kellylacey's review against another edition
4.0
In The Trial, John Mayer masterfully recreates the atmosphere of Edinburgh’s old streets and halls as the backdrop to a gripping whodunnit. With short fast paced chapters, a glossary of legal terms and a plethora of characters with back stories the reader should be forgiven if their head is spinning by the end of part two but it is worth persevering. Using a cast of characters where class and honour are not necessarily related, truths, half-truths, and downright lies are woven together to keep the reader’s attention right to the end. Mayer’s characters have a tendency to be less than completely forthcoming and transparent in their encounters; this slightly pessimistic, though not necessarily unrealistic, a portrayal of the human condition certainly keeps things interesting. Elements of the story are at the same time utterly unbelievable and entirely plausible which allows the reader to draw on their own preconceptions and stereotypes. Only as the story develops will you find out if what you think you know and what you actually know are even loosely related. All in all, The Trial is an enjoyable read and I would recommend giving it a go. Three stars.
J.A.Warnock
Review on behalf of Love Books Group
J.A.Warnock
Review on behalf of Love Books Group
deearr's review
4.0
“The Trial” is the story of a man accused of murder, and his subsequent efforts to clear himself. This is not a new plot, but if handled well, can be an entertaining story. Unfortunately, the author tries too hard and during the first part of the book, I found myself questioning the story’s believability.
The accused, Brogan McLane, is thrown into jail on the flimsiest of circumstantial evidence. After a few days of incarceration, his first taped meeting with his lawyer and a police interviewer begins with McLane cursing and threatening to break someone’s neck. Bear in mind that McLane is an Advocate (in the author’s definition, “…equivalent to an English Barrister.” It is hard to believe that someone familiar with the law would (in this instance) potentially incriminate himself with this initial part of his interview.
There are more inconsistencies, both with the plot as well as characterizations. McLane is initially painted as tough, brought up on the streets and someone who could have been a hoodlum, yet he breaks down and cries as soon as he is put in a cell. This is not the same person who saw a man have his hand anchored to a table with a knife and didn’t so much as blink. This uneven portrait makes it difficult for a reader to identify with a main character of the book. Brief looks at some other characters offered little to justify some of their actions.
Near the middle of the book, author John Mayer began to hit his stride. His background as an Advocate helped the descriptions of the trial, and this section of the book turned out to be the best, even though hampered by the contrived case against McLane. The ending was satisfactory, the unexpected twist tying everything together and making me feel much better about my decision to read the entire story and not set the book aside. Three-and-a-half stars, with the trial and story wrap-up helping to round it to four.
The accused, Brogan McLane, is thrown into jail on the flimsiest of circumstantial evidence. After a few days of incarceration, his first taped meeting with his lawyer and a police interviewer begins with McLane cursing and threatening to break someone’s neck. Bear in mind that McLane is an Advocate (in the author’s definition, “…equivalent to an English Barrister.” It is hard to believe that someone familiar with the law would (in this instance) potentially incriminate himself with this initial part of his interview.
There are more inconsistencies, both with the plot as well as characterizations. McLane is initially painted as tough, brought up on the streets and someone who could have been a hoodlum, yet he breaks down and cries as soon as he is put in a cell. This is not the same person who saw a man have his hand anchored to a table with a knife and didn’t so much as blink. This uneven portrait makes it difficult for a reader to identify with a main character of the book. Brief looks at some other characters offered little to justify some of their actions.
Near the middle of the book, author John Mayer began to hit his stride. His background as an Advocate helped the descriptions of the trial, and this section of the book turned out to be the best, even though hampered by the contrived case against McLane. The ending was satisfactory, the unexpected twist tying everything together and making me feel much better about my decision to read the entire story and not set the book aside. Three-and-a-half stars, with the trial and story wrap-up helping to round it to four.
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