The Appeal by John Grisham, a book review

The Appeal by John Grisham is a book I may never have chosen to buy or borrow. Since it was given to us in a pile of other assorted books and one of my daughters wanted to read it, I took it up. The verbiage is reasonable for a lay-person, especially considering this story is all about legal matters. Grisham did a good job making the subject of litigation more interesting than most people (including me) might consider it.

Jeannette Baker's case is a representative case for a county which became known as Cancer County after illegal dumping by an unethical corporation. Her representation has sacrificed everything to bring her justice. The corporation's lawyers feel completely confident that the jury will side with them. The jury's decision is a surprise. The case is brought to the state's Supreme Court.

The main action and tension of the story is what leads up to the ruling of the appeal and the impacts that fall upon those whose lives were most invested in the case.

I disliked that I felt like the author was leading to a particular conclusion, but then switched at the last minute. As a reader, bait and switch isn't my favorite writing technique, for sure. I do like that Grisham presented a deep and abiding truth in the last line of the novel. One that, if we are wise, we will take to heart by way of stories like this or others' lives.

This book is not good material for younger readers. My daughters will not read it until they are significantly older. Perhaps 16, at the youngest.

Have you read The Appeal by John Grisham? What did you think of it?