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Jake Brigance #1
Die Jury
Ein zehnjähriges Mädchen wird brutal mißhandelt und vergewaltigt. Ihr Vater, Carl Lee Hailey, übt Selbstjustiz und tötet die geständigen Täter, als sie nach einer ersten Anhörung den Gerichtssaal verlassen.
Mord oder Hinrichtung? Gerechtigkeit oder Rache? Hailey wird vor Gericht gestellt. Staatsanwalt und Richter sind weiß, Hailey ist schwarz...
Mord oder Hinrichtung? Gerechtigkeit oder Rache? Hailey wird vor Gericht gestellt. Staatsanwalt und Richter sind weiß, Hailey ist schwarz...
620 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
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235507 people want to read
About the author
John Grisham
492 books90.2k followersJohn Grisham is the author of more than fifty consecutive #1 bestsellers, which have been translated into nearly fifty languages. His recent books include Framed, Camino Ghosts and The Exchange: After the Firm.
Grisham is a two-time winner of the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction and was honored with the Library of Congress Creative Achievement Award for Fiction.
When he's not writing, Grisham serves on the board of directors of the Innocence Project and of Centurion Ministries, two national organizations dedicated to exonerating those who have been wrongfully convicted. Much of his fiction explores deep-seated problems in our criminal justice system.
John lives on a farm in central Virginia.
Grisham is a two-time winner of the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction and was honored with the Library of Congress Creative Achievement Award for Fiction.
When he's not writing, Grisham serves on the board of directors of the Innocence Project and of Centurion Ministries, two national organizations dedicated to exonerating those who have been wrongfully convicted. Much of his fiction explores deep-seated problems in our criminal justice system.
John lives on a farm in central Virginia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 7,906 reviews
March 8, 2012
Considered Grisham's best novel by many readers far more perspicacious than moi, this well-written, emotionally-charged thriller certainly delivers. While it doesn't rank as my eye's own personal apple, I can certainly see why it is esteemed by fans of both the legal-thriller and Grisham.
Despite being fast-paced and a true page-turner (what I would call a popcorn-read), there's a gravity and social conscience that pervades the story and adds a weight to the narrative. There is depth here, more than I expected.
Setting aside for the moment my gripes over some of the language used in the book (one vulgarity in particular), Grisham does a nice job of capturing the setting and providing an authentic feel and voice to his characters. Overall, a satisfying read that held my attention throughout.
PLOT SUMMARY:
Despite its brisky pace, Grisham’s Mississippi-based legal thriller deals with some tough, serious issues (e.g., race-relations, vigilantism and “justice versus lawful”). The plot centers on the trial of a poor black father who murders the two white shit stains who raped, tortured and brutalized his 10 year-old daughter. The crime and the subsequent trial triggers a firestorm of racial tension as factions on both sides become vocal and volatile.
From the opening pages that describe the brutal rape (which was gut-wrenching in the extreme to experience, especially as a dad) through the final reading of the verdict, Grisham drives the narrative effortlessly and keeps the reader hooked and engaged. His story-telling is excellent.
THOUGHTS:
However...
...now that I have both seen the movie version and read the book, my final verdict is that the film is both more enjoyable and the higher quality product of the two. I say this despite the fact that the movie is arguably the “sweatiest” most lathery film in American history and my wife and I crack up about that every time we see it.
Those pictures don’t do credit to the muggy, perspiration-overload of the real thing, but if you haven’t seen it, trust me…the movie dripped sudor from every pore like a hooker in church. Words like sheen and glistening are too understated. It was more like the actors showered, got dressed without drying off, walked through a “mister” and then wiped down with a moist towelette before every...single...scene.
Now, not everyone was complaining about the drenchiness since it was Matthew McConaughey, Sam “it’s the one that says Bad MF” Jackson, Ashley Judd and Sandra Bullock doing the sweating, but still...hilarious and a bit distracting.
BOOK GRIPES:
Keep in mind that I liked the book, so my gripes below really point towards why I didn't rate the book higher than 3 stars.
1. Too much fluff: When you can take a 528 page book and condense it into a 2+ hour movie that captures perfectly the essence of the story and manages to be even more emotionally powerful, it indicates that the novel was a little thin in the story department. This is the case here. While the expanded story and segues are interesting, the central plot contained too much unnecessariness that could’ve been easily discarded without touching the heart of the story...as the filmmakers did.
2. Excessive use of "N" word: Given that the novel is set in 1984, I had a real problem with the significant use of the “N” word* in the story.
*(No, South Park fans, I am not referring to “nagger.”).
Had this been set in the 50’s or 60’s, I would have seen it as a product of the times and swallowed my uncomfortableness. However, it just seems odd that as late as 1984, the word (and the frame of mind that goes with it) would be used so casually and regularly. Given that Grisham is from the South and went to school in Mississippi, he may be spot on with his characterization, and he probably is. If true, this is just very, very sad. Still, its constant use grated on me and I thought the movie did a much better job with the dialogue. This is coming from someone who does not normally favor filtering words through the PC processor.
3. The Main Character: Jake Brigance is not nearly as likeable in the book as he in the movie and I found it hard to engage with him. Now I think we can all agree that Matt McConaughey is not exactly a high level thespian.
However, he did bring the right tone to this role and I found myself comparing the novel’s version unfavorably.
4. The Ending: Again, I liked the movie version so, so, so much better. While the main outcome is the same, I really liked the way the movie handled the climactic closing argument and was disappointed in the novels path to the verdict. I also really enjoyed the last scene in the movie where Jake and his family go to a barbeque at Carl Lee’s house where their two daughters can play. I thought it was perfect.
Okay, so enough griping. I thought the book was good. I thought the movie was very good. If you've seen the movie, I don't think you are missing much by skipping the book. However, if you haven't seen the film, I would recommend reading the book first and then watching the adaptation. I think you will enjoy both.
3.0 stars. Recommended.
Despite being fast-paced and a true page-turner (what I would call a popcorn-read), there's a gravity and social conscience that pervades the story and adds a weight to the narrative. There is depth here, more than I expected.
Setting aside for the moment my gripes over some of the language used in the book (one vulgarity in particular), Grisham does a nice job of capturing the setting and providing an authentic feel and voice to his characters. Overall, a satisfying read that held my attention throughout.
PLOT SUMMARY:
Despite its brisky pace, Grisham’s Mississippi-based legal thriller deals with some tough, serious issues (e.g., race-relations, vigilantism and “justice versus lawful”). The plot centers on the trial of a poor black father who murders the two white shit stains who raped, tortured and brutalized his 10 year-old daughter. The crime and the subsequent trial triggers a firestorm of racial tension as factions on both sides become vocal and volatile.
From the opening pages that describe the brutal rape (which was gut-wrenching in the extreme to experience, especially as a dad) through the final reading of the verdict, Grisham drives the narrative effortlessly and keeps the reader hooked and engaged. His story-telling is excellent.
THOUGHTS:
However...
...now that I have both seen the movie version and read the book, my final verdict is that the film is both more enjoyable and the higher quality product of the two. I say this despite the fact that the movie is arguably the “sweatiest” most lathery film in American history and my wife and I crack up about that every time we see it.
Those pictures don’t do credit to the muggy, perspiration-overload of the real thing, but if you haven’t seen it, trust me…the movie dripped sudor from every pore like a hooker in church. Words like sheen and glistening are too understated. It was more like the actors showered, got dressed without drying off, walked through a “mister” and then wiped down with a moist towelette before every...single...scene.
Now, not everyone was complaining about the drenchiness since it was Matthew McConaughey, Sam “it’s the one that says Bad MF” Jackson, Ashley Judd and Sandra Bullock doing the sweating, but still...hilarious and a bit distracting.
BOOK GRIPES:
Keep in mind that I liked the book, so my gripes below really point towards why I didn't rate the book higher than 3 stars.
1. Too much fluff: When you can take a 528 page book and condense it into a 2+ hour movie that captures perfectly the essence of the story and manages to be even more emotionally powerful, it indicates that the novel was a little thin in the story department. This is the case here. While the expanded story and segues are interesting, the central plot contained too much unnecessariness that could’ve been easily discarded without touching the heart of the story...as the filmmakers did.
2. Excessive use of "N" word: Given that the novel is set in 1984, I had a real problem with the significant use of the “N” word* in the story.
*(No, South Park fans, I am not referring to “nagger.”).
Had this been set in the 50’s or 60’s, I would have seen it as a product of the times and swallowed my uncomfortableness. However, it just seems odd that as late as 1984, the word (and the frame of mind that goes with it) would be used so casually and regularly. Given that Grisham is from the South and went to school in Mississippi, he may be spot on with his characterization, and he probably is. If true, this is just very, very sad. Still, its constant use grated on me and I thought the movie did a much better job with the dialogue. This is coming from someone who does not normally favor filtering words through the PC processor.
