Customer Reviews

Last Juror

5 star:		(168)
4 star:		(155)
3 star:		(87)
2 star:		(76)
1 star:		(76)

 

 

After the travesty that was "King of Torts," John Grisham returns with a novel that appears, on the cover, to be another legal thriller but is, in fact, something else entirely. This is not about courtroom theatrics or terrible murders or greedy, corrupt lawyers seeking justice that will benefit their pocketbooks. No, "The Last Juror" is much, much different than your typical Grisham fare.
It is a story of humanity. John Grisham has entered a new field while treading on familiar territory. He has written something that touches the pulse of the 1970's in Ford County. This is the story of Willie Traynor, newspaper editor, and his friendship with Callie Ruffin, a black woman and mother of eight, and a fledgling newspaper founded on obituaries. Danny Padgitt's actions are known fairly early on, and there truly is no question as to his guilt.

There are some courtroom theatrics here, but they are secondary to the relationship between Willie and Miss Callie; indeed, the courtroom scenes are secondary to the character development and onset of desegregation that the denizens of Ford County are faced with. If anything, "The Last Juror" is the sort of novel one would expect to read in a 20th Century literature class. There is a fair amount of suspense, and there is some criticism of the legal system (70's and current) and of course a bit of preaching, but it all works.

Grisham has crafted one of his best novels and given us a slew of memorable characters; the Ruffin family will stay with you long after completing the novel. As will Willie and the eclectic bunch of "old folks" who dominate the town. Social criticism is also a bit heavy, with the arrival of Bargain City and the Padgitt clan's unsavory vocations. I would hesitate to compare this to such literary giants as "To Kill a Mockingbird" and "Huckleberry Finn," the major theme in "The Last Juror" is similar to that found in both the aforementioned novels, that of racial tolerance and the transendance of boundaries.

But, when the jurors start to fall, you will believe that Danny Padgitt is indeed guilty of fulfilling his promise...but then Grisham wants you to believe it, which makes the ending all the more impactful.

Be wary, diehards and casual fans--this is not your typical John Grisham. It's something better.

There are so many riviting aspects to this latest Grisham novel that it's hard to know where to begin. First, there is the old vs. the new with regards to the south--how it has changed, is changing, and will change. That in itself is enough for a book and reminds me of other writers who have tackled that slippery slope: McCrae in his Bark of the Dogwood and Conroy in Prince of Tides. But the most intriguing aspect of this Grisham book is his characters. Then again, that's always the most intriguing aspect of his work. In any other writer's hands, the character of Danny Padgitt (how's that for a white trash name?) would be a cardboard cut-out. But in Grisham's he's flesh-and-blood. And Danny literally "gives" the newspaper in the town new life when he commits a murder. As with all media, they love sensationalism, and the Ford County Times--the paper that Willie Traynor now owns--is no exception. Seizing the opportunity, Traynor splashes the gory details all over "the Times" and the result is that he an instant celebrity and also a marked man. Padgitt finally gets his, but not full-out. His life sentence is evidently not quite as "lifelong" as everyone thought, and as soon as he's released, the killing starts. This, all because of his statement to the jury on his way out that he will have his revenge on the jurors. Lovely. Especially if you're one of them. All through this excellent plot, Grisham weaves the lives (or lackthereof) of the colorful characters in the town--yet another aspect of southern writing (again, McCrae or Conroy), and it's really these people that create the landscape and backdrop for this book. The entire novel reads like a well-done combination of Grisham's legal thrillers, his homage to Mississippi (A Painted House), and his foray into small town Southern America. Without a doubt this is his best effort to date.

Last week I finished listening to John Grisham's The Last Juror during my daily commute. I was very impressed. The first notable thing about this story is that while there is some courtroom time, it is NOT about a court case or a lawyer, etc, like many of Grisham's books. Grisham is a fine writer, but in this story about a small southern town and it's very young, very green newspaper editor/writer, he outdid himself. I'll warn that it doesn't have quite as much "excitement" and "suspense" as you occasionally find in his courtroom thrillers. It's more laidback than those, although there is some suspense and a touch of blood and gore. This story is about people. It's about a town that changes over time and the townsfolk who change with it - some with relish and some kicking and screaming. It's about Willie Trainer, the newspaper owner who comes to town, an outsider, buys the newspaper, and over time gains the respect, loyalty and love of the town he serves. The true beauty of this book, though, is the incredible way that Mr. Grisham introduces you to the characters and the townspeople. Each character in this book is a story finely woven. You're not reading/hearing that Joe Blow eats eggs for breakfast and is wearing black pants and a blue shirt. You learn about these people: their past, their present, and you look forward to their future. The writing is masterful in the creation of characters that we care about, are interested in and who shape this story. When I finished the story, I actually left the radio off for the rest of my ride home just so I could think about what a wonderful story it was and how much I enjoyed it.

