The first book I read of John Grisham was THE PELICAN BRIEF. My librarian knew that I read any fiction I could lay my hands on, so he introduced me to John Grisham’s book. I loved his Pelican Brief. I thoroughly enjoyed it and waited to read the next and the next and the next…
Most of his books have been gripping and having an original story line. A couple of his books have not been upto the standard and boring too.
I had seen his KING OF TORTS on the Bestsellers list and was waiting to read it and I was lucky to get hold of it this weekend. And yes it was a GOOD ONE. I finished the book at one go. The story line was good and gave an insight to how mass tort lawyers operate and how money minded they are and work without conscience.
Clay Carter is shown to be more human than most of the mass tort lawyers. His friends Rodney, Jonah and Paulette are characterized as loyal to the hero when he is in dire need of support. It depicts human values as being more precious than money. It shows how true it is “A FRIEND IN NEED IS A FRIEND INDEED.” The character of his employee Oscar Mulrooney who becomes his right hand man is also very important for the story, as he is the doer in the story.
The main character Clay Carter is shown to be the real hero who does have a conscience and any person can relate to his feelings, emotions and behavior. The money he can make by these mass tort cases tempts him to take them up, but faces the music for all misdeeds valiantly.
Rebecca’s role is small but important to show how he had not agreed to take up a job offered by her father, which would bring his self-esteem down. But later on he does take the wrong way to earn money. Rebecca’s parents are shown to be with name and money but with no human values. But at the end love wins, which is too cinematic and unrealistic.
The story line on the whole is interesting but becomes very much predictable at the end. The character of Mike Pace disappears suddenly and the effect of this character is lost making the story soft.
The climax is very cinematic and ends with a soft note, which could have been different. Also it is very much disappointing which I think most of the readers of this book would agree with me. Clay Carter and other mass tort lawyers, I feel are let off too lightly for what they have done if the Author wants to teach them a lesson. If the author wants to be realistic then this is not how the story should have ended…
Things are not and always black and white…