The reckoning by John Grisham
Book review
Rating 3.5/5
Spoilers- The only spoiler is why and for that you must read this small print 500 pages diary!
So the most favourite Son of a farming town gets up calmly one fine day and Shoots the most respected Minister. That’s not the spoiler! That’s even given in the back cover! Now rummage though 500 pages to read why!
If an act of passion is your answer and everyone else’s from the very beginning of the book then you are in for a double shock!
The setting is a cotton producing town during the black and white and world war II era.
Since it’s John Grisham, rest assured that you will be treated to a detailed retelling of the process and procedures of the court and since it is set more than 50 years back it’s different to say the least!
With shades of his earlier work like Time to kill and more recently, the confession this one takes gloom and despair to bigger levels. Not one page has even a lasting moment of happiness or hope. The gloom reminds me of both Camino island and Rooster bar. John Grisham has decided to be melancholic and it shows as you slowly turn the pages of this tear jerker.
The description of the exploits of America and Japanese during the war though sad and brutal has been executed in the style of Ken Follett! And that’s a great thing since John Usually sticks to get court and lawyers! The end note by him mentions couple of books on this and am guessing that’s his source material!
It’s always a challenge to read such Book where not the whodunit but why did he or she do it is the thing which is racking your brain and giving you insomnia!
If you want to save yourself the torture then you can just skip to the last two pages which will give you your answer! Or you can just enjoy the journey rather than worry too much about the destination!
My only concern was that John gave more than 500 pages for mundane things and I was scared whether just two pages of climax was enough! Thank you for not leaving us Murakamised! (I have invented this term for novels mostly written by Murakami with surreal endings!!)
In the recent times I had like Street lawyer which was like the Lincoln lawyer and The Writing guidelines in Camino Island was real cool.
This one may not have been his best but it certainly ranks better than his works like Gray mountain or The Confession. But the charm of his earlier works like The Firm or Runaway Jury or The king of Torts is missing.
Regular Grishamites can lap it up while the others can take the short cut and read the first and the last chapters!
Non spoiler PS!: This may have been a true story or inspired by one!
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