A Painted House - John Grisham > Reviews

Advantages: Shows John Grisham in a new, but still superb, light
Disadvantages: None

...year, but if you are a Grisham fan, beware! This story is like no other Grisham tale other than that it is a superb read. It is apparently based, loosely, on Grisham's childhood. Whereas his previous novels like The Firm, The Street Lawyer, The Brethren and The Runaway Jury among others have been based on a lawyer or lawyers, The Painted House is about a little boy called Luke Chandler living in rural Arkansas in 1952 with his family who are cotton ... Read review

Advantages: great book
Disadvantages: not perfect

A Painted House - John Grisham It’s been a long time since I have been on ciao so excuse my rustiness, so without further ado, I shall get started. This is, to the best of my knowledge, John Grisham’s twelfth book. I have read all the previous ones bar two (Pelican Brief and Time to Kill.) This book, however, has finally made the leap away from the usual legal thriller though. Most people know John Grisham writes books about lawyers, ... Read review

Advantages: Good basic read.
Disadvantages: Left feeling let down.

...before they reach the bookshops. As a lawyer who writes 'legal' fiction, Grisham has proved the adage, 'stick to what you know', and utilizes his knowledge to the full. His books have been so successful that most have been made into films, so why has he suddenly decided to ignore his successful formula, by writing A Painted House? Has he suddenly become arrogant through previous success, and believes he can write anything, or could it be that in ... Read review

Advantages: Very interesting and riveting
Disadvantages: Understanding some of the "hill" language

...books takes you back to a time when things were simpler, yet more difficult. The year is l952. This is the story of Luke, a young seven year old boy who lives with his parents and grandparents on a small cotton farm in rural Arkansas. His uncle, only a few years older than he, is away in Korea fighting in the war.The family are sharecroppers who are honest and hard-working. The story begins when it is time to harvest the cotton. Young Luke goes ... Read review

Advantages: Grisham has a massive fan base
Disadvantages: People are put off since it's not a legal thriller

...very different and has produced a story allegedly based on his childhood. This has been published before in an American magazine, but it is the first time it has appeared in book form. It stars seven-year-old Luke Chandler, a farm boy working in the cotton fields with his parents. For six weeks, they are all picking the cotton and as the weeks pass, Luke sees and hears things that not only threaten the crops, but also will change the family's ... Read review

Advantages: great read
Disadvantages: none

I have never read a John Grisham book before. "A Painted House" has been sat on my book shelf for a few months before I decided to give it a go. I receieved this book as a freebie from a book club. My friend loves his books but she already had it, so I couldn't pass it on to her. However no, I'm glad I didn't. I always thought John Grisham wrote lawyer novels. This one is nothing about lawyers. PLOT: Set in the 1950's in Arkansas, ... Read review

Advantages: A cracking story!
Disadvantages: Grishams only book like this!

Having never read a John Grisham book I dont think I am likely to read another as I do not think this can be topped! I have been told that this is not your normal Grisham book, the others are all crime novels which I do not particularly enjoy. The novel is supposedly loosely based on John grishams own childhood and is set in 1952 in Arkansas. The main character is seven year old Luke Chandler and he lives on a cotton farm along with his Mum, Dad, ... Read review

Advantages: Its by John Grisham
Disadvantages: A little slow paced

...reason “A Painted House” was a massive surprise. With Grisham you can normally guarantee a good tense legal thriller but this book is anything but. “A Painted House” was serialised in the American magazine the Oxford American. It was not your usual serialisation where the best parts or even specific chapters are taken from the book. Grisham agreed to write a few chapters for each bi-monthly release of the magazine so that ... Read review

Advantages: Very readable
Disadvantages: Rather abrupt ending

...read the latest. It is a far cry from his lawyer based thrillers, but is nevertheless a pageturner. The story is based around the life of a 7 year old boy in Arkansas in 1952. It is the story of a cotton farming family trying to get out of the cylcle of poverty. The tale from the boys point of view paints a vivid picture of the hardship of the southern cotton farmers who didn't own their land but struggled hard to earn a meagre living. The ... Read review

Advantages: Great description of a bygone American era
Disadvantages: Not the most fast-paced book in the world

Finally - a Grisham book that is not about the law. What a relief. I have long been a fan of Grisham's writing style, yet have always thought it could be put to better use. In ‘A Painted House’ it certainly has. This is a very personal book, partly because it is semi-autobiographic and partly because, like many other successful American novels, it is told through the eyes of a child. Luke Chandler lives with his parents and grandparents on a rural ... Read review

Advantages: easygoing, won't keep you awake
Disadvantages: not much suspense

...this book the author adopts a complete change from his usual style and subject matter and instead produces a book that is based on his own memories of his childhood in Arkansas. The book is set on a cotton farm and the principal character is 7 yr old Luke Chandler. This is the story of one summer in his life when events unfold that make him look at the world in a new way. Lies and secrecy surround him and he overhears conversations that no 7 yr ... Read review

Advantages: Great look at Rural america, realistic portrayal
Disadvantages: Not dramatic enough

...expressways, cocktail parties in short a land full of money, sex and the good life. But there is another side to the USA, also of vast rural areas, where families are dependent on agriculture, small sleepy towns and villages, vast Prairies where one can see only miles and miles of wheat fields, in fact what is often called as the "Other America" or the America between Los Angeles and New York. The Deep South, the vast plains of the Mid West, the mining ... Read review