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Customer Review
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 April 2001
A complete departure on theme from any of John Grisham's previous novels shouldn't detract from the reading enjoyment to be gained from this, his latest book. Mr Grisham relates the events of summer 1952, in the life of Luke Chandler, a 7 year old only child in the year 1952 in rural Baptist-dominated Arkansas. From this seemingly innocent platform, Mr Grisham builds in all of the devices which contribute to a modern-day best-selling novel ; romance, sex, violence, family intrigue, religious and sporting tensions, combined with the uncertainty of outcome. In doing so, Mr Grisham has, once again, demonstrated that he has the insight and capability to conjure an imaginative tale incorporating all of the above into an entertaining and descriptive piece of modern fictional literature and with his story-telling gift, the book has all the ingredients to be another best-seller. He has written a simple, but good story with sensitivity and wit (I laughed out loud at the "shitsnake" event). Having been a "wee boy", albeit many years ago, I could relate to all the youthful pressures, aspirations, dreams , sensitivities and insensitivities experienced by Luke, the subject of the story. Mr Grisham has written a clever, touching and intriguing book and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. In some respects, it was a bit like a serious Adrian Mole, but with early rural American overtones. Having read all of his previous novels, I was pleased to find that he could remain as entertaining a novelist outside of his specialty of themes centred on the law.
