A review of Go Set a Watchman (apologies for the bad review title)
By David F.
To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the most recognizable novels in twentieth-century American literature. It even eventually spawned a sequel as late as 2015 (not too long before Harper Lee's death): Go Set a Watchman.
Go Set a Watchman is, um, uh, well... weird.
It takes place something like eighteen or so years later, so Scout (now persistently referred to as "Jean Louise") is suddenly an adult. The story is no longer from her perspective either, which doesn't seem too concerning until you read the book for yourself. Atticus is still alive and kicking, but he has rheumatoid arthritis, but he's still the same moral law-abiding respectable lad from the first book. Only now he's in his seventies.
Jem's dead. I guess that's a little blunt, isn't it? But yeah, Jem died so it feels like they decided to crush and destroy a part of the first book that was nice. Jem was a good character; I don't believe he should've been killed off.
I understand that over the course of about two decades, things change. People come, people go, the people who stick around mature and grow. But all the constant differences make me feel like I'm reading a novelization of a soap opera.
I think it's the 1950s in the story, so racism is still a heated issue. It's mentioned in the book, of course, but it seemed much more pivotal in the original To Kill a Mockingbird. Making Scout a child presented the topic of racism in an interesting light and perspective.
The biggest problem I have with the book is the fact that exact passages, yes, EXACT PASSAGES FROM TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD ARE COPIED VERBATIM. The one I can remember off the top of my head is about how Aunt Alexandra is a no-nonsense individual. But regardless, did nobody in the publishing company believe someone would notice? It's painfully easy to spot at times, and it takes a turn toward boredom.
I feel somewhat bad about speaking negatively of this book, but it's nowhere near the status of the legendary classic on which it's based. 2 out of 5 stars.