3. The Main Character: Jake Brigance is not nearly as likeable in the book as he in the movie and I found it hard to engage with him. Now I think we can all agree that Matt McConaughey is not exactly a high level thespian.
However, he did bring the right tone to this role and I found myself comparing the novel’s version unfavorably.
4. The Ending: Again, I liked the movie version so, so, so much better. While the main outcome is the same, I really liked the way the movie handled the climactic closing argument and was disappointed in the novels path to the verdict. I also really enjoyed the last scene in the movie where Jake and his family go to a barbeque at Carl Lee’s house where their two daughters can play. I thought it was perfect.
Okay, so enough griping. I thought the book was good. I thought the movie was very good. If you've seen the movie, I don't think you are missing much by skipping the book. However, if you haven't seen the film, I would recommend reading the book first and then watching the adaptation. I think you will enjoy both.
3.0 stars. Recommended.
October 19, 2018
This 1988 first Grisham novel is outstanding. 10 of 10 stars!
May 7, 2024
Black man, Carl Lee Hailey's daughter is savagely assaulted, tortured and left for dead by two racist men. His daughter was 10 years old. There's no doubt in Carl's mind that this is a time to kill. The entire State of Mississippi is hooked on the trial of Carl Lee Hailey. The town of Clanton, Mississippi where the crimes took place is focus point of the book as race politics and pure politic all get caught up in this murder trial of the century.
This is truly an unforgettable debut, and plainly shows how Grisham's appeal acquired many from the off. A story that's almost documentary in feel with its third person omnipotent narration and oddly dispassionate view of the some of the vicious crimes that take place in this book. What I love about this book, and it does it so well, (and history has proven many times), is that there are no good or well-meaning racists. It exposes the KKK and racists' viewpoint that they'd even support White child rapists over a Black Man. The chapter by chapter story is captivating with the Black Man being defended by a typical Southern man, just one that believes in justice. At times a hard read, be warned. A strong 8 out of 12, Four Star read.
2024 read
This is truly an unforgettable debut, and plainly shows how Grisham's appeal acquired many from the off. A story that's almost documentary in feel with its third person omnipotent narration and oddly dispassionate view of the some of the vicious crimes that take place in this book. What I love about this book, and it does it so well, (and history has proven many times), is that there are no good or well-meaning racists. It exposes the KKK and racists' viewpoint that they'd even support White child rapists over a Black Man. The chapter by chapter story is captivating with the Black Man being defended by a typical Southern man, just one that believes in justice. At times a hard read, be warned. A strong 8 out of 12, Four Star read.
2024 read
April 21, 2020
Original Mid-90s Star Only Review – 5 Stars
Re-Read in 2020 Review – 4 Stars
You will notice a drop in the stars above, but you can take that with a grain of salt. It is still a great book that will pull you in and not let go. If you are familiar with Grisham’s work, this is where it all began, and I think some consider it mainly downhill from here. Not necessarily a big downhill – but it sure does seem in some aspects like he was at the top of his game for his first few novels. He mentioned in his forward that this one almost did not get published, but the success of The Firm helped generate interest, and I am very glad it did.
This is not an easy book to read, but fiction based on hard truths never is. There is very graphic and shocking sexual assault and racism. So, while they add to a powerful story, some may find it difficult to read. Knowing this, be sure to proceed with caution!
The reason for the slight downturn in stars for me is that it just didn’t feel as smooth to me as I remembered. Maybe I was looking at an old favorite through rose-colored glassed before I re-read. The thought that kept going through my head, especially after reading the forward and seeing that it almost didn’t get published, is that it felt like it was a bit rough with a lot of coincidences, drawn out scenes followed by rushed scenes, etc. Nothing that was severe enough t ruin the experience, but enough that it was noticeable to me.
If you are a Grisham fan, it is likely that you already read this. If you are a Grisham fan and you haven’t read this, I am actually not really sure you can call yourself a Grisham fan! So, you should remedy that right away!
Re-Read in 2020 Review – 4 Stars
You will notice a drop in the stars above, but you can take that with a grain of salt. It is still a great book that will pull you in and not let go. If you are familiar with Grisham’s work, this is where it all began, and I think some consider it mainly downhill from here. Not necessarily a big downhill – but it sure does seem in some aspects like he was at the top of his game for his first few novels. He mentioned in his forward that this one almost did not get published, but the success of The Firm helped generate interest, and I am very glad it did.
This is not an easy book to read, but fiction based on hard truths never is. There is very graphic and shocking sexual assault and racism. So, while they add to a powerful story, some may find it difficult to read. Knowing this, be sure to proceed with caution!
The reason for the slight downturn in stars for me is that it just didn’t feel as smooth to me as I remembered. Maybe I was looking at an old favorite through rose-colored glassed before I re-read. The thought that kept going through my head, especially after reading the forward and seeing that it almost didn’t get published, is that it felt like it was a bit rough with a lot of coincidences, drawn out scenes followed by rushed scenes, etc. Nothing that was severe enough t ruin the experience, but enough that it was noticeable to me.
If you are a Grisham fan, it is likely that you already read this. If you are a Grisham fan and you haven’t read this, I am actually not really sure you can call yourself a Grisham fan! So, you should remedy that right away!
October 2, 2020
This one was really good. Hard to believe it was John Grisham first novel. This is a legal thriller and much more. The story took place in Mississippi. Two rednecks rape a ten year old black girl. Her father shot them dead in front of the courthouse and Jake Brigance is the criminal defense attorney who represented him.
I read Sycamore Row a while back but didn't know it was second in the series. The third book, A Time for Mercy will be released on Oct 13th, 2020.
I really like this book although it drags a little at times. Audio was great despite the info said Michael Beck is the narrator I think it was Grover Gardner (The Stand - Stephen King, Andy Carpenter series).
I read Sycamore Row a while back but didn't know it was second in the series. The third book, A Time for Mercy will be released on Oct 13th, 2020.
I really like this book although it drags a little at times. Audio was great despite the info said Michael Beck is the narrator I think it was Grover Gardner (The Stand - Stephen King, Andy Carpenter series).
December 12, 2022
*ليس حراً من يهان أمامه انسان ولايشعر بالإهانة *
و لكن هل نحارب النار بالنار ام بالماء؟
لا أصدق حقا ان هذه الرواية القاسية ستظل قصة كل يوم و كل عصر و كل ألفية
و لكن هل نحارب النار بالنار ام بالماء؟
لا أصدق حقا ان هذه الرواية القاسية ستظل قصة كل يوم و كل عصر و كل ألفية
November 19, 2024
"A Time to Kill" is a riveting story of retribution and justice ... so does the title imply. Replace riveting by frustrating and you know what I felt while reading this doorstopper of a book.
On more than 500 pages, John Grisham delves deep into the schemes and entanglements of a trial in the Southern USA. The premise was so interesting that it was impossible not to pick this book up: A ten-year-old girl is raped by two drunken men, and her father takes the law into his own hands by killing the rapists of his daughter. The major problem in this case: The girl and her father are black, and the two rapists are white. If there is one thing Grisham manages to implement perfectly in his story, then it is the exploration of arguments about why the father should be sentenced to death or declared innocent as a result of the circumstances. The reader always bears in his mind how the jury would be reacting in case the roles were reversed - if two black men had raped a white girl of ten years -, but the fact that acquitting the father of his crime would encourage many other people to commit self-administered justice too also needs to be taken into account.
Might this premise deliver storytelling material for so many pages? Yes, it might. Only ... it didn't. Shortly afterGary Su Jake Brigance assumed his duty of defending his client, the novel drifted away into long-winded, boring and insignificant rambling. Many people claim this story to be very realistic for how the situation for black people in Mississippi during the 1980's was like. I have never lived there, so I have no idea how real it really was, but the way Jake Brigance acted and behaved definitely did not feel realistic to me. Because who doesn't get royally dunk three days before an important trial? Never before have I been that frustrated by a protagonist who behaved like an asshole towards his wife and just about everyone else he encountered, but was still portrayed like the absolute hero. Throw an incapable prosecutor into the game to make Brigance's light shine even brighter, and you have the perfect Grisham version of Fleming's James Bond.
And let's not even address the lack of emotions during the entire novel. You might think that a ten-year-old girl being raped by two drunken men will leave you feeling sorry for her and her family, on the edge of shedding tears? I have to disappoint you, because Grisham's writing deprives every single emotion from every potentially touching scene. You never know how a character feels inside his soul, because Grisham only tells, only allows his reader to guess what his characters might feel at this very moment.
1.5 stars, roundedup due to the interesting premise and the very relevant topic down due to me reconsidering the relevance of the rating system Goodreads suggests (1 star equaling "didn't like it").
Also, just to clarify things a bit: I didn't dislike the story; the plot was extremely interesting to me and had so much potential, must of which was explored vividly in a very tight and well-structured novel. I also really liked the film adaptation; it may not be a masterpiece, but it's a very well-adapted movie. My main source of frustration is the writing, so in the end I guess I just can't get into John Grisham's writing style, even though I would appreciate the contents of his novels.
