The Best Reader + TIME

To Kill a Mockingbird — Harper Lee

"'To Kill a Mockingbird' is full of colorful characters and a timeless plot — it's no wonder that it has lasted 50 years!" — Miss Remmers

From Amazon.com...

"A lawyer's advice to his children as he defends the real mockingbird of Harper Lee's classic novel—a black man charged with the rape of a white girl. Through the young eyes of Scout and Jem Finch, Harper Lee explores with rich humor and unswerving honesty the irrationality of adult attitudes toward race and class in the Deep South of the 1930s. The conscience of a town steeped in prejudice, violence, and hypocrisy is pricked by the stamina and quiet heroism of one man's struggle for justice—but the weight of history will only tolerate so much. "

Why I read this: I had to teach it so I guessed I had better read it.

Plot: The plot of this timeless classic, I'll admit, starts slow. Like my students, I struggled with "TKM" in the beginning as well; I attempted to read it several times over the summer after returning from BEA. Finally, I inter-library loaned the audio and finally I was able to get into it. I hate to say it, as an English Major and a teacher, but I don't know if I would have ever gotten through this novel without the audio. Finally, around chapter 10, I started to get into the chapter stories even though I didn't know how there were connected at the time. At the end of the book, I actually picked up the novel to read it because I could read faster than I could listen.

Characters: By the end of this novel I felt completely connected to the characters, especially Atticus. I loved Atticus, like so many others, and everything he stood up for. He is the best fictional parent I have ever read. Many times throughout the novel I found myself thinking of the respect that Scout and Jem had for him as a parent and as a person — how the whole community respected him. I understand now why we have three "Atticuses" in the elementary school this year.

Cover: The cover of this novel, at least the old school version, is outdated (obviously) and I think could deter any reader from picking it up.

Final Thoughts: I can definitely see why this book is a classic and I am so glad I didn't let it's title, language, and reputation as a "classic" deter me from reading it. "To Kill a Mockingbird" is full of colorful characters and a timeless plot — it's no wonder that it has lasted 50 years!

Originality: 10/10
Ending: 10/10
Characters: 8/10
Plot: 8/10
My reaction/enjoyment: 7/10
Theme: 9/10
Imagery: 10/10
Setting: 5/5
Voice: 5/5
Style: 4/5
Tone: 4/5
Cover: 5/10
Overall: 85/100 B

To the FTC, with love: Received at BEA 2010 and through the Library/School

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To Kill a Mockingbird — Harper Lee + TIME