Go Set a Watchman...All the waiting, what for?

Title: Go Set A Watchman
Author: Harper Lee
ISBN: 978-1785150289
Ratings: 5/10
Genre: Fiction, Adult Fiction

"'Jean Louise, have you ever thought about coming home?'
'Home?'
'If you will refrain from echoing either the last clause or the last word of everything I say to you, I will be much obliged. Home. Yes, home.'
Jean Louise grinned. He was becoming Uncle Jack again. 'No sir,' she said.
'Well, at the risk of overloading you, could you possibly give an undertaking to think about it? You may not know it, but there's room for you down here.'
'You mean Atticus needs me?'
'Not altogether. I was thinking of Maycomb.'
'That'd be great, with me on one side and everybody else on the other. If life's an endless flow of the kind of talk I heard this morning, I don't think I'd exactly fit in."




From reading To Kill a Mockingbird at the age of 14 I have looked forward to the news that Harper Lee was bringing out a new book. Go Set a Watchman is set after To Kill a Mockingbird when Scout, Jean Louise, is 26. She has returned to Maycomb from New York to visit her family for a holiday. She meets Hank at the train station, a man who is determined to marry her. We continue to learn about Scout's time in New York and her upbringing between the two books. There are a number of stories which Scout tells the reader about her childhood. We are introduced to Hank who she has known since childhood. Following the death of Hank's family Atticus helps to raise and educate him, and offers him a position in his law firm.

Throughout the book we are reminded of the continuous racial segregation which was prominent in America, especially in the Southern States throughout the 20th Century. Calpurnia no longer works for the Finch's as she now believes she was never a true member of their family. Her grandson is to blame for a road traffic accident which unfortunately killed a white man. Scout visits Calpurnia at home to explain how Atticus will defend her grandson, however, Calpurnia does not want Scout's support and has her leave the house shortly after arriving. I thought this may be the topic of the story, Atticus' defence of Calpurnia's grandson, similar to his defence of Tom Robinson in To Kill a Mockingbird. However, this was not the case. So I now wondered what the main theme and story would be in Go Set a Watchman.

Scout observed both Atticus and Hank in a town council meeting listening to a talk by a Mr O'Hanlon, who talks about the "contamination and mongrelization of the race", if the town folk allow Negroes to interact with the "white folk of Maycomb". How they need to be kept separated and not permitted to engage with one another. Not only does this shock Scout that her Father and potential husband are listening to such disgusting hate, it shocked me to listen to how 20 years after the trial and death of Tom Robinson people can still be so uneducated and illogical to think the colour of someone's skin can make them any less of a human. Regardless of nationality, race, ethnicity, humans are humans and I would hope that in modern day, racial discrimination would still not be an issue.

This was the main focus throughout the book, Scouts disgust at the knowledge Hank and Atticus could potentially be supporters of Mr O'Hanlon and his irrational and idiotic thoughts. Scout decides she can no longer speak to her Father or Hank and decides to leave Maycomb forever. She argues with Hank, she argues with Atticus, it is only discovering her Aunt Alexandra crying and explaining how she would miss her if she left that allows her to concede and talk to her Uncle Frank about what she has seen. Her Uncle makes her realise that she does not allow other people's opinions to sway her own thoughts, he calls her a bigot and needs his help to change her thoughts and be open to the understanding of the real reasons why Atticus and Hank were at the council meeting with Mr O'Hanlon. This allows Scout time to talk to her Uncle and to collect her Father from work, to find her Father has forgotten the argument and has realised the respect he has for Scout to stand up for what she thinks to be wrong.

**SPOILER ALERT**
Although the main focus is the racial segregation in the small town, I must mention the most shocking information I found in the book. Jem is not in this book. He tragically died in his early 20s. He collapsed outside Atticus' office and never recovered. This was a major shock to me and I was not expecting to find this out. I did not like how simple Harper Lee brought up Jem's death. A key and main character in the story and she just simply says "following Jem's death..." and then takes a number of chapters before even telling the reader what happened to him.

Overall I would read the story again, I did enjoy it, however, it was not as good as To Kill a Mockingbird. I was not impressed with this book and I feel the wait for the release was a build up for nothing. It is not a classic like the original book, but I feel it will carry itself on the back of the high profile To Kill a  Mockingbird.

Rating: 5/10
10 word review: a big hype for a disappointing book, not much story.

My next review will be Sapient by Jerry Kaczmarowski. This is a book which I have been sent and requested to review, the blurb gives me hopes for an exciting and interesting read. I have not read anything else by this author and I have high hopes.

Thank you again for reading my blog and I hope you find the reviews informative and interesting. Please let me know if you have any questions or queries or recommendations...Steph xx