On more than 500 pages, John Grisham delves deep into the schemes and entanglements of a trial in the Southern USA. The premise was so interesting that it was impossible not to pick this book up: A ten-year-old girl is raped by two drunken men, and her father takes the law into his own hands by killing the rapists of his daughter. The major problem in this case: The girl and her father are black, and the two rapists are white. If there is one thing Grisham manages to implement perfectly in his story, then it is the exploration of arguments about why the father should be sentenced to death or declared innocent as a result of the circumstances. The reader always bears in his mind how the jury would be reacting in case the roles were reversed - if two black men had raped a white girl of ten years -, but the fact that acquitting the father of his crime would encourage many other people to commit self-administered justice too also needs to be taken into account.
Might this premise deliver storytelling material for so many pages? Yes, it might. Only ... it didn't. Shortly after
And let's not even address the lack of emotions during the entire novel. You might think that a ten-year-old girl being raped by two drunken men will leave you feeling sorry for her and her family, on the edge of shedding tears? I have to disappoint you, because Grisham's writing deprives every single emotion from every potentially touching scene. You never know how a character feels inside his soul, because Grisham only tells, only allows his reader to guess what his characters might feel at this very moment.
1.5 stars, rounded
Also, just to clarify things a bit: I didn't dislike the story; the plot was extremely interesting to me and had so much potential, must of which was explored vividly in a very tight and well-structured novel. I also really liked the film adaptation; it may not be a masterpiece, but it's a very well-adapted movie. My main source of frustration is the writing, so in the end I guess I just can't get into John Grisham's writing style, even though I would appreciate the contents of his novels.
May 27, 2020
This is my first John Grisham book, I am embarrassed to admit. I felt like I was in Clanton, Mississippi reliving this gruesome murder. His writing and knowledge on the law system is pretty amazing to read. Makes you realize all the politics and behind the door negotiations going on.
This is a story of two pothead white trash drug dealers that rape a 10-year-old black girl. They urinate on her, tie her legs and hands to a fence and tree, beat her, pour beer on her while she is calling for her daddy to save her. This is not a spoiler.
Now what happens when black daddy is pissed at the system and takes these two white guys into his own hands? Will the color of his skin get him convicted in KKK town or will the jury understand that he was a loving angry father? (I personally rooted for Carl Lee. Sometimes our system just fails us and we want to be the vigilante except Carl Lee actually had the balls to do it)
"At eleven-fifteen it rang again, and Jake received his first death threat, anonymous of course. He was called a nigger-loving son of a bitch, one who would not live if the nigger walked." (pg. 85)
This is a story of two pothead white trash drug dealers that rape a 10-year-old black girl. They urinate on her, tie her legs and hands to a fence and tree, beat her, pour beer on her while she is calling for her daddy to save her. This is not a spoiler.
Now what happens when black daddy is pissed at the system and takes these two white guys into his own hands? Will the color of his skin get him convicted in KKK town or will the jury understand that he was a loving angry father? (I personally rooted for Carl Lee. Sometimes our system just fails us and we want to be the vigilante except Carl Lee actually had the balls to do it)
"At eleven-fifteen it rang again, and Jake received his first death threat, anonymous of course. He was called a nigger-loving son of a bitch, one who would not live if the nigger walked." (pg. 85)
October 2, 2019
2.5 stars. One of my least favorites of Grisham's books, and that's saying something. Actually I kind of liked The Pelican Brief and one or two of his others, but mostly they strike me as mediocre writing combined, more often than not, with pulpit-pounding and breast-beating about some particular legal issue.
In this case the setting is a murder trial for a African-American man who gunned down his 10 year old daughter's rapists, who are stereotypical Southern white trash racists who tried to murder this little girl and left her for dead. The legal question is whether jury nullification is sometimes justified, since the father's defense lawyer, Jake Brigance - having no other legal options - is trying to convince the jury to find the father not guilty by reason of temporary insanity. Grisham, as par for the course, loads the dice on that issue. (Biggest clue: the KKK getting involved.)
I've only read as many of Grisham's books as I have because my father-in-law (another voracious reader) thought that because I was a lawyer I would automatically like Grisham's books, so I regularly received them from him as birthday and Christmas presents. I never had the heart to tell him I'd prefer another author. My FIL is gone now, may he rest in peace, so no more Grisham for me.
In this case the setting is a murder trial for a African-American man who gunned down his 10 year old daughter's rapists, who are stereotypical Southern white trash racists who tried to murder this little girl and left her for dead. The legal question is whether jury nullification is sometimes justified, since the father's defense lawyer, Jake Brigance - having no other legal options - is trying to convince the jury to find the father not guilty by reason of temporary insanity. Grisham, as par for the course, loads the dice on that issue. (Biggest clue: the KKK getting involved.)
I've only read as many of Grisham's books as I have because my father-in-law (another voracious reader) thought that because I was a lawyer I would automatically like Grisham's books, so I regularly received them from him as birthday and Christmas presents. I never had the heart to tell him I'd prefer another author. My FIL is gone now, may he rest in peace, so no more Grisham for me.
July 10, 2022
Clanton Mississippi, the life of ten year old, African-American, Tonya Hailey has been shattered by James "Pete" Willard and Billy Ray Cobb, two white, drunk and remorseless young men. The town which is mostly white reacts with shock and horror at the crime. Until Carl-Lee Haley, Tonya's father takes matters into his own hands and murders the two men who violently raped and beat his daughter. For ten days burning crosses and the crack of sniper fire take over the streets of Clanton, as young defense attorney Jake Brigance struggles to save his client's life, and maybe his own as well. I have watched the movie several times and highly recommend both as each will stir up emotions. The book is a great legal thriller and still one of my favorite books. Five big stars.
September 15, 2020
This was John Grisham' s very first book.He dreamed of getting it published,and went through innumerable rejections.It was largely ignored,when it was first published.Grisham was inspired by an actual court room case to write it.
It is about rape,retribution and racial violence,in the American South.A young black girl is raped,and her outraged father takes justice into his own hands.A young defence attorney tries to save his life,only to find himself in danger.And then comes all that racial violence,which resembles what has been happening recently in the US.
It is a first book,and it rambles.
At over 500 pages,it is too lengthy.This story could have been told so much better in half the number of pages,or even less.
It is about rape,retribution and racial violence,in the American South.A young black girl is raped,and her outraged father takes justice into his own hands.A young defence attorney tries to save his life,only to find himself in danger.And then comes all that racial violence,which resembles what has been happening recently in the US.
It is a first book,and it rambles.
At over 500 pages,it is too lengthy.This story could have been told so much better in half the number of pages,or even less.
August 22, 2022
What a rollercoaster of a book! Unlike many other courtroom dramas, a lot of the action takes place outside the infamous four walls. At no point did I feel like I was waiting for the court proceedings to start. There was so much going on all times thanks to the KKK. It's scary to think that group had so much power. No race was safe from their fury.
The only thing more heated than the KKK opposing the blacks was the rivalry between Jake and the prosecutor. They were both motivated by the possibility of furthering their career by winning the largest case to date. The tension was there all throughout. The judge filled the role of peacemaker and I thought he did a fantastic job with all things considered.
The only thing more heated than the KKK opposing the blacks was the rivalry between Jake and the prosecutor. They were both motivated by the possibility of furthering their career by winning the largest case to date. The tension was there all throughout. The judge filled the role of peacemaker and I thought he did a fantastic job with all things considered.
May 18, 2012
I confess that when one of my book clubs made this our monthly selection, I approached it with more than a little trepidation. I knew that this was Grisham's first book and that when it was first published as a hardcover, he could hardly give it away. Sales were so poor that there was initially no paperback release. Only after the success of The Firm and other of Grisham's books was this one finally resurrected and released in paperback.
Like most of Grisham's other readers, I jumped aboard the train with The Firm and never looked back. Though I've enjoyed most of his later books, I simply took it for granted that this first effort was probably his "practice" novel, that it was not very good, and hence the poor sales. I further assumed that his publisher, anxious to milk the Grisham brand for all it was worth, only finally published A Time to Kill in paper simply to cash in. Accordingly, I've avoided it all these years until I was finally forced to read it.
I'm very happy that I was. The book turned out to be a gripping story with better-defined characters and a much more interesting setting than many of Grisham's later books. In fact, it may be one of his best.
The tiny town of Clanton, Mississippi, is shocked when two drunk and drug-addled thugs viciously assault a ten-year-old girl, failing to kill her only because they could not find a bridge from which to throw the child. The two are quickly arrested and charged with various crimes related to the attack, when the girl's father, a decorated Vietnam vet, takes the law into his own hands and kills the men who so gruesomely violated his daughter.
The father hires a young, up-and-coming lawyer named Jake Brigance to represent him. But this is Mississippi and the case is complicated by the fact that the victim and her father are black while the two dead thugs were white. The population of the town is evenly divided between blacks and whites and, while most people irrespective of race, condemn the actions of the two thugs, they are divided, mostly along racial lines, over the issue of whether the father should be convicted of premeditated murder or be given a medal for ridding the town of the two scumbags.
