Rating:  Summary: The Chamber Review: I've read this book at least five times. I loved it. It was really sad snd i got mad alot of times because of the rasisom. It was one of the best John Grisham books that I've read and I've read all of his books. If you like ong books about history whether it's true or not I'd recomend that you read thid one it's a very emotioanl book. I think John Grisham did a good job with this one
Rating:  Summary: Good Book Review: (...)After getting(...) into the book, I found myself pitying him when I learned what he was going through. I still hated him and considered him a miserable human being, but I didn't think he deserved to die like that. To do something like this with your writing requires incredible talent, something that I believe John Grisham has. Any other author might try to make you feel compassion for an awful and racist person and it certainly wouldn't work, it would probably annoy you. I found this was certainly not true with The Chamber. I have never agreed with the Death Penalty, but that was probably jsut because I grew up in a house were people would tell me that it was wrong. Never really knowing why it was really wrong I just accepted that that was the way things were. I now really understand what's so bad about it.
Rating:  Summary: dissapointing ending to a wonderfuly written book Review: the chambe does an outstanding job of describing the life of a death row inmate. yet I was dissapointed in the lack of excitement. There were many places Grisham could've gone with the plot at the end, and as a reader I was left curious as to why the death of sam cayhall was so boring
Rating:  Summary: "And the winner is-'The Chamber'!!" Review: I had a very difficult time deciding which John Grisham book was my favorite. It was between "The Street Lawyer" and "The Chamber". "And the winner is-envelope please-'The Chamber'!!". I'll make this short and sweet-tremendous plotting, fantastic writing, and tremendously memorable characters. If you only read one John Grisham book, make it "The Chamber". I'd give this more than five stars if I could.
Rating:  Summary: thought provoking, but... Review: The Chamber is the sixth John Grisham novel I have read, and, to be honest, I was a bit disappointed, although it is generally well written and in places he poses some interesting questions.The plot is very 'linear', and there is a particular aspect of the story that seems to start to develop and then just fizzles out (I can't say more than that without spoiling the plot). I found this extremely frustrating. Furthermore, some of the characters are highly caricatured, especially David McAllister and George Nugent, and Adam himself seems almost nondescript. Aunt Lee's problems were overdone. The 'thought-provoking' aspect of the book is the way Grisham describes Sam's reactions to his impending death. For me, this is the strongest aspect of the story, and I couldn't help imagining what it must have been like to be in Sam's position. Towards the end of the book Grisham seems to suggest that Sam is a victim of his bad upbringing, and this seems to cheapen the theme of forgiveness that emerges. The idea that cold-blooded murderers could ever be seen as 'victims' is, in my view, very dangerous and naive. They can be 'forgiven', but their actions should never be 'excused'. If this story is John Grisham's attempt to preach against capital punishment then, in my view, he has failed. Yes, it is useful to be aware of the effect capital punishment has on the offender's family, and also important to understand how easily the process can be exploited by unscrupulous politicians. Grisham has raised these points, and I respect him for that. But he has failed to adequately deal with the other side of the equation - what about the victims of the crime? In this book the tragic Kramers are almost 'brushed under the carpet'. This book seems to be an attempt to address a highly complex issue by means of descriptions of subjective personal reactions, and it fails to do justice to the profound moral issues surrounding capital punishment, which affect society at large. I have not made my mind up about the issue of capital punishment, and this book, although 'food for thought', has not really swayed me in any direction. A better Grisham read would be The Rainmaker ... excellent!
Rating:  Summary: The Chamber Review: John Grisham has written many captivating novels, including The Chamber. This novel is tells of a young lawyer's fight to save his grandfather's life. Adam Hall, a rookie from Chicago, takes on the case of Sam Cayhall, a former member of the KKK who has been wrongly convicted of a bombing and sentenced to the death penalty. (...) While this is not one of John Grisham's best novels, it is well-worth reading.
Rating:  Summary: The Chamber Review: John Grisham has written many captivating novels, including The Chamber. The story is of Sam Cayhall, a KKK member who was accused and convicted of another man's crime, but is reluctant to reveal his identity for the security of his family. His lawyer is his grandson, Adam, who was completely unknown to him until four weeks before his execution. While tring to save his grandfather's life, Adam attempts to uncover all of his family history, which turns out to be a horrible display of murder, lies, and secrets. With the help of his alcoholic aunt, he learns much about his past and that of his ancestors. During the duration of the novel, Sam's pessimism, due to the lack of affection from loved ones, is terminated with the development of relationships with these individuals. This novel is is not one of John Grisham's best works, but it is well-worth reading.
Rating:  Summary: Don't make this your first Grisham Review: I've read every novel John Grisham has published to date. This one is good, but far from great. If you are looking to read your first Grisham, read Time to Kill, the Client or the Brethren. Come back to this one later. It is much better than the movie, which was a real waste of $7.
Rating:  Summary: A John LeCarreesque Crime Book Review: If you're looking for a heart pounding, spellbinding journey of ever twisting plots read another book. But, if you're willing to put your brain into high gear on a high octane adventure of thinking and rethinking your ideas on crime and punishment you must read this book. The heart of this story is the death penalty. Is it morally/legally justified? Is it neccessary? Does society benefit from it? All the usual questions and one I've yet to read about---the effects the death penalty has upon the people duty-bound to carry out the execution. This book will open up your eyes in ways you'd never imagine no matter your view point.
Rating:  Summary: The Chamber--A Closer Look At Death Row Life Review: This was a moving book- it had a hard plot. It was about death row life, and the choices that Sam Cayhall made to get there. It is also very controversial- it presents an important decision to be made within the plot about whether Sam Cayhall should be executed for his past crimes, or be allowed to live, since he was an old man and had reformed in his ways. It was not a book for people who can't take the hard reality that things do not always go as we want them to in life. I could not put this book down; it continually captured my interest through the ebbs and flows of the plot, and the surprises that unfolded throughout the story. It was detailed and painstakingly written. It presents past choices and death row life through the eyes of the inmate- Sam Cayhall. Adam Hall, who is Sam's grandson, is a lawyer, and chooses to legally represent him. Adam represents the hope that Sam will get to live. This story is an excellent example of the choices that we make in life, and the different consequences that follow them. I throughly enjoyed this book, and I recommend it to everyone who likes stories of reality, as well as a peek at the unknown stigma of death row. This was truly the best book by John Grisham that I have ever read. Grisham came through with his best once again!!!!!!
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