The Summons by John Grisham
Review by Mirah Welday (mwelday)
I used to be an avid reader of John Grisham. I read his first books and really enjoyed them but then I felt Grisham started to get repetitive and I stopped reading his new novels. In reading recent reviews from other readers, I decided to order the audiobook of The Summons. I’m glad I decided to give this one a chance.
The Summons is about brothers Ray and Forrest Atlee and their reactions to the death of their father Judge Atlee. Ray is a successful law professor and Forrest is an addict in and out of rehab. Each son was pushed away by their father for different parental disappointments. Each one forges a life on his own without a relationship with their father and converge on their family home in Clanton, Mississippi after they each receive a summons to appear before their dying father.
What develops after the summons is a tale of questions regarding what their father did in his years after leaving the bench as a judge. Ray and Forrest deal with the death of their father in different ways and neither knows whether he can trust the other.
I enjoyed listening to this audiobook. In addition to being curious about where the story would end, the narrator, Michael Beck, does a convincing job with the Southern accents and gives each character a unique sound. He portrays feelings of confusion, anger, doubt and frustration for each character. I’m glad I decided to give Grisham another chance with this novel; it made some long, dull rides more interesting.
I have read this book and your review makes me want to hear it too.
Thanks for the positive feedback, Cozette!!