Who Should Read It:Īnyone who enjoys books with courtroom drama and/or books with social commentary. You need to constantly remind yourself when reading those parts that the time in which it was set was very different than today. The sexism and other societal norms, although self-deprecated, were a bit cringey in today’s day and age. Although, not everything believable was likable, which brings me to my next point. It was a clear reflection of the society, mindset, and even language of the time in which it was set, making it much more believable and relatable. And it remains relevant across the decades, in numerous ways. This book hits you hard, much harder than you would expect. Yes, as Book #1 of the Jake Brigance’s series, from what Goodreads says. You can tell there’s really good talent there, but it is clearly the beginning of potential being realized. Primary Element:Ĩ out of 10 for its legal action and drama, 9 out of 10 for its emotion, and 10 out of 10 for its rare but well-placed humor. The attempt at making certain characters come across as raw and very human in their reactions came off, instead, as people who were primarily good, but with a healthy dose of being arrogant jackasses. Overall Rating:Ĩ out of 10 for its tale that combines hard-hitting emotion, political and social factors, and the simplicity (both good and bad) of basic human instinct. And the trial that began as Jake Brigance’s biggest career opportunity turns into a battle for justice beyond the prejudice of race, and the fight for his client’s life… and his own.

Threats and violence unfold as extremists take a stand against Hailey.

The media attention begins to escalate, as does the racial tension. It becomes the biggest trial of the Southern town of Clanton, Mississippi. Jake Brigance chooses to defend Hailey, a black man in a county that’s predominantly white. When Carl Lee Hailey’s ten-year-old daughter is brutally raped by two men and left for dead, he takes justice upon himself and kills the men who hurt his child. Read on to know whether its positives outweigh the negatives or not. At the same time, a lot of it feels dated and cringe-worthy. There are some brilliant aspects to the book, many of which are relevant even today to the different forms that segregation takes. It came into the limelight after the success of his second book but, once discovered, became known as a masterpiece. A Time To Kill is John Grisham’s first novel.

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