A Time to Kill: A Jake Brigance Novel
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • John Grisham’s first novel is a searing courtroom drama that probes the savage depths of racial violence and introduced the world to fearless lawyer Jake Brigance.
“John Grisham may well be the best American storyteller writing today.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer
The life of a ten-year-old black girl is shattered by two drunken and remorseless white men. The mostly white town of Clanton in Ford County, Mississippi, reacts with shock and horror at the inhuman crime—until the girl’s father acquires an assault rifle and takes justice into his own hands.
For ten days, as burning crosses and the crack of sniper fire spread through the streets of Clanton, the nation sits spellbound as defense attorney Jake Brigance struggles to save his client’s life—and then his own.
Look for all of John Grisham’s gripping Jake Brigance novels:
A Time to Kill
Sycamore Row
A Time for Mercy
“John Grisham may well be the best American storyteller writing today.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer
The life of a ten-year-old black girl is shattered by two drunken and remorseless white men. The mostly white town of Clanton in Ford County, Mississippi, reacts with shock and horror at the inhuman crime—until the girl’s father acquires an assault rifle and takes justice into his own hands.
For ten days, as burning crosses and the crack of sniper fire spread through the streets of Clanton, the nation sits spellbound as defense attorney Jake Brigance struggles to save his client’s life—and then his own.
Look for all of John Grisham’s gripping Jake Brigance novels:
A Time to Kill
Sycamore Row
A Time for Mercy
BUY THE BOOK
Community Reviews
I understand that the writer thought he was being anti-racist because the main character is defending black people at low rates and has a passion for this job, but sadly this book is so full of racism:
1) The brutal crime against a young black character on the first few pages is so graphic and detailed in such an unnecessary way that it takes voyeurism to new evil heights. I've read Game of Thrones for goodness sake, I'm not a softie- but this is far too much.
2) The least racist white characters constantly use the n-word.
3) The white characters practically encourage a black character to commit a premeditated crime. Maybe this seems ridiculous because I'm an attorney, but it seems like it would be universally ridiculous and evil.
4) The black characters are ultimately dependent on the white people to save them. (Even though see #3 on why this isn't really true.)
5) All the "North is just as racist as the South" stuff. What is the point of that? It's bad wherever it exists.
Even if I could look past all that racism, which obviously I cannot, the book just seems bad and boring. I knew I wasn't picking up some literary masterpiece, but it's bad even for its purpose as genre fiction. I'm shocked reading some of the other reviews that someone was assigned this school, and somewhat surprised at how many of my Goodreads friends enjoyed this.
1) The brutal crime against a young black character on the first few pages is so graphic and detailed in such an unnecessary way that it takes voyeurism to new evil heights. I've read Game of Thrones for goodness sake, I'm not a softie- but this is far too much.
2) The least racist white characters constantly use the n-word.
3) The white characters practically encourage a black character to commit a premeditated crime. Maybe this seems ridiculous because I'm an attorney, but it seems like it would be universally ridiculous and evil.
4) The black characters are ultimately dependent on the white people to save them. (Even though see #3 on why this isn't really true.)
5) All the "North is just as racist as the South" stuff. What is the point of that? It's bad wherever it exists.
Even if I could look past all that racism, which obviously I cannot, the book just seems bad and boring. I knew I wasn't picking up some literary masterpiece, but it's bad even for its purpose as genre fiction. I'm shocked reading some of the other reviews that someone was assigned this school, and somewhat surprised at how many of my Goodreads friends enjoyed this.
See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.