Mar 31, 2010 02:57 PM
2320 Views
I read this book at a time when I was really into thrillers and potboilers and my book shelf was full of Jeffrey Archers, John Grishams, Sidney Sheldons, Robin Cooks and the like. Thus you can imagine, my surprise and absolute delight when I stumbled upon this book which had been written by the guy who wrote The Firm and The Chamber(two of my favorite books at that time).
The best thing I like about this book is that when you read it you don't feel it's written by a lawyer writing crime fiction. The book takes you into the backlands of Arkansas, into a story of the past, being relived by a boy of seven. It explores the relationships between the boy, his parents and his grandparents and the other characters and their passage through time through the almost unblemished views of our protagonist.
It comes off as a very heartfel effort from the author. It carries emotional restraint and effervescence of childhood with perfect balance. It's been one of the few books whose plot or exact sequence of events you won't remember, but you'd remember the feeling, th experience you had when you read them.
A really good novel from this writer who anyway has the dexterity of being a lucid and engaging story teller.
Alpana
