The Guardians: A Novel

Love this! very addicting very southernly chill pace and man what a family How interesting it was to walk through life with them!

First work of fiction I’ve read in a while. I’ve read two other books of Grisham and I seem to remember more exciting storytelling and plot twists. I found this book to be mostly a slow grind to an expected outcome.

I LIKE IT A LOT !

Based on a true story, this book delves into the process of getting an innocent man out of prison and the long waits that occur. Excellent and thought provoking, it is one of Grisham's best. He weaves a story that is memorable and facinating.

An amazing, uplifting well written story that I will read again. Grisham is a master story teller. This did not disappoint - I was not sure it was going to be food but i was wrong. Loved every minute of this tense, realistic, uplifting story. I am going to to read the non-fiction companion. We should all be aware of this truth.

This is John Grisham's 33d novel and he is still going strong as a legal novelist. While this latest legal thriller is not a "page turner" like "The Firm," which kept me awake until I finished it, it is a good solid craftsman effort that has many interesting rewards. I have noticed, and discuss in other Grisham reviews, that he is now inclined to use his stories not only to entertain but also to inform. That is, recently he has used his novels to explain and explore a number of key legal developments--including mass torts, death penalty cases, public interest law firms, and state lawyer disciplinary boards-by building them into his novels. I think this only enhances the enjoyment of his legal fiction. Here, he is at it again invoking private jails, prisons as profit centers for their communities, how "snitches" can be bribed into testifying for prosecutors, the abuse of expert witnesses, FBI investigations, blood stain analysis and experts, and DEA investigative techniques. His central character in the novel, both an Episcopalian priest and lawyer (that collar does come in handy in getting into prisons), works for a small public interest law firm whose mission is to exonerate prisoners who have been wrongfully convicted. It is a small version of the well known Innocence Project. Two million folks are incarcerated, one million employees tend to their needs, and $80 billion is the price tag on all this. An estimated 10% of all prisoners are actually innocent of the crimes for which they were convicted. So it is good that Grisham is bringing these important legal actors to our attention. I always enjoy Grisham when he is writing about his southern homeland and its legal systems. The novel runs 370 pages, and I certainly enjoyed it, as well as all his other novels. But as the reader nears the conclusion, while interesting, there is no pounding need to keep reading in search of the big Grisham finish as used to be the case. Perhaps this just reflects Grisham's growing stature as a novelist; he doesn't need people jumping out of skyscraper windows and similar devices to hold his readers' interest. A good, solid Grisham legal mystery and informative as well.

John Grisham has been a favorite author for many years, all the way back to "The Pelican Brief". I have read almost all of his books including non-fiction and the Theodore Boone young adult series, so it was a no brainer when I saw this for sale. Unfortunately, I was somewhat disappointed. Yes, it has the normal plot twists, and fast action, and characters that you seem to know. However, and I understand this was more of a passion project type of novel... but to me, there were far too many characters both major and minor. I understand the reason, as the book is about one of the innocence projects that tries to free people wrongly convicted. Because of that, I understand the need for the main character to be traveling around, and working with several clients each with their own backstory. At the same time, that very need became confusing when trying to keep everyone straight. Names seemed to get lost, as did the story for each client and the pieces of each of the alleged crimes. For me, it would have been better to just focus on 1 or maybe 2 because as written it seems like 5-6 books rolled into one. Again, I understand it is an important cause, but I think it could have been better illuminated by focusing on less. Does it mean that I will stop reading John Grisham? Absolutely not, well maybe the sort of companion non-fiction book on wrongful convictions and similar ones. I have skipped a few just because the subject matter didn't interest me, or I didn't care for the sample. which I didn't read for this book. In the end, for me this book was just kind of "meh". Don't let me stop you though, go ahead and read it for yourself and make your own decision. As always, that is the truth.

I always enjoy reading Mr Grisham's novels! The courtroom drama is always interesting and informative. I am happy to know that there is a program like the Centerions to help exonerate innocent people languishing in jails with the painful knowledge that they are innocent. It should be noted that the greater percentage of these are people of color, convicted because of their color!

Definitiv einer der spannenderen und lesenswerteren Grishams der letzten Jahre. In seiner bekannt sachlichen und unaufgeregten Sprache erzählt der Autor in der ersten Person und in der Jetztzeit diese Geschichte, die ab 40% an Momentum gewinnt. Gut, für uns sind die Abläufe des US-Justiz und -Strafsystems wenig nachvollziehbar. Offensichtlich hat Grisham sich gut informiert über die Themen Justizfehler, Gefängnisalltag, Drogenkartelle etc und Vereinigungen, die für die fehlerhaft Verurteilten sich einsetzen. Oft kann der Leser die zahlreichen verschiedenen Namen nicht sofort dem jeweiligen Fall zuordnen, das ist eine Schwachstelle des Buches. Dennoch: Erstklassige Leseempfehlung nicht nur für Grisham Fans.

I have rally enjoyed this John Grisham book, the style of writing is very easy, the prose is self explanatory I thoroughly enjoyed his author. Now owing to look for more of his offerings.

A very interesting and readable story which gave me an idea of people who are judged incorrectly. Let me believe that someone put in jail when they are innocent can get help and be released.

Il libro è ispirato a una storia vera e dimostra quanto sia fragile il sistema giudiziario, non solo americano. Grisham è un maestro e leggerlo in inglese fa apprezzare il suo stile dinamico, incalzante, rapido.

面白かったが、少し物足りない。それは、話が読者の思うような方向に進んで逆転とか、意外性がないからだと思う。それはそれで気持ちの良い読後感なのだが、これまでのJohn Grishamの作品からすれば、60点くらいだろう。しかし、久しぶりにJohn Grishamらしい物語に出会って、ファンとしてはそこが気に入って五つ星をつけた。それは、法律及び法廷を題材としていて、また内容が道徳的で人道的で正義感溢れる話だからである。 物語の主人公は、Cullen Postという聖職者の資格を持った四十代後半の弁護士である。彼の働く法律事務所、「Guardians」は、冤罪をこうむって収監されている人々を救うことを使命としている法律事務所だ。事務所は二人の肝っ玉母さん的な弁護士が経営していて、Postはそこの所員である。この二人の女性の存在と、Postに冤罪を晴らしてもらって17年ぶりに出所した男・Flankie（報酬なしでPostのために働いている）の存在も忘れ難い。 Postは元々は大手の法律事務所で働いていた。悪事を働き、しかも反省のかけらもない男を弁護することを命じられるのだが、正義のない弁護に耐えられず、事務所を辞めて聖職の道に入る。Preacherの資格を得て、教誨師として赴いた刑務所で、無実の罪で囚われている人の存在を知り、そういう人達を救う「Guardians」で働くことにしたのだった。 私が印象深かったのは、Quincyという冤罪をこうむった人のことを、「But Quincy is still serving hard time for a murder committed by someone else.」、と表現していることである。他人の犯した罪で収監された人間がいる一方で、罪を犯した人間は悠々と人生を過ごしている、という状況をよく表していると思った。同じような表現が度々出てくる。 ここまで書くためにページをめくって読み返してみて、改めてこの本の良さに打たれた、冒頭で60点の出来、と不遜なことを述べたことを取り消したい。こういう人々が社会を支えているのだと改めて思った。しかも、この話を書く発端は、James McCloskey氏のことを知ったからだという。同氏は、40年間で63人の冤罪者を救ったのだという。こういう人のことを知らしめる使命を、この本は担っているのだった。