Author: John GrishamI have listened to the audio book version available at audible.com, narrated by Peter Marinker.
Description from Amazon: This novel is a story inspired from John Grisham's own childhood in Arkansas. The narrator is a farm boy named Luke Chandler, age seven, who lives in the cotton fields with his family in a little house that's never been painted. The Chandlers farm 80 acres, and when the cotton is ready they hire a truckload of Mexicans and a family from the Ozarks to help harvest it. For six weeks they pick cotton, battle the heat, the rain, the fatigue, and sometimes, each other. And, as the weeks pass, Luke sees and hears things no seven-year-old could possibly be prepared for.
My opinion:
Before I get to the details, I have to admit: this is my first Grisham novel. Sure I know his name, I have seen The Firm and The Pelican Brief. And the Runaway Jury, of course. But this was the first time I met him, I mean virtually, through his novel. He is a talented writer.
And before I get to the point, I have to make it clear: this book is not a thriller. At least not that fast paced one with dead bodies on every twentieth page.
So what do I think about Grisham's A Painted House? It is a very good book. Why? First, the characters are vibrant, alive, very well drawn. They are three dimensional, they have their hope, love and anger. Second, it is well written. The dialogues perfectly fit to the characters, everyone speaks in his/her own manners. The narration gives life to the story, and colours it.
The book has several layers. One is the life on an Arkansas farm in the fifties, that I found interesting (being European). Life without TV set and internet, silent evenings; the only entertainment is listening to the radio when the Cardinals plays. Life with harsh weather and hard work, always worrying about the crop.
The second layer is the small society, having its own slow lifestyle. In the town everyone knows everybody, and small events stir the still water of the provincial peace. And big things happen in this crop picking season, big enough to turn life upside down.
The third layer is that we see everything through the eye of the little Luke, seven years old boy. He sees and hears stuff he shouldn't. He is like other boy, always hanging around the adults, eavesdropping their conversations.
I liked the deep meaning of painting the house, which was never painted before. And I also liked the ending: leaving the old life behind in the hope of a better new one.
My rating: five stars. I know that the narration of Peter Marinker enhances the experience, so this rating goes for the audiobook in whole.
Must be an enjoyable read A Painted House by John Grisham. loved the way you wrote it. I find your review very genuine and orignal, this book is going in by "to read" list.
ReplyDelete