Name: A Time to Kill
Rating: 3.864161849710983 (173 reviews)
ISBN: 9780804121156

John Grisham

A Time to Kill

aishah

When Carl Lee Hailey guns down the hoodlums who have raped his ten-year-old child, the people of Clanton see it as a crime of blood and call for his acquittal. But when extremists outside Clanton hear that a black man has killed two white men, they invade the town, determined to destroy anything and anyone that opposes their sense of justice. Jake Brigance has been hired to defend Hailey. It's the kind of case that can make or break a young lawyer. But in the maelstrom of Clanton, it is also the kind of case that could get a young lawyer killed.

Jonathan Tysick

Grisham's first and worth reading for that reason, even if it is a tad slow (Grisham admitted that it "rambles") and full of N words. Also has some autobiographical elements according to Grisham which is nifty.

Maggie Gordon

A Time to Kill is Grisham's first novel, and it shows. While Grisham's works are not literary classics, this book was in desperate need of substantial editing. The story concept is intriguing (should a father who killed the men who gang raped his daughter go to jail, and how does his race play into this decision?), particularly to me, a person who specialises in criminal law, but even I had trouble slogging through the procedural parts of the book where nothing much was happening. None of the characters were very interesting or developed, especially the female clerk who seemed to be around only to give male readers someone sexy to think about. Most of the narrative is slow with the bulk of the suspense occurring in the last few chapters. It certainly isn't the worst book I have read, but The Firm was a much better thriller, and Grisham had obviously learned quite a bit about pacing by then (his female characters were still terrible though).

Amanda Kordeliski

A Time to Kill (John Grishham)

Lysh (She/Her)

"A Time To Kill" by John Grisham
 Published 2001 by Random House Audio Publishing Group
Originally published 1989 by Wynwood Press
Trigger Warnings: Rape (Child), Death, Murder, Racism
Challenges:
#bookiary2019 - 6/52
#ReadingChallenge2019 by Linz the Bookworm - Level 2 A Book by John Grisham

**Non-Spoilery Summary**
It's a short one today, but it's been a while since I finished this and it really was just bleh for me. Living in the Mississipi in the 1980s, these characters face all sorts of trials and tribulations. A young sixteen-year-old black girl is violently raped by two white supremacists. The latter are later killed by the girl's father. He is charged with capital murder. Jake Brigance is his lawyer. The themes explored are gripping, but the plot itself is not. I stuck around for the high stakes of the father and daughter relationship, but the focus was on Jake Brigance. This is why I read realistic fiction and young adult novels...it delves more into relationships, which is really what I found myself yearning for. I'm glad I gave this a shot as it was something outside my comfort zone, but it definitely affirms that this is not the genre for me if I'm reading for enjoyment. Perhaps if I wish to pick up a "challenging" book in the future? But I'd be more inclined to reach for classics if that were the case...I digress. The relevance of the moral was certainly important to note and it is a message that needs to be spread far and wide; I just wish it could be done in a more entertaining fashion.

**Spoilery Review**

Characters - 4/10
I didn't care for Jake. I only cared for the father and his daughter. The court case itself was means to an end. It did, however, represent the time and place in which this book was set and the racial dynamics present. I did find that some characters were difficult to track but that may have been the American "twang" of the audiobook narrator. 

Character Growth - 3/10
Not much in terms of character development. This was very heavily plot driven. 

Writing Style - 5/10
I wasn't very keen on the writing style. Perhaps crime just isn't for me? It wasn't inventive, but straight to the point. It wasn't bad...just not my style. 

Pace - 3/10
To be honest, I lost the plot not far into the story and wasn't very interested in what was happening. I feel like this was an abriged version, and it still didn't work for me with pacing. I just couldn't follow. If it weren't for the audiobook I probably would have DNFed it very early on. Again, just not my genre. 

Strength of Plot - 5/10
It made perfect sense for the place and time and was a good reminder of the racial issues prevalent in America back then (and even still today). The moral of the novel was powerful and definitely worth the wait, but overall I can't speak much for the strength of the plot since I didn't care enough to follow it too closely throughout. It was a speed listen situation. 

Entertainment - 3/10
Yep, the topic was of interest to me (i.e. racial tensions, high stake relationships, and the effect of violent crimes on individuals. Nope, the delivery was not entertaining to me, even with the shock factor. 

Individuality - 5/10
Can't really rate too much on this because I haven't really read anything like this, but it is renownnd for being quality literature in the genre. I'll give it half marks out of respect. 

Thought Provoking - 7/10
Yep! The one thing it had going for it, really. I appreciated the racial prejudices brought to light throughout and it had a "To Kill A Mockingbird" vibe, but without Scout, Jem, Atticus...or the purity of that novel. 

Relevance - 8/10
Racial prejudice is still relevant in today's day and age, and the final question that stumped the jury is incredibly relevant. What if the situation were reversed?

Ending - 8/10
It wrapped up nicely. I just wish the middle bit matched haha. I had no idea what was going to happen and it certainly kept me hanging to the very last moment! 

TOTAL = 51/100 = 3 stars
My lowest rating so far for 2019!

My next review will be for 
"Anatomy" by Franks Martin for "Level 1 A book you got for free"

The life of a ten-year-old girl is shattered by two drunken and remorseless young men. The mostly white town of Clanton in Ford County, Mississippi, reacts with shock and horror at the inhuman crime. Until her black father acquires an assault rifle and takes justice into his own outraged hands.

For ten days, as burning crosses and the crack of sniper fire spread through the streets of Clanton, the nation sits spellbound as young defense attorney Jake Brigance struggles to save his client’s life–and then his own.
--back cover

A Time to Kill

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