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cljohnson8's review against another edition
4.0
I find the tale of To Kill a Mockingbird and Go Set a Watchman to be the most interesting literary-history-time-capsule of our time. Even more is the fact that the issues of race and defining basic civil rights are just as pressing today as they were 50 years ago.
However, GSAW absolutely CANNOT be read as a standalone novel. The immaturity of Lee's writing is obvious. Only in light of TKAM does GSAW hold much value.
However, GSAW absolutely CANNOT be read as a standalone novel. The immaturity of Lee's writing is obvious. Only in light of TKAM does GSAW hold much value.
ellieg2604's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
It was a bit hard to follow this one, but still good.
br1sr3alm's review against another edition
3.0
This is a good literary lesson when knowing TKAM came from this manuscript. This story was for its time very important, but the story that came from it in Mockingbird is timeless. I have a feeling we would not know Harper Lee's name if this had been her first and only book.
alexisdraut's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
bridgetcorso's review against another edition
5.0
For anyone questioning how your loving parents views on politics can change in to something you no longer recognize as an adult, this book is for you. It’s a story of scout finch, from to kill a mockingbird, returning home and seeing the people and place she grew up with have changed and how she fights against it. Super quick read.
samrw050's review against another edition
2.0
Eh....
It was not what I thought it would be. I am a bit disappointed after reading To Kill A Mockingbird.
It was not what I thought it would be. I am a bit disappointed after reading To Kill A Mockingbird.
awbyg412's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.25
farahsarish's review against another edition
3.0
My reaction to this book is complex and difficult to write down into words. It is hard to slap a number of stars on it because it's not that simple. This book was simultaneously wonderful and also heartbreaking. I knew in some ways it would let me down - it had not choice, simply because it wasn't "Mockingbird". I knew about the Atticus issue and tried to not let it affect how I read it, but it was so sad. If you treasure Atticus's character in TKAM, do not read this book. It will ruin him.
emma_loves_books21's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
chevelyn's review against another edition
4.0
If you can put To Kill a Mockingbird out of your mind, and forget the grossly erroneously marketing campaign that proclaimed Go Set a Watchman to be the long lost sequel of Harper Lee's classic of American literature, then this is actually a pretty decent book.
Sure, it's not an entirely polished novel - it was, after all, the first draft of Mockingbird; it's more anecdotal in nature, and some of the flashbacks are jarring, somewhat long and confusing but the time you return to the main narrative. But I found myself impressed with the story's maturity and intelligence; I quickly grew fond of the stubborn and independent Jean Louise, and the overarching themes - of dealing with the shattering of one's moral compass, and the pain that comes with entering adulthood and discovering that your parents are mere human beings - entirely moving and relatable. It's a crucial life experience that we all must come across at some stage in our lives, it's essential to our growth into maturity, and it has been skilfully captured in Watchman. As she proved in Mockingbird, Lee is a talented writer, with a knack for bringing characters to life with a mere few words, for all this book is a book is a bit rough around the edges.
The controversy surrounding the book's discovery and subsequent publication, including the egregious marketing of the book as a sequel when it's anything but, does mar my enjoyment of Watchman. If it had never seen the light of day, I don't think we would have any worse for it. That said, I did find it to be an enriching story, in an entirely different way to Mockingbird. Maybe I'm so forgiving because I'm not a TKAM purist like so many others are (it's a masterpiece, but far from being one my all-time faves). Taken with a grain of salt, and read with an open-minded acknowledgement of its status as the first draft of To Kill a Mockingbird, I don't think you'll find Go Set a Watchman to be a disappointment at all.
Sure, it's not an entirely polished novel - it was, after all, the first draft of Mockingbird; it's more anecdotal in nature, and some of the flashbacks are jarring, somewhat long and confusing but the time you return to the main narrative. But I found myself impressed with the story's maturity and intelligence; I quickly grew fond of the stubborn and independent Jean Louise, and the overarching themes - of dealing with the shattering of one's moral compass, and the pain that comes with entering adulthood and discovering that your parents are mere human beings - entirely moving and relatable. It's a crucial life experience that we all must come across at some stage in our lives, it's essential to our growth into maturity, and it has been skilfully captured in Watchman. As she proved in Mockingbird, Lee is a talented writer, with a knack for bringing characters to life with a mere few words, for all this book is a book is a bit rough around the edges.
The controversy surrounding the book's discovery and subsequent publication, including the egregious marketing of the book as a sequel when it's anything but, does mar my enjoyment of Watchman. If it had never seen the light of day, I don't think we would have any worse for it. That said, I did find it to be an enriching story, in an entirely different way to Mockingbird. Maybe I'm so forgiving because I'm not a TKAM purist like so many others are (it's a masterpiece, but far from being one my all-time faves). Taken with a grain of salt, and read with an open-minded acknowledgement of its status as the first draft of To Kill a Mockingbird, I don't think you'll find Go Set a Watchman to be a disappointment at all.