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Reviews by Caitlin

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The Summons
by John Grisham
I would like a refund, please. (6/24/2011)
Not of the money I paid for the book, although that would be great too, but mostly of the completely wasted hours I spent reading it.

It took about two chapters to figure out who the "bad guy" was, if that, and the side trails followed were somehow both boring and utter fantasy. Totally unbelievable characters, including Harry Rex (who has somehow undergone a personality transplant since his last appearance) to the King of Torts (are we really supposed to believe that a LAWYER is going to sit around admitting to dozens of felonies during an overnight visit with a total stranger?). And we are also supposed to believe that a lifelong junkie, who has stooped to murdering his own father, forging a will, threatening and intimidating his brother, arson, and God knows what else) comes into three million dollars, and uses it to check himself into long term rehab? Oh, puh-leeze. Perhaps Grisham should write a couple of novels about Santa and the Easter Bunny.

As for the ending, it is one of the worst literary cop-outs I have ever come across. Nothing resolved, characters taking off on tangents that bear no resemblance whatsoever to their own personalities as set up by the entire novel, and "see you in a year."

This just proves that once an author has reached a certain point in sales, their publishers will print any doddle they type up without bothering to read it first. Complete garbage.
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