Following Grisham's other non-courtroom drama's, specifically A Painted House, I see his talent is truly in character development. But, while A Painted House was good, it wasn't like this story. This had a much more satisfying plot, filled with wonderful characters, and an end that was somewhat expected, but that provided an end to a tale and to an era. I recommend this story. The narration was wonderful. Don't go into it expecting the same old Grisham, though. Go into it expecting a good story about people who touch you.

This review is in reference to the unabridged audio version and the narration was excellent on this version. This is definitely a book for the commute.

The 1970s . . .a small town in the South is the setting for this latest Grisham novel. That, plus the colorful cast of eccentric characters might be dangerously cliched material in any other author's hands, but not in Grisham's. This book is like a cross between "A Painted House" and some of his better known courtroom books. It's actually not so much a "mystery" as it is just a good story, interestingly told.

Also recommended: The Firm, Bark of the Dogwood, Capital Crimes

If you read the description on the back cover, you will get the idea that this is a taut thriller about a convicted murderer seeking revenge on those that put him away. Doesn't that sound exciting? Actually, it is anything but. This is John Grisham's ode to life in a small southern town and his regret for what such towns have lost. While the trial-related story starts off promisingly enough, the trial ends about a third of the way into the book, but the story just lumbers on without direction. Through the eyes of his narrator, a young newspaper editor, Grisham takes the soapbox on issues such as desegregation and a not very veiled attack on Wal-Mart and its effect on small town America, revealing his liberal leanings. The novel should more appropriately have been called "Dinners with Miss Callie" since much of the the book centers around his relationship with a middle-aged black woman from the "wrong side of the tracks." Pages and pages are dedicated simply to descriptions of the southern dishes she prepares. If this is your cup of tea, then by all means, pick up a copy of the Last Juror. But don't be fooled by the marketing campaign.

In my (December 17, 2003) review of "Bleachers", I claimed that "I'm mildly anticipating John Grisham's next legitimate novel--"The Last Juror"--due early next year." In that statement, I should've used the word 'greatly' instead of 'mildly', because Grisham's latest legal-thriller was nothing short of spectacular! I've never read one of Grisham's full-length novels in one day, but I did with "The Last Juror." I bought the copy I have Friday evening (Feb. 6), which I began reading Saturday afternoon (12:30 p.m.) and, pretty much in one sitting, after about twelve hours, finished reading Sunday morning (12:30 a.m.). I loved this book; I've never given a 5-star rating as part of any book review I've written, but "The Last Juror" could be Grisham's best work to date. I find that I can't really compare the novel to any of Grisham's previous "legal-thriller" novels; "The Last Juror" seems to be a cut above what he's put out since 1991. The story was compelling, the plot wasn't as formulaic/predictable, the characters were great; and even Grisham's writing style seemed to have improved (more refreshing and not as boring). If there are readers who have given up on Grisham, then ol' John deserves a second chance because of "The Last Juror."
A Must Read!

I actually managed to read "The Last Juror" without knowing anything more than it was the "new" John Grisham novel. From the title I assumed that it was about a trial and about a juror for that matter, in a similar vein to "The Runaway Jury," but that is not really the case even though the cove photograph certain reinforces the idea. There is a juror and there is a trial, but there are parts of a larger tapestry told by the book's narrator.

This narrator, who is not the titular figure, was born Joyner William Traynor but becomes known as Willie when he ends up working on a small newspaper in Clanton, Mississippi. Actually he ends up doing more than that, becoming the owner of the "Times" through a couple of simple twists of fate, although he never really graduated with a journalism degree from that "Ivy League" school Syracuse. Will, as he called himself, had his Triumph Spitfire and his long hair, but not much else going for him. However, this person Willie becomes rather interesting as he tries to build up the circulation of his little newspaper in Ford County. After all, even if he hails from Memphis he is still considered a Yankee by the people of Mississippi.

Along the ways he makes a friend of Miss Callie Ruffin, an elderly black woman who has eight children, the first seven of which have earned doctorates; we will learn about why the youngest child does not have his Ph.D. yet in the course of this tale. However, everything changes when the most sensational murder case anybody in Ford County can remember happens. Willie knows this is his big chance to boost circulation for his newspaper. However, this means crossing the family that has been running Ford County behind the scenes for over a hundred years.

