I finally got around to read this beautiful classic by Harper Lee and I can't believe that it took me so long! I really thought it was fantastic. My favorite classic so far, I think.A while ago when we were talking about our favorite heroes for Booking Through Thursday, so many bloggers chose Atticus. I didn't really understand why, how could he have gotten so many votes? Now I see how. I loved Atticus. He is a wonderful character - such personality, such integrity. You don't see that so much these days, not even in books.
I loved that the story was told by Scout, that we could see everything through the eyes of a child. I suppose it helped that I really liked the way this particular child's mind worked. The way she explained what was happening around her was beautifully put and completely believable at the same time. It was clear from her reactions to those around her that Atticus did a fantastic job raising her and her brother.
I really liked so many of the characters - Jem and the way he took care of his sister, Cal and the way she cared for those around her, the ladies of the neighborhood and their ways. The sense of community was certainly present whenever I spent time on their street. I even came around to Atticus' sister in the end - she only wanted to help.
From what I knew about this book from before, I thought that the entire story was about a white lawyer defending a black man accused of raping a white girl. When I started to read the book, while I read about Scout and Jem and Atticus, I kept waiting for this storyline to appear. By the time the trial came around I was more than half way through the book and I realised that To Kill A Mockingbird is about so much more than that. Family and growing up and what's fair and right in the world. How people will follow the majority. How where you come from doesn't always matter and how sometimes it really does. And about so many other things.
Oh and so beautifully written! I actually read it with the right accent, I think. :-)
I will carry the characters of this book and their story with me for a long while.
Challenges: 888 Challenge, A-Z Challenge, Banned Book Challenge, Southern Reading Challenge
10 comments:
This is my all-time favorite book. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Julie,
I can see why it's your favorite! :-)
With classics, I often find myself distracted by what I "thought" a book was about, and I end up missing the real story for awhile. I have a few of those I want to go back and re-read, since now that I know "what happens" I can focus on the way the story is told. I'm glad you liked this one!
Lezlie
Lezlie - I know what you mean, it's because we hear so much about some of these books before we read them - it's good that books like this one are referenced in popular culture though!
Hello Joanna! Just dropping by and I'm SO very glad that you've read To Kill a Mockingbird, and that you now understand what makes Atticus such a great hero! I had no trouble naming him immediately when that BTT question was posted.
Thanks for linking to me ... I'm touched!
Lesley
XX
Joanna said, "Oh and so beautifully written! I actually read it with the right accent, I think."
This is too funny! I'm guessing you are a northerner?
I went to a program a couple of years ago where a very grown-up Scout talked about the making of the movie. Harper Lee was hardly ever there, but Gregory Peck didn't have to act the part of Atticus - he was living it!
I've put up a Mister Linky for the first reviews and I'm sure this post would be of great interest - So, Don't Forget to Link! ;D
This is one of my all-time favourites as well, which I bought and re-read a few years ago - and loved just as much as I did as a teenager when I first discovered it. Reading it as an adult, I certainly had a deeper appreciation of the themes. One of the most impressive things about this book is that it was written during the time in which it is set - and courageously tackles some pretty important themes.
Glad it lived up to expectations!
lesley - thanks for visiting! And I like your blog so I linked to it, it's that simple! :-)
maggie - I'm Polish, actually. :-) I've spent some time in the States though, in NY. I love the southern accent though and in my head i can get it right - when I try to speak it doesn't work so well! :-)
paula - I was wondering about that, but didn't have a chance to look into it. Knowing that does indeed make the book even more amazing!
It's been a long time since I read this book for school, but your post has inspired me to read it again, just for me.
How nice Charley, enjoy it the second time around! :-)
Post a Comment