The Reckoning: A Novel

I haven't read a new Grisham novel for quite a long time, believing that he would continue to generate the same basic formula like a lot of authors are persuaded to by their editors in order to continue to sell more books to the same audience. That may work for the casual reader but there are people like me who demand original thought, varied plot lines, fleshed out characters along with easily visualized environments, and realistic actions taken by reasonable people based on the information they have available to them. Whew! That was a mouthful. Of course humor in all its forms is appreciated as well as following the main character stumble through the story as an imperfect -- but well-meaning -- hero. John Grisham includes all of this in "The Reckoning" as well as the somewhat unusual strategy of having the ending told before the backstory is revealed. Interesting reading from an extremely talented storyteller. Included in the backstory is a detailed synopsis of America's efforts in WWII concerning the battle for the Philippines, the ineffective leadership of General MacArthur ("I shall return" -- but only when it's safe), the Bataan Death March, and the guerilla warfare successfully waged against the Japanese invaders. It's not for the squeamish, but then again war never is. But the true story is about the Deep South during the 1940's: the cotton fields and black fieldhands, the big house and small shotgun shacks, the segregation that was accepted as a way of life, the role of the local churches, and the societal rules that still prevented and painfully punished those who chose to ignore what was considered proper southern etiquette. This novel takes you on a trip that seems to point unwaveringly to the final destination but ends up at a totally different place. The result is an interesting and surprising twist considering the social consciousness of the times. What makes it truly interesting is who was sacrificed and why it was done. This is one hell of a story that informs, entertains, and is a solid comment on relationships in the Deep South. You will enjoy it if you allow yourself to be pulled into the story. The ending will certainly get your attention. Not since Greg Iles has anyone written such a fascinating tale of Mississippi. "You Keep Me Hanging On" is an appropriate song for how this story plays out. You have to decide which version is better -- Vanilla Fudge or The Supremes.

I have read every adult John Grisham novel since "A Time to Kill" and reviewed many on Amazon. I am at a loss to understand why Grisham published this book. My reaction is not due to the very minor amount of legal elements in the story, because Grisham has developed into a fine novelist over the last several decades. In addition to being gripping stories (or "page turners" as I call them), recently he has used them to educate his readers about different facets of the legal system, from mass tort lawyers to public interest lawyers to lawyers who oversee judges. And in fact each of the three capsules of the story is well written. What does bother me is the intense focus on violence and shocking human degradation, the absence of any page-turning suspense, and the fact that the three sections of the story don't fit together smoothly. The first section of the story is set in Mississippi 1946 and focuses upon the central character in the novel, cotton farmer Peter Banning freshly returned from being a pow and guerilla fighter against the Japanese invaders of the Philippines. Many had thought him dead during the several years of his absence, so he returns a hero. A West Pointer and upstanding citizen of the cotton-growing community, Pete one day walks into the local church and pumps three bullets into a local minister. He does not deny his crime, or even authorize any defense in court, and most puzzling he does not offer any explanation for his bizarre act. As a result, in this capital murder case, he suffers the ultimate penalty, leaving behind his wife and two teen age children. I though this skillful section kicked off the book nicely. My problems began with the middle section, which actually takes place prior to the first section, after Pete has rejoined the army and been sent to fight in the Philippines in 1941. After some initial fighting with Japanese troops, Pete is captured and launched into the infamous Bataan Death March. True to history, the Japanese soldiers treat the Americans during the long march to a prison in the most cruel and inhumane ways one can imagine--for about 100 pages, over and over again. Why is it necessary to go into the most intimate gory details repeatedly?--it turns the reader's stomach. Once again I do not criticize the author's substantial skills in capturing these horrid details, I only wonder why about 1/3 of the novel has to be devoted to this inhuman spectacle. The section also recounts Pete joining up with a guerilla organization and killing many Japanese troops, while suffering severe injuries himself. Yet more violence. The final section jumps back to 1946-49 andcovers the mess for his family resulting from the murder. The victim's family files a wrongful death action against Pete and his estate, and they seem determined to grab the family's farm land, home and other assets if they are victorious. Here we have a bit of legal activities, and nobody can handle this kind of material like Grisham, but there is little suspense or excitement since the case is open and shut. What does emerge as the finest writing in the book is the turmoil undergone by Pete's wife who is resident in an insane asylum, his sister who is in bad health, and the stress on his children trying to finish college without a mother or father. And in true Grisham fashion, we have a surprise ending and in fact do learn why he killed the minister. Grisham has already proved beyond refutation that he has become a fine novelist who can shape dialogue and plot skillfully to tell remarkable stories. He does not have to write about Bataan, bloody guerilla operations, a family's sorrow, or other non-legal subjects to demonstrate his versatility. On the other hand, he has developed by facing new challenges and perhaps this book was undertaken in that spirit. In any regard, Grisham is always worth reading--even here.

