The Appeal
Doubleday - Doubleday
Release date: 2008-01-29
Hardcover
Author: John Grisham
American Mystery & Suspense Fiction, Fiction, Fiction - Espionage / Thriller, Fiction / Suspense, Legal, Suspense, Thrillers, Chemical industry, Environmental aspects, Trials (Offenses against the environment), Waste disposal
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The Appeal
Date undefinedI've read everything by Grisham, loved most of it, and re-read my many favorites several times. The Appeal is far from Grisham's best work, but it definitely has a realistic feel, like Law & Order episodes that leave you with the impression you're hearing a story you hope isn't true, but you know it probably is in some form. The premise of The Appeal is promising - the potential of a big corporation finally being brought down by the little guys and paying for the suffering of victims, but under the surface its playing politics to fix the system in its favor.
Considering the potential, I didn't care about anything or anyone in the story until the last few chapters. The story tried to cover too much. The character development was flat and it glazed over everyone's stake in the game, despite the interesting scenarios of a town dying due to water contamination, a wealthy and corrupt CEO, an innocent lawyer roped in as a corporate puppet, and a huge lawsuit pending an appeal to the Supreme Court. With the CEOs, politicians, lawyers, cancer victims, husbands & wives, etc. as players in this tale, none of the characters were engaging, sympathetic, or remotely interesting.
The only exception was Fisk, the candidate who was unknowingly handpicked to turn the corporation's appeal to the Supreme Court in its favor. The tactics used to woo Fisk into the Supreme Court justice election and the fast paced election strategy were a bright spot and what I expected from Grisham. The ending also partially redeemed this tale, even though it rushed through what's by default the most riveting part of this hurried book. The end feels realistic, the irony and choices are thought provoking.
Overall, I'd rather have spent my time re-reading an old favorite like The Firm or The Testament.
The Appeal
Date undefinedThis one had me engrossed from beginning until almost the end. After I'd read the whole thing it became obvious that Grisham had a political agenda here -- to tell us that big business, doctors, nursing homes, et. al. are a bunch of bottom feeders and that trial lawyers are a noble breed whose goal in life is simply to help the oppressed. His book does a good job of that -- if you're very naive.
The Appeal
Date undefinedA trip to Greeley, Colorado (don't ask) found me with time to kill one recent snowy afternoon. First to Walgreen's for reading glasses and a book, actually this book, then to McDonald's for coffee and a HotN'Spicy chicken sandwich off the $1 menu. Has time ever passed so pleasantly?
Alas, on returning home, the joy of reading The Appeal turned into a bit of chore. Save it for a blizzard or the airport. Or the airport in a blizzard.
