ROGUE LAWYER by John Grisham

ROGUE LAWYER  by John Grisham

NOT a short story collection.

Grisham proves once again that he is not a formula writer – or at least his formula keeps changing – and always for the better!  ROGUE LAWYER begins as a collection of apparently disparate short stories centered on a lawyer that is the epitome of NOTHING like a corporate lawyer.  By the third “story” you begin to see the possible connections that will quickly become the plot of this tale.  Along the way you meet a cast of real characters from the innocent wronged citizen to the “out of the ghetto” up and comer to the most vicious bad guys. This is a page turner that will keep you up at night and just might change your opinion of both lawyers and cage fighters.

5 of 5 stars

THE SOUND OF GRAVEL by Ruth Wariner

What a sad – and horrifying – life these children had foisted upon them by adults who should have cared for and loved them.  It is hard to know where to start – with the father who wouldn’t give his children his name, a mother so blinded by faith she puts her children in mortal danger, a community that lives in abject poverty out of fear? – faith? – stupidity? It also shows the inadequacy of border patrols, government assistance, the safety net for children and women and on and on.

Ruth Wariner’s calm retelling of her childhood living in a cult was difficult to read.  The life of this family caught in the blindness of the mother to the toxic and heartbreaking reality of her family’s desperation and danger is written in straightforward prose. Ruth’s ability to ultimately save the remaining children is testament to her strength of character.

I can’t say that I “enjoyed” this book,  but it was certainly riveting reading. I was a bit disappointed that I didn’t learn more about fundamental LDS, but then that was not the point of the book.

5 of 5 stars

To the publisher: On pages 9 and 28 there is an entire paragraph describing the “swimming reservoir” that is repeated word for word. It was pretty glaring as I was reading.