Grisham plays fair with both sides, and it's clear that he knows very well the setting, the people and the dynamics of the situation. There are a number of great characters in this novel and very few of them are pure of heart. These are much more complex characters than those usually served up in books like this, and the story grabs you from the start. It also raises a lot of thought-provoking questions. It's a great read, and I'm only sorry that it took me so long to get to it.
Like most of Grisham's other readers, I jumped aboard the train with The Firm and never looked back. Though I've enjoyed most of his later books, I simply took it for granted that this first effort was probably his "practice" novel, that it was not very good, and hence the poor sales. I further assumed that his publisher, anxious to milk the Grisham brand for all it was worth, only finally published A Time to Kill in paper simply to cash in. Accordingly, I've avoided it all these years until I was finally forced to read it.
I'm very happy that I was. The book turned out to be a gripping story with better-defined characters and a much more interesting setting than many of Grisham's later books. In fact, it may be one of his best.
The tiny town of Clanton, Mississippi, is shocked when two drunk and drug-addled thugs viciously assault a ten-year-old girl, failing to kill her only because they could not find a bridge from which to throw the child. The two are quickly arrested and charged with various crimes related to the attack, when the girl's father, a decorated Vietnam vet, takes the law into his own hands and kills the men who so gruesomely violated his daughter.
The father hires a young, up-and-coming lawyer named Jake Brigance to represent him. But this is Mississippi and the case is complicated by the fact that the victim and her father are black while the two dead thugs were white. The population of the town is evenly divided between blacks and whites and, while most people irrespective of race, condemn the actions of the two thugs, they are divided, mostly along racial lines, over the issue of whether the father should be convicted of premeditated murder or be given a medal for ridding the town of the two scumbags.
Grisham plays fair with both sides, and it's clear that he knows very well the setting, the people and the dynamics of the situation. There are a number of great characters in this novel and very few of them are pure of heart. These are much more complex characters than those usually served up in books like this, and the story grabs you from the start. It also raises a lot of thought-provoking questions. It's a great read, and I'm only sorry that it took me so long to get to it.
October 1, 2020
A courtroom thriller published 1989
This is John Grisham’s first novel but not his first published.
The setting is in Mississippi where, even in 1989, the divide between the white and the black communities was still very obvious. And guess what, here we are 41 years later and what’s changed, not much it would seem.
A little ten year old black girl is brutally raped and beaten. She is found and taken to the hospital where the doctors put her back together physically but her emotional condition is not so easily fixed. When the doctors tell the family that she will heal but she will never be able to have children of her own her daddy swears he will make the monsters that did this pay and pay dearly.
Two men, both white, are soon caught and charged with the crime. But this is a predominantly white town and the chances that they will get what they deserve is remote.
To make sure that justice is truly served Carl Lee, the father, decides to take the law into his own hands and shoot the accused men. This he does and by the time he was finished they were both well and truly dead.
Carl Lee is of course charged with murder on two accounts.
Enter Jack Brigance, a young white lawyer and the man charged with getting Carl Lee acquitted of the charge of murder.
What follows is courtroom thriller with racially fuelled violence from both sides of the racial divide.
I enjoyed this book although I found it to be overly long and suffered from a bit too much irrelevant information. But over all an entertaining read.
A 4 stars recommendation
This is John Grisham’s first novel but not his first published.
The setting is in Mississippi where, even in 1989, the divide between the white and the black communities was still very obvious. And guess what, here we are 41 years later and what’s changed, not much it would seem.
A little ten year old black girl is brutally raped and beaten. She is found and taken to the hospital where the doctors put her back together physically but her emotional condition is not so easily fixed. When the doctors tell the family that she will heal but she will never be able to have children of her own her daddy swears he will make the monsters that did this pay and pay dearly.
Two men, both white, are soon caught and charged with the crime. But this is a predominantly white town and the chances that they will get what they deserve is remote.
To make sure that justice is truly served Carl Lee, the father, decides to take the law into his own hands and shoot the accused men. This he does and by the time he was finished they were both well and truly dead.
Carl Lee is of course charged with murder on two accounts.
Enter Jack Brigance, a young white lawyer and the man charged with getting Carl Lee acquitted of the charge of murder.
What follows is courtroom thriller with racially fuelled violence from both sides of the racial divide.
I enjoyed this book although I found it to be overly long and suffered from a bit too much irrelevant information. But over all an entertaining read.
A 4 stars recommendation
October 28, 2020
This was the very first Grisham book I read - loved it!
Brought back memories of To Kill a Mockingbird.
I read this author's next few books, but after a while, his books stopped appealing to me.
This one had me glued to each page, swept away by the gripping action and the hero's determination to defend his client come what may - and boy, did he and his family pay a big price for his unwillingness to back away from his client. Hats off to him! A truly heroic lawyer in the image of Atticus Finch.
Brought back memories of To Kill a Mockingbird.
I read this author's next few books, but after a while, his books stopped appealing to me.
This one had me glued to each page, swept away by the gripping action and the hero's determination to defend his client come what may - and boy, did he and his family pay a big price for his unwillingness to back away from his client. Hats off to him! A truly heroic lawyer in the image of Atticus Finch.
March 7, 2022
Were the '80's really this racist? Well the vernacular of this book is and thus I suspect the state of Mississippi. I looked up racism in Mississippi and apparently it's one of, if not the most racist states in the union if not the most racist place in the entire northern hemisphere.
This story makes a huge declaration on the social injustices that are propagated by systemic racism. It is at times difficult to read and the use of the n-word is prevalent throughout the story.
The story itself is a typical "legal thriller" with the lawyer fighting against great odds, though this one also deals with the KKK and their totally ignorant yet somehow popular attitude in this part of the United States.
The story is pretty good though however and unfortunately the character development is not very strong and there are in my opinion, a lot of unanswered situational occurrences which creates a lack of real enthusiasm for these side nuances (sub plots). However, this was john Grisham's first novel so I have to give him credit for that.
3 to 3 1/2stars.
This story makes a huge declaration on the social injustices that are propagated by systemic racism. It is at times difficult to read and the use of the n-word is prevalent throughout the story.
The story itself is a typical "legal thriller" with the lawyer fighting against great odds, though this one also deals with the KKK and their totally ignorant yet somehow popular attitude in this part of the United States.
The story is pretty good though however and unfortunately the character development is not very strong and there are in my opinion, a lot of unanswered situational occurrences which creates a lack of real enthusiasm for these side nuances (sub plots). However, this was john Grisham's first novel so I have to give him credit for that.
3 to 3 1/2stars.
October 24, 2017
This book totally rocked my world! I had asked for a legal thriller as a recommendation and I'm glad to have this one suggested! The racial tension in this story felt as real as it did in To Kill A Mockingbird. I felt I was right there in Clanton, Mississippi trying to dodge the KKK and marching with everyone else. This is my first Grisham novel, and I'll definitely be exploring more!
March 30, 2016
Read when it first came out. I really ought to reread this prior to reading Sycamore Row. I remember being captivated with the story of Jake Brigance but I details are sketchy at best at this time. Seems like a summer reread is on the horizon.
May 12, 2014
Before returning to Clanton Mississippi and Ford County, I took some time to refresh myself of my first journey here, to see where the Grisham journey had its humble roots. While it is likely this novel is not the traditional 'must-read' before diving into SYCAMORE ROW, I chose to remember the powerful novel that Grisham admits barely made a blip on the radar until after THE FIRM pushed him to the top of all the reading lists. This is a wonderful book that introduces readers to a Mississippi where desegregation is no more than a word in the dictionary. When the brutal rape of a 10 year old black girl makes small ripples amongst the vast majority of Ford County's white population, the townsfolk continue with life as usual, leaving the black population to mourn the injustice. All, that is, but Carl-Lee Haley, father of the victim. The two white men accused of the rape are charged and the legal process begins its slow march. When Haley takes things into his own hands and shoots both men while they are in the courthouse, the ripples turn to tidal waves, dividing the town along racial lines. After Jake Brigance, town lawyer and admitted liberal, agrees to take the case, all eyes are on him and how he will argue a case that appears cut and dry. Using an insanity angle, Brigance tries to sway popular opinion in a county where black rights are all but nil. This small county soon has the eyes of the entire country as support on both sides heightens. It is only when the Klan begin enacting their own form of justice that violence and retribution stain the Mississippi legal process. Brigance begins building a defence, using the meagre $900 offered to him while his family chooses to protect themselves when he refuses to follow. Using an odd patchwork legal team whose interest in the case outweighs their desire for payment, Brigance brings the case forward. Before a jury of his peers, Haley is presented as a grieving father and man whose mind was completely altered by the acts of two drug addicts. As the city is torn apart, Brigance can only hope that justice is truly colour-blind in the racist south. Grisham planted the seed of legal literary excellence with this novel and it should be required reading for the legal thriller fanatic.
