4/5 stars.
Hardcover, 336 pages
Read from June 08 to 16, 2015.
Since Go Set A Watchman, the prequel to this book, was just published and I am currently waiting on my copy from the library, I thought I would re-read To Kill A Mockingbird. The last time I read this book I must have been about 15 years old, and while I remember enjoying the book I couldn’t have told you what it was about so a re-read was definitely in order. Reading through the book this time around was like reading the book for the very first time and it was extremely enjoyable.
“Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit them, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”
To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic novel that is set in the Jim Crow era and the Great Depression. The book has been in publication since 1960 and is one of the most successful books still in print today. The book won a Pulitzer Prize 1961. The new book, Go Set A Watchman was, actually written first in 1957 but the publishers were more interested in the flashback scenes in the book and encouraged Harper Lee to write a story based on that, which is how To Kill a Mockingbird came to be. There is a lot of controversy surrounding the publication of Go Set A Watchman, especially about whether or not Harper Lee really wanted the book published or completely understood that it was going to be published.
Fun Fact: Harper Lee was close friends with Truman Capote.
Jean Louise, or Scout, as she is most often referred to is six years old and lives with her older brother Jem and their widowed father Atticus in Maycomb Alabama. The book takes place over a period of three years. Jem and Scout become friends with a boy named Dill, who visits Maycomb every summer. The three of them are fixated on a home where the elusive Arthur “Boo” Radley is rumored to never leave his home. No one knows why, but Boo has kept himself cooped up in his home for years and no one has seen or heard from him in long time. There are variety of nasty rumors that are spread around town as a result. Atticus is one of the county’s lawyers and he has been given one of the most controversial cases yet. He is defending a black man named Tom Robinison, who has been accused of raping a young white woman named Mayella Ewell. The Ewell’s are a disreputable family to begin with and many have already concluded that the claim itself is false but no one is willing to defend a black man, regardless of his innocence, and no one has ever won when defending a black person. Many people in town are skeptical, angry or offended with Atticus and his affinity for Tom and his willingness to defend him. The back lash comes to affect both Jem and Scout in different ways as the two of them grow.
The book is narrated from Scout’s perspective giving the reader the interesting insights of a curious but resilient young girl. I adore Scout. She is honest, keeps up with the boys and is reluctant to act like a lady. Scout’s perspective adds additional depth for the reader as Scout is experiencing a variety of adult scenarios and you get to perceive them as she does, through the eyes of a child..The book has a unique readability because of Scout’s perspective as well, especially in her regards to Boo Radley. The book is playful but smart as it engrosses some very serious issues of its day as well as some basic life lessons on how to treat people. The playfulness of Scout is balanced by Atticus’ wisdom.
Overall a very worth while and pleasant read. I’d recommend this book to anyone, young or old, as it’s a very accessible story thanks to Scout’s perspective. If Go Set A Watchman is anything like this book then I will be happy to read it despite its controversy.
The Pluviophile Writer 