A Book Review

To Kill a Mocking Bird (Harper Lee)

Lots of people recognised the cover when they passed me by while I was reading this and most said they had either read it at school or studied it at college.  It’s one of those classics that I have meant to read but never really got round to, but now I have! It was a complete change to the fast paced action of the dragon tattoo trilogy which was exactly what I wanted, so it was nice to read something slower and more subtle.  Even though it’s a short book it took me a while to read this and it felt quite lengthy.  Although it appears quite simple on the surface, each of the characters has a depth and is cleverly described so that by the end you feel like you know the neighbourhood.   It’s full of questions about morals and prejudice.  

The story centres around a little girl called Scout and her brother Jem, based in Alabama in the Deep South of America in the 1930’s.  The story told by Scout, a somewhat boisterous 6 year old, shares her experiences of school, the small town and its neighbours.  It explores all sorts of typical growing up dilemmas as well as much more serious encounters with discrimination and injustice.   Their father Atticus, a highly regarded member of the community and lawyer, is appointed to represent a black man charged with the rape of a white girl.  Atticus agrees to defend this man and do everything he can to support him, all the while teaching his children to respect everyone no matter their differences, even those who turn against them during the trial.   It’s a beautiful book with subtle wit which made me smile and warm to the characters, but at the same time it deals with some very harsh themes.

One of the many great quotes 'you never really know a man untill you stand in his shoes and walk around in them'.