Grisham does so much in this novel on so many levels. From addressing the ne'er-spoken race divide in the South as it relates to legal equity to the nuances of courtroom thrillers for which he will become famous, to the formulaic storyline of the lawyer swimming against the tide on the side of justice all issues come out front and centre throughout the novel. Grisham tackles all these as a complete unknown in the literary field and does not stray away from strong social commentary throughout. While I will admit my mind flashed to the wonderfully done film based on the novel throughout the reading, I could see and feel the characters develop on the page and take life. Without throwing punches, Grisham dispels the rumours that desegregation stopped the race riots and that all is well throughout the country. Speaking about what he knows best--the law and Mississippi--Grisham brings the reader into the fold and captures them with riveting narration, stellar legal description, and a set of characters whose perfection within the story has them fit like the proverbial glove. This was surely the novel that got the Grisham craze started and, to me, proves to be one of his timeless classics.
As an added aside, I cannot leave this review without presenting what may seem like quite the far-fetched claim. As I listened to the audiobook version of this novel, I could not help but wonder if Grisham sought to create a newer version of the Harpee Lee classic, To Kill a Mockingbird, bringing the injustice of the law between the races to the forefront. While Brigance is no Atticus Finch, this parallel cannot be disregarded as the reader sees the tension building and the complete despair of the defence counsel as the evidence pours forward. While I am almost certain Grisham would deny its connection, the reader who has taken the time to read both will surely see some similarities in both. Have things changed much since 1960? Since 1989? Surely some steps have been made in this regard, but I would venture to say that the two novels, which act as strong social commentaries, are not far off from what is still going on.
Kudos, Mr. Grisham, for allowing me such a raw glimpse into the realm of justice in the South and not candy coating it in the least. Onward to SYCAMORE ROW... with a plethora of characters in my quiver and a passion for Ford County once again!
Grisham does so much in this novel on so many levels. From addressing the ne'er-spoken race divide in the South as it relates to legal equity to the nuances of courtroom thrillers for which he will become famous, to the formulaic storyline of the lawyer swimming against the tide on the side of justice all issues come out front and centre throughout the novel. Grisham tackles all these as a complete unknown in the literary field and does not stray away from strong social commentary throughout. While I will admit my mind flashed to the wonderfully done film based on the novel throughout the reading, I could see and feel the characters develop on the page and take life. Without throwing punches, Grisham dispels the rumours that desegregation stopped the race riots and that all is well throughout the country. Speaking about what he knows best--the law and Mississippi--Grisham brings the reader into the fold and captures them with riveting narration, stellar legal description, and a set of characters whose perfection within the story has them fit like the proverbial glove. This was surely the novel that got the Grisham craze started and, to me, proves to be one of his timeless classics.
As an added aside, I cannot leave this review without presenting what may seem like quite the far-fetched claim. As I listened to the audiobook version of this novel, I could not help but wonder if Grisham sought to create a newer version of the Harpee Lee classic, To Kill a Mockingbird, bringing the injustice of the law between the races to the forefront. While Brigance is no Atticus Finch, this parallel cannot be disregarded as the reader sees the tension building and the complete despair of the defence counsel as the evidence pours forward. While I am almost certain Grisham would deny its connection, the reader who has taken the time to read both will surely see some similarities in both. Have things changed much since 1960? Since 1989? Surely some steps have been made in this regard, but I would venture to say that the two novels, which act as strong social commentaries, are not far off from what is still going on.
Kudos, Mr. Grisham, for allowing me such a raw glimpse into the realm of justice in the South and not candy coating it in the least. Onward to SYCAMORE ROW... with a plethora of characters in my quiver and a passion for Ford County once again!
June 7, 2016
In my humble opinion, this is Grisham's finest work. Not only are his characters stirring and unforgettable but the story is powerful.
September 21, 2021
5 Stars for A Time to Kill: Jake Brigance Series, Book 1 (audiobook) by John Grisham read by Michael Beck.
This is an amazing legal thriller. Grisham really plays with the idea of right and wrong. I need to see the movie again. I’d forgotten how great this story is.
This is an amazing legal thriller. Grisham really plays with the idea of right and wrong. I need to see the movie again. I’d forgotten how great this story is.
November 1, 2020
I first read this sensational novel over 30 years ago; a banned book in some southern states at the time. Since Mr. Grisham published, in October of 2020, the third novel depicting our street lawyer Jake Brigance I decided to start from #1. It is a gripping, captivating story embedded with violence and a large dose of humour and compassion.
November 13, 2021
Grisham writes an average of two novels a year, but already the first one gives an idea of the problems and topics that he will constantly address in the future: social inequality, racial discrimination, corruption of the authorities and the imperfection of the judicial system.
The fighter for justice in his books is always a lawyer competent enough to resist the system with its weapons. Not a knight in shining armor, but rather a pilgrim who set out on a journey without having the strength to resist the categorical imperative of the moral law inside. Such concentrated Kantianism, contrary to the lightness of the genre, perhaps provides this prose with popular love.
A small town in the south of the USA is shocked by a brutal crime, two white bastards kidnapped a black girl of ten years old, raped her, bullied her, wanted to kill her, as a result they just left her to die in a ditch. The girl miraculously escaped and managed to tell about the crime. And the men did not hide much, they generally, in the course, have not sobered up since the kidnapping. I know that Grisham is always a lawyer detective, and listening to an audiobook, I am horrified at this point, is the plot going to be built around the protection of these scoundrels?
Бойся, это нормально, только не показывай свой страх
Система настолько справедлива, насколько предвзятой и подверженной воздействию эмоций её делает сам человек.
Дебютный роман автора юридических триллеров Джона Гришэма "Пора убивать" (1988), после многих издательских отказов, был напечатан тиражом пять тысяч экземпляров. Второй книгой, неожиданно взорвавшей списки бестселлеров стала "Фирма" (1991), а суммарный тираж третьего "Дела о Пеликанах" (1992) превысил одиннадцать миллионов. С тех пор и по сей день Гришэм пишет в среднем по два романа в год, но уже первый дает представление о проблематике и темах, к которым он будет постоянно обращаться в дальнейшем: социальное неравенство, расовая дискриминация, коррумпированность власти и несовершенство судебной системы.
Борцом за справедливость в его книгах всегда выступает адвокат, достаточно компетентный, чтобы противостоять системе ее оружием. Не рыцарь в сверкающих доспехах, скорее пилигрим, который пустился в путь, не имея сил противиться категорическому императиву морального закона внутри. Такое концентрированное кантианство, вопреки легковесности жанра, возможно и обеспечивает этой прозе народную любовь.
Маленький городок на юге США потрясен жестоким преступлением, два белых ублюдка похитили чернокожую девочку десяти лет, насиловали ее, издевались, хотели убить, в результате просто бросили умирать в канаве. Девочка чудом спаслась и сумела рассказать о преступлении. А мужики особо и не скрывались, они вообще, по ходу, не протрезвели со времени киднепинга. Я знаю, что Гришэм - это всегда адвокатский детектив, ��, слушая аудиокнигу, прихожу в этом месте в ужас, неужели сюжет будет строиться вокруг защиты этих мерзавцев?
Но нет, все сложнее, отец малышки, не в силах смириться с происшедшим, добывает винтовку и убивает насильников на выходе из здания суда. Амбициозный молодой адвокат Джек Брайгенс будет защитником, дело обещает стать очень резонансным, а выиграв его, Брайгенс переместится в высшую лигу профессии, как по репутации и престижу. так и по гонорарам. То есть, все, как бы, логично.
Однако, это Юг, дети, где инерция сегрегации сильна, а белое население долго еще будет воспринимать афроамериканцев людьми низшего сорта. Кроме прочего, от случайной пули пострадал конвоир и убедить присяжных признать отца невиновным из задачи трудной, но выполнимой, превращается в неподъемную.
А есть еще Ку-Клукс-Клан, если вы думали, что он остался в холмсиане и пяти зернышках апельсина, вы сильно заблуждались - белые балахоны с капюшонами и по сей день в некоторых обстоятельствах актуальный предмет гардероба. Если для Брайгенса был более действенный способ превратить свою жизнь в ад, то я его не знаю.
Умная, страшная и прекрасная книга о недопустимости самосуда, о законе - что дышло, и о том, что когда перестают действовать чистые способы добиться победы а обстоятельства ополчаются против тебя, даже самые стойкие из нас готовы воспользоваться не вполне безупречными. В аудиоварианте, прочитанная Игорем Князевым, просто превосходна.
The fighter for justice in his books is always a lawyer competent enough to resist the system with its weapons. Not a knight in shining armor, but rather a pilgrim who set out on a journey without having the strength to resist the categorical imperative of the moral law inside. Such concentrated Kantianism, contrary to the lightness of the genre, perhaps provides this prose with popular love.
