 
Summary: I can not think of a more boring book
Review: this book breaks with grisham's "formula" from his other books and, on top of that, it just stinks. a story about life on a farm in the 50s told through the eyes of a 7 year old.... when i realized that i had 9 pages left and no real story was going to develop i nearly burned the book. i read the last 9 pages and the burned it.
Rating:
Summary: Expectations, Expectations
Review: Reading through some of the other reviews of this book, I am struck by the extremes. Some give it one star, others give it four or five. I believe this is due to the expectations the reader brings with him to this book. If you expect another Grisham lawyer mystery/drama with tight action sequences you will be disappointed. If you expect a good story that is well-written you will not be disappointed. My only complaint is that the ending is abrupt and somewhat unsatisfying, although Grisham may have done this on purpose to parallel how Luke's world changed at the end.
Rating: 
Summary: A Painted House
Review: The one of the best Grisham's book I ever read. I was very disappointed when I finish it.
Rating:
Summary: Get yourself in the mood to YAWN
Review: Nothing happens. Still, an interesting picture painted of the south, and why you're happy you don't live there.
Rating:
Summary: Slowest Read Ever
Review: Go to the library to get the book. Then your only costs will be your time to obtain the book, gas to get the book, time to read the book, cost to return the book, and time to wonder why you read the book (although there is no cost for gas for doing that). If someone gives you the book - write your 'thank you' before you read it, otherwise, you'll put off writing the 'thank you' because you'll be wondering why and how to say 'thank you.'
Rating: 
Summary: Grisham has done better
Review: 'A Painted House' is a slow-moving but intriguing, semi-autobiographical story of rural America in the 1950's. The story is narrated from the viewpoint of Luke Chandler - the youngest member of a family of small-time cotton farmers - and this is the book's greatest credibility gap. The narrator is an inconsistently but ridiculously mature seven-year-old. Grisham is at great pains to draw a detailed picture of the time and place of the novel. However, readers of Grisham are drawn to his books by his ability as an entertaining story-teller and it is by this standard his novels will be inevitably judged. Grisham also has some interesting things to say about the religion of his childhood - the Southern Baptist church and its role in the life of the small town and the family. It is an often humorous but biting picture of the legalistic, "sin-for-every-occasion" approach to Christianity, set in a church community filled with petty hypocrisy, gossiping and judgmental attitudes. To stick with his Christian commitment 40 years later, John Grisham must have found a more positive Christian experience than that he portrays in 'A Painted House'. Unfortunately, this is not expressed in his latest novel. 'A Painted House' is an interesting book but Mr Grisham has done better.
Rating:
Summary: Grisham Disappoints Again
Review: I've always waited impatiently for John Grisham's next book, buying the hardback instead of waiting for the paperback release. I was very, very disappointed with this book. I found it hard reading because there basically is nothing to grab your attention, nothing to keep you avidly reading well into the wee hours of the morning. It took me 2 months to finish this book, and the only reason I finished it at all is because my husband bought the hardback and I felt guilty about not reading to the end. Perhaps John Grisham feels he's made enough money that he doesn't have to produce gripping stories anymore - or perhaps he was contracted to write so many books and is struggling storywise to fulfill his obligation. The storyline to this book was so dismal, so slow and so uninteresting - a real disappointment. This reader will wait for the paperback editions of any future Grisham books, but only after reading reviews. John, what happened?
Rating:
Summary: A Painted House
Review: Boring. Should have been a short story. It offered very little, gave very little and ended with very little.
Rating:
Summary: His best yet
Review: I just finished A Painted House, and already I am wishing for a sequel. I have loved all of Grisham's legal thrillers (except perhaps The Testament), and was disappointed when I realized this was not. But this must be his best! You don't have to grown up in the South nor picked cotton to identify with this 7-year old.
| 
