I can't quite believe that I hadn't read this book before now, but at long last, Harper Lee's classic novel about race and class in the Deep South of 1930's America has been ticked off my TO DO list. To Kill A Mockingbird is told through the eyes of Scout and Jem, the daughter and son of the local lawyer, Atticus Finch. He is raising his children without their mother, who died when Scout was very young (she's only 6 at the start of the book), and their upbringing is more than ably supported by Calpurnia, their cook/housekeeper who is pretty much the only black person that the children encounter at this point. Brother and sister are clever and curious and wander the neighbourhood with freedom, especially during the summer holidays when their cousin Dill joins them. They are fascinated by the Radley house, where, it is rumoured, one of the family (known by the local children as "Boo") never leaves the home. Despite their fears, they really want to be the first in town to see the infamous Boo. However, when their father takes on the defence of Tom Robinson, a black man charged with the rape of a white woman, the children start to see a town steeped in prejudice, violence and hypocrisy. Atticus is accused by many of favouring black people over white people, which, at that time and in that place, was not acceptable. He is bad mouthed to Scout and Jem, and they struggle to follow his instructions to not react (be prepared for the N word). Of course, despite the evidence Atticus presents to demonstrate that the accusers are lying, Tom Robinson is convicted - there was no chance of a fair trial. The aftermath of Atticus's attempts to save Tom are ugly and the children find themselves embroiled in it. I can totally understand why this book has become a classic. The main characters are engaging, and the reader is caught up in the events alongside them. Scout is a great narrator - she has the wide-eyed innocence of a child, and acts on our behalf in asking those awkward questions about why does this or that happen. Many of the issues highlighted are, depressingly, still relevant today. However, despite the incredibly heavy subject matter, there is humour and lightness to be found. I urge you to read this book, remembering that the language used is reflecting the time it was written, which I found hard to take at times, but push through that and you will be rewarded with a story that will remain with you for a long time.
My STAR rating: FIVE
Length: 309 print pages.
Price I paid: Free, picked up from a neighbour during lockdown.
Formats available: print, audio download, ebook.
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