A small town in the south of the USA is shocked by a brutal crime, two white bastards kidnapped a black girl of ten years old, raped her, bullied her, wanted to kill her, as a result they just left her to die in a ditch. The girl miraculously escaped and managed to tell about the crime. And the men did not hide much, they generally, in the course, have not sobered up since the kidnapping. I know that Grisham is always a lawyer detective, and listening to an audiobook, I am horrified at this point, is the plot going to be built around the protection of these scoundrels?
Бойся, это нормально, только не показывай свой страх
Система настолько справедлива, насколько предвзятой и подверженной воздействию эмоций её делает сам человек.
Дебютный роман автора юридических триллеров Джона Гришэма "Пора убивать" (1988), после многих издательских отказов, был напечатан тиражом пять тысяч экземпляров. Второй книгой, неожиданно взорвавшей списки бестселлеров стала "Фирма" (1991), а суммарный тираж третьего "Дела о Пеликанах" (1992) превысил одиннадцать миллионов. С тех пор и по сей день Гришэм пишет в среднем по два романа в год, но уже первый дает представление о проблематике и темах, к которым он будет постоянно обращаться в дальнейшем: социальное неравенство, расовая дискриминация, коррумпированность власти и несовершенство судебной системы.
Борцом за справедливость в его книгах всегда выступает адвокат, достаточно компетентный, чтобы противостоять системе ее оружием. Не рыцарь в сверкающих доспехах, скорее пилигрим, который пустился в путь, не имея сил противиться категорическому императиву морального закона внутри. Такое концентрированное кантианство, вопреки легковесности жанра, возможно и обеспечивает этой прозе народную любовь.
Маленький городок на юге США потрясен жестоким преступлением, два белых ублюдка похитили чернокожую девочку десяти лет, насиловали ее, издевались, хотели убить, в результате просто бросили умирать в канаве. Девочка чудом спаслась и сумела рассказать о преступлении. А мужики особо и не скрывались, они вообще, по ходу, не протрезвели со времени киднепинга. Я знаю, что Гришэм - это всегда адвокатский детектив, ��, слушая аудиокнигу, прихожу в этом месте в ужас, неужели сюжет будет строиться вокруг защиты этих мерзавцев?
Но нет, все сложнее, отец малышки, не в силах смириться с происшедшим, добывает винтовку и убивает насильников на выходе из здания суда. Амбициозный молодой адвокат Джек Брайгенс будет защитником, дело обещает стать очень резонансным, а выиграв его, Брайгенс переместится в высшую лигу профессии, как по репутации и престижу. так и по гонорарам. То есть, все, как бы, логично.
Однако, это Юг, дети, где инерция сегрегации сильна, а белое население долго еще будет воспринимать афроамериканцев людьми низшего сорта. Кроме прочего, от случайной пули пострадал конвоир и убедить присяжных признать отца невиновным из задачи трудной, но выполнимой, превращается в неподъемную.
А есть еще Ку-Клукс-Клан, если вы думали, что он остался в холмсиане и пяти зернышках апельсина, вы сильно заблуждались - белые балахоны с капюшонами и по сей день в некоторых обстоятельствах актуальный предмет гардероба. Если для Брайгенса был более действенный способ превратить свою жизнь в ад, то я его не знаю.
Умная, страшная и прекрасная книга о недопустимости самосуда, о законе - что дышло, и о том, что когда перестают действовать чистые способы добиться победы а обстоятельства ополчаются против тебя, даже самые стойкие из нас готовы воспользоваться не вполне безупречными. В аудиоварианте, прочитанная Игорем Князевым, просто превосходна.
July 20, 2022
Reading Sycamore Row took me down the memory lane to its prequel - A Time to Kill. And I realized that I haven't written a review for this much beloved book. So here I'm, trying to rectify that omission.
A Time to Kill is one of the few emotional contemporary books that I have read. Based on the theme of racism and set in mid-eighties in a southern town in Mississippi, Grisham tells the tale of a black man who murdered two white men who raped his child and one white lawyer's heroic struggle to defend him in a racially prejudiced society amidst great personal losses.
Jake Brigance, the young hero, is undoubtedly my favourite Grisham character; and it will forever be so. Being a lawyer myself, he represents many ethical and professional qualities that we lawyers revere. Perhaps, he was modeled on the author himself.
In the story, Jake represents the future, the liberal promising mind of a racially prejudiced southern town. His struggle to make the jury look beyond the colour of the man and into the heart of the man to understand (not to condone) his action, is a fight for equality and justice in the eyes of law irrespective of a person’s skin colour. And the all-white jury decision is a victory of humanity; a promise that humanity is preserved in average citizens no matter how much division the extremists may create.
Although this story is set in a bygone era, it is still relevant for today, for prejudices based on skin colour, gender and religion are still in store. So in that light, A Time to Kill is a timeless tale.
And before I end my short review I must say a few words about Grisham's writing. It is his first attempt at a novel, so perhaps the writing is not yet at his best. But it is written with sincerity, compassion and with much feeling that I personally feel that this is the one novel (although his debut) in to which the author has poured his heart and soul. I've read quite a few Grisham work, and to me, A Time to Kill is his best; and it will always be my favourite Grisham novel.
.
A Time to Kill is one of the few emotional contemporary books that I have read. Based on the theme of racism and set in mid-eighties in a southern town in Mississippi, Grisham tells the tale of a black man who murdered two white men who raped his child and one white lawyer's heroic struggle to defend him in a racially prejudiced society amidst great personal losses.
Jake Brigance, the young hero, is undoubtedly my favourite Grisham character; and it will forever be so. Being a lawyer myself, he represents many ethical and professional qualities that we lawyers revere. Perhaps, he was modeled on the author himself.
In the story, Jake represents the future, the liberal promising mind of a racially prejudiced southern town. His struggle to make the jury look beyond the colour of the man and into the heart of the man to understand (not to condone) his action, is a fight for equality and justice in the eyes of law irrespective of a person’s skin colour. And the all-white jury decision is a victory of humanity; a promise that humanity is preserved in average citizens no matter how much division the extremists may create.
Although this story is set in a bygone era, it is still relevant for today, for prejudices based on skin colour, gender and religion are still in store. So in that light, A Time to Kill is a timeless tale.
And before I end my short review I must say a few words about Grisham's writing. It is his first attempt at a novel, so perhaps the writing is not yet at his best. But it is written with sincerity, compassion and with much feeling that I personally feel that this is the one novel (although his debut) in to which the author has poured his heart and soul. I've read quite a few Grisham work, and to me, A Time to Kill is his best; and it will always be my favourite Grisham novel.
.
July 14, 2024
5 Stars. Not as great as "To Kill a Mockingbird" when it comes to the issues of race relations, society, and the law in the southern US, but both deserve a 5. Maybe "Mockingbird" a 5.3? One difference is the point of view; a young girl, now a woman, is the narrator of Harper Lee's story set in the 1930s. It's endearing and full of love for her father, Atticus. "Kill" is a novel of our times, the 2020s, although it focuses on the 1980s. It's a courtroom drama which reels from a string of brutal events and the resolution is less nuanced. Both expose attitudes prevalent in the white community - ignorance, condescension, and among many, hatred. Yet if you look carefully, a touch of progress, but no more than that, can be found. The argument which wins the day in the trial of black Carl-Lee Hailey likely could not have been made 90 years ago. He murdered two despicable white supremacists who raped and beat his 10-year-old daughter Tonya. They bragged about it! "Kill" is replete with KKK burning crosses and a tolerance for racism by some that will make you cringe. Lawyer Jake Brigance does his best but it's uphill all the way! Just as good as the movie version. (Se2020/Jul2024)
July 2, 2023
..."the eyes of the law are human eyes, yours and mine..."
okay, this part of a sentence is from the famous movie speech but I liked it the best.
I have a law degree but I rarely read legal thrillers especially ones written by authors that come from countries with common law systems that are based on legal precedents established by the courts. I've worked in the court for some time and I think it's interesting to preside over court proceedings and to be paid to form opinions and put them to paper in a certain form. People are fascinating and so are their problems which usually end up being solved in courtrooms.
Here in Croatia the death penalty has been last carried out on 29th of January 1987 while Croatia has been a part of former SFRJ and the role of the jury has in the past and is now vastly different from the role it has in common law systems.
And for this reason I liked reading about the summoning, selecting the memebers of the jury and their discussions and the importance of racial problems in this book were well presented.
I am not cut to be a lawyer and to defend people because the money is almost always the main reason to take up a case and it determines the time that will be spend in preparing for it.
I don't like that and I don't like our main lawyer hero, Jake Brigance. He is a conceited liar with many stupid attitudes which I won't comment much on because I felt 0% connection with him as a character.
This story was okay. I liked the ending but there was nothing particularly interesting happening nor were there any nail bitting twists to it but the legal aspects were appealing and the author used descriptive language so it was easy to visualise many scenes.