Grisham makes the point several times that Mississippi is behind the times more than any other state in the Union and his Author's Note at the end acknowledges that he has mistreated some of the bad and weak laws that existed in the state in the 1970s, the decade in which this story was set. But "The Last Juror" really is about changing times, even if the changes come too late in the estimation of some. What Willie does to not only make Clanton a better place but to become a part of his adopted town is a recurring theme, even if it never seems to be the driving narrative of the novel.

The only real step in the story is when things start happening towards the end of the book and everybody in town assumes they know who is behind, whereas everybody that I know who has read the book (okay, that is just two other people, but all of us agreed) jumped to the right conclusion. Not in terms of who, mind you, but in terms of what was really happening. You would think some of the characters in the town of Clanton would have at least had an idle thought in this direction, but Grisham is being so blatant in ignoring the obvious alternative explanation that it is impossible not to guess what is really going on.

"The Last Juror" is set in the Deep South and has the rhythm of a story told on the front porch. Like many such stories it is about much more than what it is supposed to be about, so those who are compelled to find linear narratives in the novels they read are going to be frustrated, but hopefully not disappointed by Grisham's tale. You may not come to a final conclusion about what this novel is really about until you have read the final page, but there is really nothing wrong with that, even if it swims against the tide of contemporary best selling fiction. This is not a great novel or even a great Grisham novel, but it is a solid yarn, his best in years, and at this point in his career that may well be as good as it gets.

Grisham returns to Clanton, Mississippi, home of his previous novels "A Time to Kill" and "The Summons", with a story that starts out without the lawyers, but quickly falls back into the popular formula, even bringing back the character of Harry Rex Vonner, who stole the show in "The Summons".

The central character this time (Willie Traynor) is again a young, white male, lazy on the educational side and looking for an easy way through life. Only this time, he's not a lawyer dabbling in torts (as per "The King of Torts"), but a journalist who takes over a newspaper in Clanton in the seventies. He's got cheap accommodation, a couple of local characters to help him along, a rich relative, and lots and lots of good luck, all of which combine to make him a success story.

The brutal rape and murder of a local woman sells a lot of newspapers, and his fearless coverage of the case and subsequent trial make him a lot of friends, but also some deadly enemies, particularly the secretive underworld bootlegging family of the accused killer Danny Padgitt.

It's a pleasant enough story about the affairs of a small town and the running of a small newspaper, and covers cook-outs, drinking, families, obituaries, Sunday sermons, poker, cornbread and chitlins, as well as racism and the closing of small businesses by the wheels of progress, but it's when the lawyers and legal system are called into action that things get ugly.

The plot thins towards the end, when people who served on the jury for the murder case start getting killed, and everybody keeps barking up a convenient tree when their reason for doing so makes no sense whatsoever.

The ending is somewhat anticlimactic, with hints being thrown here and there in earlier chapters, and Grisham again wraps it up as quickly as possible.

All things considered though, it's a good read, and one of his better ones in recent times.

Amanda Richards, December 30, 2004

John Grisham displays the ability to write a vaiety of types of books, all entertaining and unique.

The Last Juror was not as fast paced and full of plot twists as some of his other works, but I think he was trying to portray life in an unspoiled, slow-paced Mississippi town in the 1970s - one that clung to Old South values and Old South traditions.

I thought the commentary on how "Bargain City" swoops in and impacts small town America was interesting.

I was very pleased with this book, and I am also proud of Mr. Grisham for keeping his books mostly clean and sticking to his faith in God.

Only Grisham could write characters that you hate so much, yet don't mind being around. It's the mark of a great writer; one that is able to keep your interest in a character while letting you know he's the worst possible excuse for a human being on the planet. Such is the case with Danny Padgitt-the murderer and sociopath in Grisham's "The Last Juror." But Danny is only one of a handful of people that populate this small town where a newspaper has failed and, even though recently purchased, needs a shot in the arm to revive it completely. Enter Mr. Padgitt. And while he helps out with circulation figures-albeit in an indirect and unintentional way-he's also the vehicle that pulls the plot along, swearing to exact revenge on the jury that put him away for life. Life turns out to be only nine years and people start to die shortly thereafter-you do the math. At any rate, "The Last Juror" is an excellent read, full of great descriptions, wonderful characters, and a great plot. But then, you be the jury.

Also recommended: A Time to Kill, The Firm, Bark of the Dogwood