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A review by jhbandcats
The Pelican Brief by John Grisham
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
One of Grisham’s first classics from the early 1990s, the book is very dated in how the male / female relationships are presented. I tried to ignore it but it kept intruding on my concentration. The law student is sleeping with her professor, a man the same age as her father. She’s passionately in love with him but within two weeks of him no longer being part of the story, she has moved on to the reporter. The way the reporter keeps flirting with her is repellent. There’s also quite a bit of homophobia though it’s presented as something other, more narrow-minded people think - but that’s a disingenuous way to present it.
Aside from that, the rest of the story was engaging, complex, and important. It dealt with the ravages of the environment in favor of capitalism - billionaires wanting ever more money, not caring if or how their actions might affect others. Wealthy benefactors hold the politicians in their hands, and the constant clamoring for money means they do whatever their special friends want. I guess politicians have always been bought and sold. It’s all so familiar to those who know about Justice Clarence Thomas.
This was written in 1992. It’s clear Grisham is quite the liberal - he’s scathing in his account of conservatives controlling, and damaging, the country. It’s eerily prescient; Grisham describes the appearance of the president on TV as, “… the orange face with heavy makeup and the brilliant silver hair plastered carefully in place.” On the next page, discussing conservatives packing the Supreme Court, he writes, “We won’t recognize the Constitution in ten years.”
Now, a month and a half before the 2024 presidential election, I would really love to meet John Grisham and talk to him about his crystal ball and how he was able to see so clearly into the future.
Aside from that, the rest of the story was engaging, complex, and important. It dealt with the ravages of the environment in favor of capitalism - billionaires wanting ever more money, not caring if or how their actions might affect others. Wealthy benefactors hold the politicians in their hands, and the constant clamoring for money means they do whatever their special friends want. I guess politicians have always been bought and sold. It’s all so familiar to those who know about Justice Clarence Thomas.
This was written in 1992. It’s clear Grisham is quite the liberal - he’s scathing in his account of conservatives controlling, and damaging, the country. It’s eerily prescient; Grisham describes the appearance of the president on TV as, “… the orange face with heavy makeup and the brilliant silver hair plastered carefully in place.” On the next page, discussing conservatives packing the Supreme Court, he writes, “We won’t recognize the Constitution in ten years.”
Now, a month and a half before the 2024 presidential election, I would really love to meet John Grisham and talk to him about his crystal ball and how he was able to see so clearly into the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, and Classism