The Testament

This is one of the worst books I have ever read! It is a very slow read with characters I could not come to like and/or care about. I usually enjoy John Grisham novels, so I kept reading in hopes of a twist, a burst of action, an interesting character...anything to turn around the reading experience....but it continued to be a bore the entire way through. I believe Mr. Grisham put some words to paper just so he could write-off a trip to Brazil, a major setting in the book. I only gave one star because the system forced me to select at least one star.

I received the book in fast time, it was in excellent condition and I am very happy with the service I got.

The Testament is one of John Grisham's best reads (have read about 12 of his books so far)...it had me interested from the first page until the last. Would highly recommend this one.

Here's my review system--I score on four categories and average them together for the number of stars. The four categories are: character development (are the characters deep and complex, plot (is it interesting), voice (is the narration smooth and engaging) and cliche level (is it predictable.)

Characters: 5 stars-- I found the two main characters fascinating

Plot: 2 stars-- it went on an on to a predictable ending

Voice: 5 stars -- very smooth which I believe is Grisham's strong suit

Cliche: 3 stars -- good lawyers and greedy lawyers as JG does

Overall Score 3 stars

Grisham brings his page-turning style to a contested will. Aged billionaire Troy Phelan commits suicide, leaving behind a questionable hand-written will and angry heirs (six kids and three ex-wives) who get nothing beyond their debts erased. The beneficiary is Troy's previously unknown illegitimate daughter Rachel, who lives as a penniless missionary among the Indians somewhere in the vast wilderness of Brazil. Naturally, the greedy heirs and their unscrupulous lawyers contest the will (claiming Troy was insane), while the exector plucks an acoholic attorney (Nate) from rehab to seach for Rachel in Brazil. Grisham provides adventurous reading as Nate braves storms, floods, snakes, mosquito-borne diseases and hostile natives while traveling up the Pantanal River in search of Rachel. At the same time, we see how low the Phelan heirs and their sleazy lawyers will sink to grab part of that $11 billion estate. But lest you lose faith in human nature, some redemption is mixed in with the mounds of sleaze.

I like Grisham's page-turning style and legal adventurism, but felt finding Rachel was too easy, and he took too long to get to the tepid ending. Still, if this isn't the top Grisham effort, it still makes very good reading.