In my literary worlds I obviously like to read more about the whole process of finding and catching the perpetrators than about them standing trial and in real life I prefer reading codified laws to ascertain what to do in different situations.
Written word is always the right answer, to everything!
okay, this part of a sentence is from the famous movie speech but I liked it the best.
I have a law degree but I rarely read legal thrillers especially ones written by authors that come from countries with common law systems that are based on legal precedents established by the courts. I've worked in the court for some time and I think it's interesting to preside over court proceedings and to be paid to form opinions and put them to paper in a certain form. People are fascinating and so are their problems which usually end up being solved in courtrooms.
Here in Croatia the death penalty has been last carried out on 29th of January 1987 while Croatia has been a part of former SFRJ and the role of the jury has in the past and is now vastly different from the role it has in common law systems.
And for this reason I liked reading about the summoning, selecting the memebers of the jury and their discussions and the importance of racial problems in this book were well presented.
I am not cut to be a lawyer and to defend people because the money is almost always the main reason to take up a case and it determines the time that will be spend in preparing for it.
I don't like that and I don't like our main lawyer hero, Jake Brigance. He is a conceited liar with many stupid attitudes which I won't comment much on because I felt 0% connection with him as a character.
This story was okay. I liked the ending but there was nothing particularly interesting happening nor were there any nail bitting twists to it but the legal aspects were appealing and the author used descriptive language so it was easy to visualise many scenes.
In my literary worlds I obviously like to read more about the whole process of finding and catching the perpetrators than about them standing trial and in real life I prefer reading codified laws to ascertain what to do in different situations.
Written word is always the right answer, to everything!
April 12, 2010
I HATED this book - why I finished all 500+ pages I will never know. I picked it up at the library just browsing for something light - I liked Pelican Brief and thought I would read another John Grisham. I think Mr. Grisham is trying to protray Clanton, Mississippi as the main character and to do this employs a lot of stereotypes about the deep south, including extensive use of the "n" word, as well as describing others in the town as "the whites" "the rednecks" etc. The main character, Jack Brigance is completely unbelievable as an ambitious lawyer - would an ambitious lawyer given the best case of his life really drink three margaritas before the closing arguments and argue most of the case hungover? Story lines were left hanging, weird sexual tension was developed between characters and then abruptly dropped as story lines. Sloppily written, unengaging story, cured me of ever reading Grisham again.
May 4, 2017
I had really mixed feelings about this one. Let's start with the positive: the case itself is interesting and built up with lots of tension. Violence escalates, everyone is near a breakdown at the end. It certainly fits the bill for a legal thriller. I liked the legal background and history of the insanity defense and aspects like that.
However, there was a LOT of negative in this book that leaves me with a really bad taste in my mouth:
First of all, the extremely graphic, to the point of gratuitous, detailed descriptions of rape, torture, and murder made it hard to read, and getting hit with that right at the beginning of the book made me seriously hesitate about whether I wanted to read it at all.
In rural Mississippi, I guess, you expect racial tensions, some lingering segregation, and so on. But full-blown daily KKK marches and rallies and torture sessions? When the hell does this take place, the 1930s? Was this really still going on as recently as the book makes it out to be? Or is Clanton just THAT backwards? (Side note: the town is called "Clanton" - Clan-town - and people are surprised that the Klan has so much influence? Really?)
The abundant use of the N-word is insane. Like, so, so, so much that it almost starts to lose its punch; like even characters that are supposed to be sympathetic are using it freely; like just everywhere, all the time. It's pretty disgusting. I obviously can't speak to whether that's a "product of the times" or what, but it was really overwhelming at times how everybody, even the good guys, would throw it around - and nobody says anything about it until very close to the end of the book.
The so-called hero, Jake Brigance, is a huge asshole. I was obviously supposed to feel bad for him at a number of points in the book, but I really just wanted to smack him. He's manipulative, misogynist, racist, borderline unfaithful (he keeps talking about how loyal he is to his wife and how he can't go to dinner with a female coworker because it might be seen as improper, but then he spends so much time describing her clothing and her breasts and hair and obviously lusting after her that it's gross). He's supposedly a teetotaler at the beginning of the book, and I really liked that about him, and then the second his wife goes out of town he just starts boozing it up like crazy, constantly, all hours of the day, going to work drunk. And he lies to his wife, constantly, to the point of *not telling her their house burned down and the dog died*. He "worships the ground she walks on", but he can't tell her something that freaking important? What, does her femininity make her too fragile to handle reality? Ass. Hole.
Jake's best friend/mentor, Lucien, was the antagonist in a previous Grisham book I read, so that was a giant 180 to begin with; in this he's made out to be a passionately liberal lawyer who fights for what is right in spite of his disbarment, but then he has no hesitation about turning around and doing unethical things (like buying verdicts), which seemed totally nuts for someone brave enough to support the NAACP as a rich white Southerner. And of course, the drinking and pissing in trees and rude comments to women - how are the readers supposed to like the guy?
And then there's the ending. Spoiler alert! Of course Jake gets the verdict he wants, but it's not because of anything he did - it's because some random juror, about whom we haven't heard anything at all up until this point, threw a hail mary in the jury room and magically convinced everyone to acquit by imagining the races swapped. (Because apparently people in Mississippi weren't intelligent enough to do this on their own, or see people as people - no, being reminded to try swapping the races turns a hung jury into a unanimous decision. What?) So Jake becomes a famous defense lawyer for work he didn't even do, and then immediately leaves town. That's it, that's the end.
The former secretary who became a widow because of this case, the National Guardsman who was paralyzed to protect this man, the second-in-her-class law-student genius who was abducted and tortured, all by the KKK - they get no ending, not even a mention. Jake claims after the shooting that "every day" he'll feel guilty about the soldier who took the bullet, yet he gives him zero thought before ditching town. The secretary who had worked with Jake since before he passed the bar, whose husband was bludgeoned to death for her tangential involvement in this case? She's probably somewhere in Clanton, grieving alone, and neither Jake nor Lucien give a single shit. Ellen the law student, without whom Jake would have had no case because she did all the research and provided him with all the scripts and documentation and backup? No thought whatsoever. She's still lying in a hospital bed, probably traumatized and alone (because her dad ditched her to go watch the court proceedings).
But none of these merit a mention, at all, in the close of the book. None of them flit through Jake's mind for even a second. No, all Jake can think about is how much he misses his wife - oh no, sorry, my mistake: he misses "her body". The wife he lies to and constantly thinks about the breasts of other women instead of, whom he promised he would stop drinking and started again the minute she was gone, the wife who was worried sick about him and he couldn't even bother to call her daily - yeah, that wife. The one he's basically already considering divorcing while she's out of town and doesn't know about all his lies, the one he's obsessively checking newspapers to cover up his lies from, the one who's terrified for his life and caring for his child while he gets completely blackout wasted with his buddies and sleeps on couches. Suddenly she matters again? Where'd that come from?
Basically my favorite character in this was Ellen, and she gets no conclusion. "Little girls are special", Jake says, but her father doesn't start murdering KKK members in revenge for his daughter's abduction and near-rape, even though it's apparently been established that a rape-victim-daughter is an acceptable excuse for murder. (That actually would have been a really great WHAM ending, if in the final chapter Sheldon the ultra-liberal forgiveness-matters lawyer went after the KKK guys. Thematically appropriate, too.)
Anyway. Yeah, two stars. There are better Grisham books. I don't know if I'll give Jake Brigance a second try. I'd honestly like to never go back to Clanton Mississippi again. Maybe John Grisham could try setting books, I don't know, ANYWHERE THAT ISN'T MISSISSIPPI?
Sorry for the long ranting review. I feel better now.
However, there was a LOT of negative in this book that leaves me with a really bad taste in my mouth:
First of all, the extremely graphic, to the point of gratuitous, detailed descriptions of rape, torture, and murder made it hard to read, and getting hit with that right at the beginning of the book made me seriously hesitate about whether I wanted to read it at all.
In rural Mississippi, I guess, you expect racial tensions, some lingering segregation, and so on. But full-blown daily KKK marches and rallies and torture sessions? When the hell does this take place, the 1930s? Was this really still going on as recently as the book makes it out to be? Or is Clanton just THAT backwards? (Side note: the town is called "Clanton" - Clan-town - and people are surprised that the Klan has so much influence? Really?)
The abundant use of the N-word is insane. Like, so, so, so much that it almost starts to lose its punch; like even characters that are supposed to be sympathetic are using it freely; like just everywhere, all the time. It's pretty disgusting. I obviously can't speak to whether that's a "product of the times" or what, but it was really overwhelming at times how everybody, even the good guys, would throw it around - and nobody says anything about it until very close to the end of the book.