Uno dei migliori thriller che io abbia letto.

I kept thinking that the story still had to begin. That I was still reading a sort of epilogue. And then it was finished. No big unexpected plots. Or a plot.

The value of any book is often dictated by the reader’s taste and the enjoyment of a particular literary genre. The literature of John Grisham is no exception. Obviously, the wide appeal of Grisham is shown in the volume of books he has written and had published. Clearly, his basic concentration on crimes committed and how these are dealt with by the relevant authorities, for example, police, lawyers, as well as the effect on the various relationships possessed by those committing crimes and solving them, is a basic staple in John Grisham’s literary diet. It is also to be appreciated when a writer steps out of his/her usual format and explores areas that are not so familiar - either to the writer or the reader. It is for this reason that John Grisham’s latest novel, The Reckoning, is to be valued and assessed. Grisham could easily, and profitably, have remained with his usual construction of crimes committed and solved, but, and this is a possible secret of his success as a novelist, he occasionally steps out of his comfort zone and tackles something that is new to form and topical in content. We have seen Grisham’s change of gear in his book of short stories (see Ford County), and his focus on festivities (see Skipping Christmas), as well setting a novel outside of his usual locations (see Playing for Pizza). These named books may not possess Grisham’s usual gravitas, but they display the range of his writing capabilities. Now comes a novel that, once again, introduces something new into his writing. In The Reckoning, Grisham makes a return to what must be his favourite location, Clanton, Mississippi, to relate the narrative of “an unthinkable murder, the bizarre trial that followed it, and its profound and lasting effect on the people of Ford Country.” The initial location may be well explored by Grisham and well known to his readers, but the literary pictures he paints with his story show how expertly he can recall and describe characters and their location and situations. The focus is on a returning war hero, Pete Banning, a prominent and popular person in Clanton. But the crime he commits seems inexplicable, and the person who is the victim of that crime and those related to him seemingly undeserving. As the story of this mysterious and unforgettable crime is unfolded, the reader is allowed to delve into the military background of Pete Banning, focusing on the events he experienced when the grossly outnumbered American and Filipino troops were engaged in brutal fighting against the Japanese on the island of Bataan during the 2nd WW. Peter Banning was second-in-command of his platoon and experienced all the horrors of this military engagement. But he survived and came home. This information is vital to the progress of Grisham’s narrative and is, in no way, superfluous to the overall drama of the story. It is another example of this master storyteller’s skill in outlining personal background and story into his characters. As one newspaper said, “No one does it better than Grisham.” This novel, with its references to war and sexual topics, shows that he has an experienced command of and is unafraid to deal with topics that some might consider are outside of his literary orbit. The first major instalment of the story, the crime, is followed by the second instalment, the background of the criminal - especially his war experiences and relationships with his family. The third instalment of this gripping story, the drama of the courtroom - its procedures, involvement of individual actors, and the outcomes of the criminal prosecution - provides a dramatic and memorable conclusion to the novel. This is a story that propels the reader on to discover more of what is the background and experience of the characters, the present circumstances of their lives, and how these two features are interlinked. It is the 33rd of John Grisham’s published fictional novels (excluding the Theodore Boone series), and it does full justice to the writing that has gone before. Clanton is back on the map and shares the importance of locale with the Melanesian Island of Bataan (and the memory of its famous Death March), whilst Pete Banning, the Reverend Dexter Bell and related persons join the list of Grisham’s hard to forget characters. This is yet another of John Grisham novels that will reward the discerning reader with an intriguing story, detailed characterisation, developing but related plots, and 432 pages of enjoyable reading. The version under review is available with a hardback cover at an economical price. Highly recommended, and not just for aficionados of John Grisham.

He's done it again - Grishams neuer Roman erzählt die Geschichte eines amerikanischen Veteranen, der scheinbar überschnappt und einen furchtbaren Mord begeht. Der Autor zeichnet wunderbare Figuren einer längst vergangenen Epoche und transportiert - gleichsam nebenbei - Wissen über eine historische Epoche, die hierzulande im Dunkeln liegt, für die Amerikaner aber durchaus prägend war, nämlich den II. Weltkrieg im pazifischen Raum, an dessen Ende die Bomben von Hiroshima und Nagasaki standen. Empfohlen nicht nur für Krimi-Fans!

The best novel ever by John Grisham. I ordered in presale in May, and it arrived as expected one week later of its release.