GSAW is set twenty years after Mockingbird, as an adult
Scout, now known as Jean Louise, returns to her hometown of Maycomb,
Alabama. Maycomb will always be home to
Jean Louise, and she is drawn to it despite the fact that she still doesn’t
quite fit in. She meets her old friend,
Henry Clinton, who finally confesses his love for her and asks her to marry him. While Jean Louise considers his proposal, she
discovers a shocking revelation about her father Atticus, one that forces her
to decide whether she wants to ever live in Maycomb again, but more
importantly, whether she can be a part of her own family again.
That shocking revelation, as most readers already know, is
that Atticus apparently supports the traditional views of segregation prevalent
throughout the South in the 1950’s. The
landmark Supreme Court ruling of Brown vs. Board of Education worried those entrenched in the old belief in separate but equal, and groups were
organized to mount a resistance to this ruling.
Maycomb was no exception, and to the horror of Jean Louise, Atticus is a
member of that group.
Atticus Finch a racist?? Tell me it isn’t so! The noble man whose integrity shines through
To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the most beloved heroes in literary fiction,
and Gregory Peck’s portrayal of him in the 1962 award-winning film cemented
that opinion. To find out that Watchman
shatters that image is one of the main reasons many readers have opted not to
read the new book.
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| 'Vanilla Strawberry' Hydrangeas putting out a few new blooms, but most have faded as the season winds down. |
I knew as I began reading the book what I was getting
into. Still, as I finished the novel, I
felt as if I needed to erase everything I had just read and remember only the
Atticus Finch I have known and loved for years.
The theme of discovering your childhood heroes are humans after all
could have worked—but with a completely new set of characters.
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| Hummingbirds are fueling up for their long journey south very soon. |
Aside from this major problem, there are other flaws in the
book as well. When Jean Louise confronts
her father, he tries to explain his stance, but the conversations between them
are so rambling that they don’t resolve anything. It is as if Harper Lee was trying to come to
terms with her own feelings about her father (if it was indeed
autobiographical) and simply couldn’t.
Her decision about her father at the end is unsatisfying and
unbelievable. Uncle Jack’s attempts to
explain Atticus's position are also rambling. A
lovable character in Mockingbird, Uncle Jack comes across as eccentric, if not downright crazy, in Watchman. Speaking of
characters, the other beloved characters in Mockingbird—Dill, Jem, and Boo Radley
(oh, how I missed him!)—don’t even appear in the new novel. Calpurnia does appear, but her transformation
in Watchman is as disturbing as Atticus’s.
Only Aunt Alexandra, of all people, remains somewhat the same character.
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| The bees are still busy gathering pollen. |
So why did I read this book, knowing full well I was going to be disappointed? Purely out of curiosity--I wanted to see where Lee began her story and how it evolved into my favorite book of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird. There are parts worth reading--all of them flashbacks as Jean Louise remembers some of the exploits of her youth. These humorous anecdotes are different from the ones in Mockingbird, but remind the reader of some of those touches of humor, like the scenes when Jem and Scout try to draw out Boo Radley. But their placement in the book often distracts from the main story.
What Go Set a Watchman really needed was a good editor--oh wait, Lee already had a good editor, and the result was To Kill a Mockingbird!
There are those who have refused to read Watchman out of principle, thinking that the publishers were motivated by greed. If so, I am sorry I purchased my own hardback copy. On the other hand, it is possible that the publicist/agent felt the world deserved to see how Lee's famous story began. Whatever the motivation, I seriously doubt that Harper Lee willingly granted permission to have this very rough rough draft published.
Harper Lee once told a close friend why she never wrote another book after Mockingbird: "I have said what I wanted to say and I will not say it again." It's too bad her publishers didn't respect those wishes.
(Photos are random photos of my late summer garden and have nothing whatsoever to do with this book. Perhaps I could have tied them in with Miss Maudie and her garden, but alas, Miss Maudie isn't in Watchman either.)
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| Enjoying the visiting Monarchs as they begin their fall migration. |
Harper Lee once told a close friend why she never wrote another book after Mockingbird: "I have said what I wanted to say and I will not say it again." It's too bad her publishers didn't respect those wishes.
(Photos are random photos of my late summer garden and have nothing whatsoever to do with this book. Perhaps I could have tied them in with Miss Maudie and her garden, but alas, Miss Maudie isn't in Watchman either.)
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@Barrie Summy
Disclaimer: As with all the books I review here, I received no compensation of any kind for this review. I purchased my own copy of Go Set A Watchman, but I'm not sure it will rest in my bookshelf next to To Kill A Mockingbird.book review blogs
@Barrie Summy
I'm on the fence on whether I will read this. If I do, I plan to re-read To Kill a Mockingbird first, as I haven't read it since my mid-teens.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely re-read Mockingbird, Stacy! I used to teach it every year in my freshman English class, so I've read it many times. I don't think I appreciated it nearly as much as a teenager as I did as an adult.
DeleteExcellent synopsis and review. As you know, I read this book for similar reasons and had reservations. As a Mockingbird fan I could not resist it. My teenaged daughter is reading it now.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't resist reading it either, Sarah, and I'm glad I did. As a writer, you must have been really been intrigued by how much this original story changed in Mockingbird. I know it made me appreciate the value of re-writing and the job of editors more than I ever had before.
