A Painted House

Rating:
Summary: I loved this book!
Review: I have only read one other John Grisham book, The Client. While I enjoyed his writing style, I wasn't too crazy about the subject matter. This book was totally different-life of a 7 year old boy on a small rural Arkansas cotton farm and the trials of his family trying to make a living. It also deals with this boy, Luke, becoming aware of things that are part of the adult world, things he is not expected to see or know about, and the secrets he keeps to save himself and help his family in their goal of bringing in the cotton. The theme of leaving innocence, growing up, and leaving behind the familiar past for the hope of a better future was very moving. I was crying at the end. I loved this book.

Rating:
Summary: Need some ZZZZZZZZZZ's
Review: I just finished reading John Grisham's latest book. Personally I really didn't care for this story. It was mundane, slow and dull. Definitely not one of his greatest works. I don't think I would recommend this book. A great book to put you to sleep.

Rating:
Summary: Thumbs Down
Review: I like metaphores as much as the next guy, er, or girl. But this has got to be one of the most boring, uninspired book I've ever read with a title that is as shallow as the depth of this story. I understand that Grisham wanted to break out of the crusty-Lawyer vs the Big Bad Businesses kind of plot-letting, but this was more than I could stand. I knew going into it that it was much more laid back, no lawyers, no courtrooms...but what I was not expecting was a narrative of a 7 year-old boy (who's too young to think about sex) living on a farm with his reletives, each of which you never really get to know very well. Crops, rain, more crops, more rain, a one-paragraph murder, an illegitimate baby. No thanks. I think I'd rather watch the "paint dry" than to read "A Painted House".

Rating:
Summary: What? No Lawyers?
Review: I love John Grisham and have read nearly every book he has written, and have enjoyed them all emensely. But this was a wonderful change of pace from the intense court dramas we have become used to. This is a refreshing change for Grisham and an absolute "can't put it down" novel. A truly delightful story as told by young boy, Luke Chandler, living on a cotton farm in Black Oak Arkansas in the early 1950's. We see through his eyes, the joys and hardships of farming, and the adventures of a boy in a small town. Highly recommended, and thank you John Grisham for a great read.

Rating:
Summary: A PAINTED HOUSE
Review: WHERE DID GRISHAM GO? I was extremely disappointed with this latest book. Enough already with Saturday outings into town, and enough already with picking cotton. The characters were dull and the events boring.

What happened to plots like the "Pelican Brief" or "A Time To Kill"? I only bought this book because I collect first editions of Grisham's novels. I didn't want to break my collection.

I wonder if Mr. Grisham has fallen asleep at the word processor. This book worked better than a sleeping pill at putting me to sleep. Hopefully the next one will keep me interested and awake.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book--
Review: I was expecting another lawyer book and was pleasantly surprised. This is an absolute page turner. A wonderful story of life on a cotton farm. I really enjoyed this book.

Rating:
Summary: His Best Work Yet
Review: This book showed the true depth of John Grisham as a writer. All of his books have been either great or very good, but they have become weaker as he writes more. Maybe it's because you can only read about the courtroom and the young lawyer who saves the day so many times. With A Painted House, Grisham breaks through with a fresh story, something new and fascinating that puts him over the edge. He is no longer just the best courtroom thriller writer in the business, now he is one of the best writers in the business. I don't want to see him completely abandon the courtroom drama, but I'd like to see him explore other avenues as he did in A Painted House. I truly believe this is his best work yet and I loved every page of it.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: Wonderful writing..thank you!

Rating:
Summary: ZZZZZZZZZ
Review: I can review this book in one word - BORING!!!! About one hundred pages into it and it's all I can do to keep reading. I'll finish it, but it won't be easy. For all the reviewers who liked this book and call it his best, this book can't hold a flame to A Time To Kill. There's nothing in this story to hold your attention. It's like lying under a hot summer sun. Ten minutes and you're falling asleep.

Rating:
Summary: a painted house
Review: a few years ago, we started listening to books on tape while we traveled. there doesn't seem to be enough time with busy schedules to just sit down and read. we recently took a trip and a painted house to listen to along the way. our travel time didn't last as long as there were tapes to listen to. this book was so captivating that we could not stop thinking about it and how it would end. my husband listened to it during the day when he was driving and i listened to it at night. we enjoyed it more than any book we have listened to so far. i hope there is more to come. thank you for such a sweet story.