maxzor@books.maxzor.eu reviewed To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
A great novel
5 stars
A wonderful tale on racism and violence
Paperback
English language
Published Jan. 19, 2015 by Arrow Books.
To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee
4 stars
(11 reviews)
'Shoot all the Bluejays you want, if you can hit 'em, but remember it's a sin to kill a Mockingbird.'
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 exuberant humour the irrationality of adult attitudes to race and class in the Deep South of the thirties. The conscience of a town steeped in prejudice, violence and hypocrisy is pricked by the stamina of one man's struggle for justice. But the weight of history will only tolerate so much. --back cover
Victor Villas reviewed To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
A forward novel that we already moved past
3 stars
The book represents a point of view of a child during the 30's written by someone who was a child during the 30's, which brings valuable historical authenticity. It was published in the 60's and due to its immediate success it was a part of a shift in attitudes regarding the civil rights movements of the 70's. Reading the book with this context in mind is an interesting experience because to a contemporary mind, the 60's is in many ways more absurd than was the 30's to the author.
The novel own its own merit is greatly delivered, with enough character building and contextualization that by the time the main plot arrives my metropolitan millennial mind is decently acclimatized to a completely alien society and culture. The naive, progressive-household-raised, clean slate kid point of view gives the narrator plausible bewilderment when facing the pervasive racial injustice and hypocrisy the book …
The book represents a point of view of a child during the 30's written by someone who was a child during the 30's, which brings valuable historical authenticity. It was published in the 60's and due to its immediate success it was a part of a shift in attitudes regarding the civil rights movements of the 70's. Reading the book with this context in mind is an interesting experience because to a contemporary mind, the 60's is in many ways more absurd than was the 30's to the author.
The novel own its own merit is greatly delivered, with enough character building and contextualization that by the time the main plot arrives my metropolitan millennial mind is decently acclimatized to a completely alien society and culture. The naive, progressive-household-raised, clean slate kid point of view gives the narrator plausible bewilderment when facing the pervasive racial injustice and hypocrisy the book aims to criticize.
But this book too is a product of its time and one can immediately recognize the white savior angle. The white gentleman class is displayed one cut above the white trash that are no better than also-poor-but-black folk, and raises itself a toast for being so intellectual. A pat on the back for being kind enough to employ honest colored folk and defending the sanctity of written law. The expectation is overwhelming gratefulness in return, even if the result is still injustice. The portrayal of "the good blacks" is subservient and forgiving, and the weapon of choice to build empathy is pity and the analogy with the sin of killing a creature that is dedicated to servitude and entertainment - the mockingbird.
Five stars as an expertly crafted novel with admirable goals and celebrated impact, one star as modern literature on racial injustice. I don't think the two aspects have equal weight but lacking better utilitarian formulation I'm averaging to 3 stars.
Gizarte bat ume batek interpelatua
4 stars
Autobiografiko samarra omen da, idazlea neskatila zenekoa. Ingeles berezia dago dialogoetan, AEBetako hegoaldekoa.
Beltzen esklabotzaren amaierako gizartea erakusten du nobelak. Gaur egun oraindik badago arrazismoa, baina liburua argitaratu zenean funtzio sendagarria izan omen zuen liburu honek, aurrera egiten lagundu omen zuen.
Gomendatzen dut irakurtzea. Eta ondoren, 1962ko zuri-beltzeko film zaharra ikustea ere bai, liburuan bezalaxe guztia!
memo reviewed Il buio oltre la siepe by Harper Lee
Recensione de "Il buio oltre la siepe"
4 stars
Romanzo per giovani adultǝ scorrevole e di forte impatto, ma capisco perché molti americani non apprezzino: vederselo obbligato come libro sul tema razzismo nelle scuole non mi sembra proprio il massimo, visto che se lo si analizza con minuzia cade talvolta nella narrativa del salvatore bianco.
🌸Raquel de Abril🌸 reviewed Matar un ruiseñor by Harper Lee (Los Jet de Plaza & Janés -- 83)
Review of 'Matar un ruiseñor' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
¡Qué lectura tan entrañable! La elección de una narradora infantil, de 8 años, es todo un soplo de aire fresco. La inocencia, imaginación y curiosidad de una niña permiten ver con otros ojos lo que, en realidad, es todo un drama social: la injusticia y discriminación sistemática de la población negroamericana. Ha sido uno de esos libros que me han dejado con buen sabor de boca pese a lo agrio de sus acontecimientos, lo cual es de agradecer en este contexto de desesperanza en el que proliferan tantas novelas trágicas, pesimistas y negativas en general. El final de Matar a un ruiseñor no es ningún cuento de hadas, es la realidad misma, pero cómo contar la realidad marca la diferencia, y creo que eso es lo que más me ha ganado de este libro.
Fer reviewed To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Review of 'To Kill a Mockingbird' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Excelente obra con un mensaje fuerte sobre la verdad y el prejuicio en un momento y lugar en que este era predominante.
Review of 'To Kill a Mockingbird (To Kill a Mockingbird, #1)' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Es cierto que en su afán moralista esta novela hace por momentos una distinción peligrosa y simplista entre "gente buena" y "gente mala". Al margen de eso, habiéndome criado en el campo y en pueblos pequeños, sus descripciones de la infancia, de los juegos, razonamientos y acontecimientos que la caracterizan, me supieron tanto a la mía propia que fue un placer nostálgico leerla.
Desafío de lectura 2015: Un libro ganador del Pulitzer.
Intertextualidad:
Menciones directas:
The Old Benchers of the Inner Temple, de Charles Lamb (citado en el epígrafe).
The Gray Ghost, de Seckatary Hawkins.
* La Biblia, anónimo.
Indirecta:
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