DeleteI started reading this just last night. Hmmmmmmmm... will be interesting to see what I find.
ReplyDeleteI'll be interested in hearing what you thought of it, Lisa! My book club read it, and we certainly had a lot to discuss that meeting.
DeleteThat's an interesting perspective on this book. I had put it on my TBR list but I haven't worked myself up to read it yet. I'm not sure when I will. So many books to read, so little time!
ReplyDeleteI don't like to give spoilers in my reviews, Dorothy, but there has been so much written about this book that I think anyone picking it up to read already knows about Atticus and the change in his character here. It's an interesting to book to read from a writing perspective and how the story changed so dramatically.
DeleteI've been wavering on buying this book. Perhaps I though it might have introduced a note of realism a follow up needed. And then all the reasons you mentioned against. Lack of good editing was the clincher....:) I won't be buying it any day soon.
ReplyDeleteYes, as much as I didn't want to have my image of the noble Atticus shattered, I think the idea of an adult perspective could have worked. It was interesting to see how Jean Louise' perceptions of the town had changed. But the story really needed some structural changes, and definitely some editing. I think that bothered me as much as anything.
DeleteInteresting review Rose. I love your photos of butterfly and 'Vanilla Strawberry' . Have a nice weekend!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nadezda. The Monarchs are migrating now, so they're a fairly common sight these days, but so hard to catch for a photo!
DeleteThanks for the thoughtful review. It does sound as if this is a book that never should have been published. Sad, really.
ReplyDeleteAll I kept thinking as I got farther into the book, Linda, is that if Harper Lee had really wanted to publish this, she would have done a lot of re-writing.
DeleteRightly or wrongly - I had already decided not to read this book!
ReplyDeleteLoved your photo's Rose, fantastic to see.
All the best Jan
I can understand your decision, Jan. This time of year I'm taking more photos of all the creatures visiting the garden than of the flowers.
DeleteRightly or wrongly - I had already decided not to read this book!
ReplyDeleteLoved your photo's Rose, fantastic to see.
All the best Jan
I think you're absolutely right: What this book needed was a good editor. It's a shame it didn't get that, because perhaps it could have been something more than what it's become: an historical oddity and a bit of an embarrassment for Harper Lee. It's a shame, too, because there could have been so much to be gained by providing a fuller, more adult portrait of Atticus -- one that shows him as human.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree, Cloudbuster. The idea of seeing Atticus from an adult's perspective is an interesting one, even if he didn't come across as such a hero, but it just didn't work here. All the discussions Jean Louise has with him and her uncle are so rambling and don't really come to any conclusion. I think Harper Lee would be so upset if she really knew this story had been published.
DeleteGlad to read this review. It must have been disquieting to find out that Atticus isn't the character you so admired. I have been curious after all the hype, but I think I'd rather read To Kill a Mockingbird instead. Somehow this classic has never made it onto my reading list.
ReplyDeleteOh my, definitely read To Kill A Mockingbird, Jennifer!
DeleteI've been curious about this book. It's interesting because it sounds like Atticus is portrayed differently than the idea everyone has of him and I think there's something true to life to that because how many times do we realize people we admire and respect aren't really what they'd have us believe they are? From that perspective it could be an interesting look at things like his character. I don't know that I will be ordering this book from amazon but I do appreciate the review, nonetheless.
ReplyDeleteThat is really the theme of the book, Lucy, that Jean Louise discovers her father is fallible and human after all. As much as those of us who loved him in TKAM really don't want to hear that, it could have been an interesting and thought-provoking follow-up. But this book needed a lot of good editing to accomplish that.
DeleteThank you for such a careful, detailed review. As I mentioned to you, I'm one of those who are on the fence about reading this book. Writing a book is a bit like making sausage, I think. It's not all pretty. I'm not sure I want to read a book that needs serious editing. At least not at the moment when I have so many books in my TBR pile. Thanks again for reviewing! And I love your photos.
ReplyDeleteAs I told Sarah, Barrie, this book really made me appreciate the work that editors do and to understand how important rewriting and revising is. If Harper Lee had kept the same premise but had revised and revised it, it could have been an interesting book.
DeleteStacy has taken the words out of my mouth Rose! Thanks for your review. I always appreciate your thoughts on what you have been reading and although the photographs may not have been relevant they were most pleasing to the eye.
ReplyDeleteAnna, I can't help showing off a few flowers and now the butterflies no matter what my post is about:)
DeleteSo was GSAW written after Mockingbird? It sounds like it must have been. Somehow I had gotten the impression that it was an earlier draft that ended up as Mockingbird after editing. I have not read GSAW, I just don't feel the urge. I think Mockingbird stands on its own whatever the merits or deficiencies of this other book.
ReplyDeleteNo, Jason, you are right--supposedly Watchman was an early draft of Mockingbird. I think Lee's editor suggested writing it from a child's point of view, though it may have been her idea. Whatever the reason for the changes, I think we're all happy she made them in the final book! I should have added reading Watchman didn't diminish my love of Mockingbird at all; it's still my favorite book.
DeleteGreat to read your views Rose, but even better to see you beautiful pictures. It's poured with rain here all day so lovely to look at your garden instead of mine which looks decidedly bedraggled!
ReplyDelete