A Painted House is a vastly different work from the usual John Grisham courtroom dramas. This is a story about a 7 year old farm boy, Luke growing up in rural Arkansas, detailing everything that happened in a few short months.
It was the cotton harvest season of 1952, Luke stayed with his grandpa, grandma, mom, and dad on the farm. For the harvest, they acquired help from a hill family and a bunch of Mexicans. Other characters include the poor Latcher family, Luke’s friend Dewayne, and the grocery store owners Pop and Pearl.
The story never strayed from Luke, it was told as a commentary of his life. Luke had to endure a lot of secrets, two killings, a forbidden love affair between the Mexican and the hill girl Tally, the secrets between Luke and Tally, and the fatherless baby from the Latcher family.
You will undoubtedly start rooting for Luke as the pages go by. The book speaks of both the good and the evil, and gives a very vivid and beliveable life of rural Arkansas in the 50s.
This is one of the better books I’ve read, certainly the best from John Grisham. Pick it up if you have the chance, or you can go to the link above and read through the computer screen, PDA, cellphone, whatever..
Have fun! The other book review by yours truely - Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
