Say what you want about Grisham, the guy can sink a hook and make you late for whatever you were supposed to be doing instead of reading. I want to be a page-turning writer just like John when I grow up.
But overall I was disappointed with “The Appeal”. The style is can’t-put-it-down, but the story was can’t-keep-what–I-last-ate-down.
You’ve heard this story formula before – big, evil, corrupt corporation intentionally poisons the town’s water supply and tries to manipulate its way out of helping the defenseless citizens. Just when you think Grisham will peek into the complexities of balancing the rights of the little guy with the sins of lawsuit abuse, he falls back into blinding shades of black and white, good versus evil.
The characters are just too over-the-top. Could the litigators have been any sweeter and all-things-nice? Could the corporate executive have been any more greedy and nasty?
My experience is that trial lawyers and corporate executives are generally good, hard-working people. They all have their faults and there are jerks among both groups. But Grisham joins the herd of Hollywood writers in making corporate leaders the clear enemy.
No wonder we elected an anti-business president and congress. The herd has been shepherded by the same misinformed media for decades.
If you read “The Appeal”, make mooing sounds between chapters to remind yourself that it’s a heap of hyperbole.
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