Janet B. (OkieGirl) reviewed on 7/29/2015 + 8 more book reviews

Let me start by stating that To Kill A Mockingbird is one of my favorite books of all time and the movie is my favorite movie of all time. I grew up in the south and Scout's childhood was pretty much my childhood. Mockingbird was proclaimed the greatest novel of its century. Rightly so. Now, the question is, will Go Set A Watchman be declared the greatest novel of this century? Perhaps. I haven't waited so impatiently for a novel's release since the last Dan Brown book (he's addictive). I was not disappointed! I read this in two evenings. I couldn't stop reading it until the wee hours of the morning. From the very first page, I knew it was Harper Lee. It felt familiar, although things have changed for Scout and the other characters. There are no static characters here. Everyone learns, changes. The novel is bittersweet but breathtaking. There is the same warmth and atmosphere created through the many flashbacks to Jean Louise's childhood. A changed Atticus. Seemingly, a shadow of his former physical self. Jean Louise would like to go home again. But is that ever really possible? Her realizations of her father and others are earth shattering to her. Ultimately, it is she who has to change, in a way, and learn to live in a new world, a new home, with a new perception of her father. Atticus is human after all and Jean Louise must come to grips with that fact. I noticed a couple of facts that I thought were different from Mockingbird. Watchman fleshes out almost everything we wanted to know about Jean Louise and what she has grown to be. Sadly, lost is one character that should still be. And Scout's uncle becomes a voice of reason in her unreasonable world. Jean Louise has flaws; she always did. And those flaws explode in this novel. Surprise! Atticus has flaws; he always did. And his flaws explode in this novel. Jean Louise will be disillusioned with truth. But truth is necessary for one to make good decisions. I found truth and wisdom here. And many of the problems our nation is struggling with today are found here. Ultimately, though, there is love here; the love of a father and daughter, of home. And love always has a hard time dying. I highly recommend this novel.I gave it five stars. And I will probably read it again.

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