Worlds away from his usual legal dramas, this departure for John Grisham has produced a wonderfully evocative novel. Set in the late summer of 1952 in the cotton-growing regions of Arkansas, the story is told through the eyes of eight-year-old Luke Chandler. Born and raised on his grandfather's cotton farm, like his father before him, he dreams of a world beyond the cotton fields, only existing in his imagination from what he has heard on the radio. But first and foremost is the cotton picking to be done before the rains come.. Outside help in the form of Mexican labourers and hill people is recruited bringing with it antagonism and racism which will eventually culminate in murder. Within 20 pages you are hooked, watching and feeling this tough life through young Luke's eyes. Set against the strict Baptist upbringing of these poor farmers, Grisham gives an intense picture of a hard, insular life where everything revolves around the cotton crop. All the characters are memorable from Pappy who spends his life worrying about the weather to Hank, the Spruill's violent unstable son, to Cowboy the shifty Mexican. And he does not forget the women of this tough world who live in the background quietly ruling the roost and supporting their men without question. A memorable book marking a dramatic change of direction for Grisham - one which this reviewer for one hopes he continues. - Lucy Watson
For once, there is not a lawyer or courtroom in sight in this engaging novel by John Grisham. The story opens in September 1952, in rural Arkansas. The cotton is ready for picking and seven-year-old Luke Chandler, the narrator, is preparing to help his family with the chore of harvest. From this simple setting there develops a strong narrative in which we see Luke growing up rapidly while recording many crises. His family and their hired band of Mexicans and hill people must struggle not only against the elements but also against the past. The writing is wonderfully evocative, silky smooth and with just the odd colloquialism to remind us that this tale is told by a small boy. There is a deep sense of warmth, of family life, of kinship and mutual respect for those of the clan. Outsiders, meanwhile, must prove their worth. Not all is bucolic and wholesome, however. Through Grisham's polished prose we see God-fearing, hard-working people living on the verge of poverty with all the attendant worries this involves. It is a thoroughly American story, set in the early 1950s but redolent of lingering Depression. The pace is deceptively easy, disguising a poignancy that gives the tale a tougher edge as young Luke discovers the farm's many secrets. The one flaw is Grisham's portrayal of Luke, some of whose observations and choices of words would be more appropriate to a 30-year-old than to a child. However, this is an absorbing story that will win Grisham many new fans. (Kirkus UK)
