"Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em. But remember, it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." To Kill A MockingbirdAh...another classic. And this one lives up to its impressive reputation. One of the best things about this book is that it doesn't force things. It takes you on a journey. It confronts racism and prejudice without pushing an opinion on you. It showcases all the opinions rather than shoving one down your throat and instead promotes understanding and compassion.
Wow. That was deep. Some other good things about the book was that it wasn't fast paced, but doesn't drag either- so good news for all the readers who like to take their time, but also good news for those who hate draggy books. Can I just say that this book is a beautiful piece of literature? It is modestly truthful and captures the innocence of youth. It tells you a story rather than taking you on an adventure. Which isn't a bad thing, just a bit different from some other popular books, if fact, it could be a great thing for anyone who wants a quiet break from all that seat-of-your-pants adventure! To Kill A Mockingbird also has a great range of diverse, real characters, many of whom would make great role models. This is one of the aspects of a book that you might've noticed I'm very critical (is critical the word?) of. I think that the characters are a huge part of a book, and having reasonable, real, relatable characters is important. In this case, I think Harper Lee has done an incredible job of designing and using her characters. The actual plot line meanders and detours, but never deviates from it's path. Though at times, you may not know where you're going, you don't lose interest in the plot. It's a rich and beautiful tale that shows the black, the white and the grey in vivid quality. And its most brilliant because it's written from a child's perspective. As Andrea (another reviewer on Goodreads) put so succinctly: “If you think about Scout’s viewpoint, the questions she asks, the hypocrisy she points out... the beauty is she has no idea she’s right. She’s trying to make sense of social norms that don’t make sense. She is a child that has been taught right from wrong from a man with a strong moral compass, but she hasn’t learned all of the social “exceptions to the rules” (that her aunt is trying to teach her) which are instilled throughout adolescence. “[https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.html?id=35272288&page=12] I don't have any dislikes to speak of, but I do have one or two points of interest. For one, I'm really glad I didn't have to read it for school because I may have dismissed it as boring or rolled my eyes at it's obvious anti-racism message. You can't properly enjoy a book if you've already written it off before the first page. (Heh, written it off...I'm so punny!) So for all you parents out there who have any positive influence over your child's reading material, this is a good one to recommend before school does. -Spoilers- My favorite part was the first sentence: "When he was nearly thirteen my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow." This sentence immediately grabbed my attention, and at the same time tells you what the story will be about. It also instills a sense of anticipation; like at any time you could find out how Jem broke his arm. The trial scenes are definitely the most engaging, but I enjoyed the whole book. It's a beautiful example of literature at it’s finest. -Spoilers Over- I have to give this book five stars. I would give it more if I could. I would recommend it to people in year nine (about 13) or older. I say this because to truely appreciate it you need the knowledge that comes with the experience of life. You have to understand how life is to understand it when it’s reflected in the book. A child’s viewpoint is helpful to those who don’t have it, but children within a child's viewpoint may just be confused. Also, Tom Robinson is on trial for rape. The book is in no way explicit, but kids might not understand (or you might not want them to).It’s a brilliant book and I hope you read it! StoryGirl P.S Sorry for meandering a bit and for this not being a clear cut review, I really enjoyed it but I wasn't exactly organised while I was writing.
1 Comment
Vica
6/10/2019 09:40:13 pm
Ooohhhh I remember reading this book when I was in year 10! I really enjoyed reading it and writing an essay about it! Definitely agree with your rating and your comments ^_^
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About MeI'm just a girl who loves to read (and also to listen to music, watch tv, and really anything that involves a story). Archives
December 2020
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