The so-called hero, Jake Brigance, is a huge asshole. I was obviously supposed to feel bad for him at a number of points in the book, but I really just wanted to smack him. He's manipulative, misogynist, racist, borderline unfaithful (he keeps talking about how loyal he is to his wife and how he can't go to dinner with a female coworker because it might be seen as improper, but then he spends so much time describing her clothing and her breasts and hair and obviously lusting after her that it's gross). He's supposedly a teetotaler at the beginning of the book, and I really liked that about him, and then the second his wife goes out of town he just starts boozing it up like crazy, constantly, all hours of the day, going to work drunk. And he lies to his wife, constantly, to the point of *not telling her their house burned down and the dog died*. He "worships the ground she walks on", but he can't tell her something that freaking important? What, does her femininity make her too fragile to handle reality? Ass. Hole.
Jake's best friend/mentor, Lucien, was the antagonist in a previous Grisham book I read, so that was a giant 180 to begin with; in this he's made out to be a passionately liberal lawyer who fights for what is right in spite of his disbarment, but then he has no hesitation about turning around and doing unethical things (like buying verdicts), which seemed totally nuts for someone brave enough to support the NAACP as a rich white Southerner. And of course, the drinking and pissing in trees and rude comments to women - how are the readers supposed to like the guy?
And then there's the ending. Spoiler alert! Of course Jake gets the verdict he wants, but it's not because of anything he did - it's because some random juror, about whom we haven't heard anything at all up until this point, threw a hail mary in the jury room and magically convinced everyone to acquit by imagining the races swapped. (Because apparently people in Mississippi weren't intelligent enough to do this on their own, or see people as people - no, being reminded to try swapping the races turns a hung jury into a unanimous decision. What?) So Jake becomes a famous defense lawyer for work he didn't even do, and then immediately leaves town. That's it, that's the end.
The former secretary who became a widow because of this case, the National Guardsman who was paralyzed to protect this man, the second-in-her-class law-student genius who was abducted and tortured, all by the KKK - they get no ending, not even a mention. Jake claims after the shooting that "every day" he'll feel guilty about the soldier who took the bullet, yet he gives him zero thought before ditching town. The secretary who had worked with Jake since before he passed the bar, whose husband was bludgeoned to death for her tangential involvement in this case? She's probably somewhere in Clanton, grieving alone, and neither Jake nor Lucien give a single shit. Ellen the law student, without whom Jake would have had no case because she did all the research and provided him with all the scripts and documentation and backup? No thought whatsoever. She's still lying in a hospital bed, probably traumatized and alone (because her dad ditched her to go watch the court proceedings).
But none of these merit a mention, at all, in the close of the book. None of them flit through Jake's mind for even a second. No, all Jake can think about is how much he misses his wife - oh no, sorry, my mistake: he misses "her body". The wife he lies to and constantly thinks about the breasts of other women instead of, whom he promised he would stop drinking and started again the minute she was gone, the wife who was worried sick about him and he couldn't even bother to call her daily - yeah, that wife. The one he's basically already considering divorcing while she's out of town and doesn't know about all his lies, the one he's obsessively checking newspapers to cover up his lies from, the one who's terrified for his life and caring for his child while he gets completely blackout wasted with his buddies and sleeps on couches. Suddenly she matters again? Where'd that come from?
Basically my favorite character in this was Ellen, and she gets no conclusion. "Little girls are special", Jake says, but her father doesn't start murdering KKK members in revenge for his daughter's abduction and near-rape, even though it's apparently been established that a rape-victim-daughter is an acceptable excuse for murder. (That actually would have been a really great WHAM ending, if in the final chapter Sheldon the ultra-liberal forgiveness-matters lawyer went after the KKK guys. Thematically appropriate, too.)
Anyway. Yeah, two stars. There are better Grisham books. I don't know if I'll give Jake Brigance a second try. I'd honestly like to never go back to Clanton Mississippi again. Maybe John Grisham could try setting books, I don't know, ANYWHERE THAT ISN'T MISSISSIPPI?
Sorry for the long ranting review. I feel better now.
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February 13, 2020
Audiobook - 12:21 hours - Narrator: Robert Petkoff
3.0 out of 5.0 stars - "I Liked It" (Second "reading")
My GR friend Tim read this a few weeks ago and awarded it a very rare, for him, 10 out of 10 stars. Because of this, I decided toread listen to it for a second time.
I first read "A Time to Kill" as a paperback in the early 1990's, following John Grisham's huge success with "The Firm", "The Pelican Brief", and those that followed annually in his first decade as a top-line author. As I tuned into this audiobook, I realised how little I remembered about Jack Brigance and the rather motley crew he surrounded himself with in Mississippi as he mounted a defence for black Carl-Lee Harley's killing of two white men who had raped, beaten and left his ten-years old daughter to die.
I am not surprised that I "liked" (3-stars) rather than "really liked" (4-stars) "A Time to Kill" because there wasn't much to "really like". Jack Brigance was hardly a likeable character and there was plenty not to like about his treatment of some of the women in the story. His dismissive attitude towards his wife, his downright rudeness towards his secretary and his holier-than-thou attitude towards "Ro-Ark" (sp?), the highly unlikely and (literally) unbelievably skilled and precocious clerk who worked for him for free, producing 'outstanding' briefs and other paperwork in (metaphorically) no time at all. The fate of this "Northerner" and also of the various KKK members and the local Klavern were left dangling as Grisham seemed in a rush to finish this already wordy and over-long novel.
My GR friend Tim and I seem to have similar attitudes towards John Grisham novels. We either "loved this one", "liked that one", "couldn't finish the other one", but not always referring to the same novels.
I have 34 novels in my Grisham collection (including "The Reckoning" released this month) and 10 are unread or unheard. Of the 24 read or listened to, 16 are rated three stars or more and eight are rated one star or dnf. So, at the moment I enjoy two out of every three Grisham novels and that is a pretty good average. Note: not all my novels are listed in my Goodreads profile.
3.0 out of 5.0 stars - "I Liked It" (Second "reading")
My GR friend Tim read this a few weeks ago and awarded it a very rare, for him, 10 out of 10 stars. Because of this, I decided to
I first read "A Time to Kill" as a paperback in the early 1990's, following John Grisham's huge success with "The Firm", "The Pelican Brief", and those that followed annually in his first decade as a top-line author. As I tuned into this audiobook, I realised how little I remembered about Jack Brigance and the rather motley crew he surrounded himself with in Mississippi as he mounted a defence for black Carl-Lee Harley's killing of two white men who had raped, beaten and left his ten-years old daughter to die.
I am not surprised that I "liked" (3-stars) rather than "really liked" (4-stars) "A Time to Kill" because there wasn't much to "really like". Jack Brigance was hardly a likeable character and there was plenty not to like about his treatment of some of the women in the story. His dismissive attitude towards his wife, his downright rudeness towards his secretary and his holier-than-thou attitude towards "Ro-Ark" (sp?), the highly unlikely and (literally) unbelievably skilled and precocious clerk who worked for him for free, producing 'outstanding' briefs and other paperwork in (metaphorically) no time at all. The fate of this "Northerner" and also of the various KKK members and the local Klavern were left dangling as Grisham seemed in a rush to finish this already wordy and over-long novel.
My GR friend Tim and I seem to have similar attitudes towards John Grisham novels. We either "loved this one", "liked that one", "couldn't finish the other one", but not always referring to the same novels.
I have 34 novels in my Grisham collection (including "The Reckoning" released this month) and 10 are unread or unheard. Of the 24 read or listened to, 16 are rated three stars or more and eight are rated one star or dnf. So, at the moment I enjoy two out of every three Grisham novels and that is a pretty good average. Note: not all my novels are listed in my Goodreads profile.
May 24, 2016
A satisfying legal thriller.
Grisham gives the reader much to ponder in this story of a black man who kills two men who raped and brutally beat his 10 year-old daughter. It's hard not to root for the father. It also makes one wonder if the story would have worked as well had it been his wife or sister who had been raped instead (probably not), which in and of itself is worth thinking about. It certainly makes one wonder if and when murder is ever justifiable, and exactly how we draw those lines in the sand as individuals and as a society.
That said, there were times the characters felt one dimensional. Lots of stereotypes. Occasionally, the story and the characters bordered on satire. Toward the end I grew weary of the tongue-and-cheek dialogue between characters. I also felt Grisham offers a very cynical view of lawyers and the legal process, which at times adds to the story and at other times takes away from it.
Overall, an incredibly well-written story, with relevant and important themes.
Grisham gives the reader much to ponder in this story of a black man who kills two men who raped and brutally beat his 10 year-old daughter. It's hard not to root for the father. It also makes one wonder if the story would have worked as well had it been his wife or sister who had been raped instead (probably not), which in and of itself is worth thinking about. It certainly makes one wonder if and when murder is ever justifiable, and exactly how we draw those lines in the sand as individuals and as a society.
That said, there were times the characters felt one dimensional. Lots of stereotypes. Occasionally, the story and the characters bordered on satire. Toward the end I grew weary of the tongue-and-cheek dialogue between characters. I also felt Grisham offers a very cynical view of lawyers and the legal process, which at times adds to the story and at other times takes away from it.
Overall, an incredibly well-written story, with relevant and important themes.
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