Monday, December 15, 2008

Review: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee


Book: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Genre: Literary Fiction
Rating: A
For: F2F book club, Lit Flicks Challenge, Pulitzer Prize Project


I wanted to wait and do a review after I'd seen the movie too, so I could compare. But I'm not sure I'll ever get time for the movie, so if I do, that will be its own separate post I guess.

I read this book before, sometime, I can't remember when. High school maybe? I didn't remember much about it except I really liked it. Recently it's been on the radar again mostly because it was the local library's Big Read pick of the year. I missed most of the fun discussions and programs they had in connection to the event, but since they were giving out free copies, we decided to add it to our book club line up and we'll be discussing it this week.

As I said, there was much I didn't remember. I didn't realize Scout was so young. I'd forgotten how cute and funny she was. I didn't remember the whole Boo Radley thing and all the funny situations they got themselves in. I didn't remember the friend Dill at all.

I DID remember Atticus and what a great character he is. I DID remember the injustice of the race situation and all the emotion involved in that.

I totally enjoyed reading this book again. I loved all the southern phrases used throughout the book and realized that many of them have made their way through to my family even though it's been a hundred years since my great great grandparents lived there.
I really do hope I get a chance to watch the movie because I don't think I've actually ever seen it the whole way through, just bits and pieces here and there.

Next up for the F2F Book Club: Wuthering Heights!

9 comments:

  1. I haven't read this since high school either, and I'd love to read it again. Lovely reminder of many things I admired about this book as well.

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  2. I haven't read this book, as it is not part of the Danish high school curriculum, but I have it on my TBR and also bought a dvd with the movie. I didn't read your review, but will hopefully be able to find it again once I have read the book for my next year classics challenge ;o)

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  3. I read this book for the Lit Flicks Challenge too! (And for the library's Big Read.) I loved rediscovering it. I hope to get to the movie before February. We'll have to compare notes.

    (By the way, you won a book in my Holiday Giveaway Extravaganza, so email me your mailing address when you get a chance.

    Jessica @ The Bluestocking Society
    http://thebluestockings.com

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  4. I haven't read this period! Somehow it never came up in high school, but I know other people that had to read it... One of these days I am going to get around to it!

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  5. I've read the book twice but I've only seen the movie a handful of times. It's my mom's favorite though!

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  6. This is my favorite book to movie. It's absolutely wonderful. And the book is just phenomenal.

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  7. Many people enjoy the movie (which won all sorts of awards) but I thought the movie changed some really important things from the book and I couldn't stand it.

    I guess I don't normally like movies of books, so it's my problem. This is absolutely my favorite book in the world, so I don't think anything should be changed.

    But I'd be interested to hear your thoughts about the movie if/when you do get to it.

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  8. I read this book comparatively late in life (last year?!), and I just loved it. It made me cry, in fact. I'm glad you adored it on second reading. Good luck with Wuthering Heights! It took me four tries and a dozen years to get through it, but I was glad when I finally did.

    Andi

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  9. I think I'm the only person on the planet who didn't read this during high school. Oh, no, wait -- they don't read it in Denmark. Okay, I feel better. I loved it when I got around to it.

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