|
|
|
December 22, 2002
Review: Not with a bang
WELCOME back Mr Grisham to the exiting world of suspense! Having taken a sabbatical of sorts while he wrote the placid Skipping Christmas and A painted house, a break from churning out legal thrillers, he is back into the game. It may not be with a bang but it is not a whimper either. The summons is fairly readable which makes it a reliable Grisham read. It is a safe book to carry along on a vacation (give me a Grisham any day!)
It may not be as pulsating as his previous novels but it’s relaxing and entertaining and easy to go through. For one thing it is not as long as his older novels. However that is not because the plot is tighter. There isn’t much of a plot in the first place. Of course that is partly because of what one automatically expects of a Grisham read. Intrigue, mystery and suspense filled all-nighters. This is not the case here but the story rolls along nicely in a “wanna be exciting” kind of way.
Ray Atlee is a recently divorced law professor in Virginia. He tries to stay as far away as possible from his father who is a retired judge in Clanton, Mississippi. His brother is a drug addict and a drunkard. Ray has half a relationship with him as well. One day he is summoned by the judge to review his will. His brother Forrest receives a similar letter.
Upon arrival he discovers that his father has already died having left three million dollars in cash stashed away in boxes in the study. Ray seems to have found the money before any one else. From here on Ray’s life takes on a complexity few would envy, even for the sake of such a jackpot. It starts with a moral debate in the mind of the lawyer about whether to divulge the details of the money to his substance abuse addicted brother. He seems to be able to justify all angles so as to handle the money himself at least until Forrest shows signs of being capable of sharing it. But will Ray ever be convinced about parting with the money?
The other question in Ray’s mind is the origin of th money. His father, the judge was an honest man and it seems impossible that he could have amassed such a sum in a small county like Clanton. Where could the money have come from? Did his father take bribes? Did he gamble? His only vice seems to have been charity. “He saved his money. Then he gave it away.”
As Ray investigates the source of the income we travel with him to the casinos and learn about their dealings with clients who have a lot of money. He also exposes the exorbitant sums charged by rehabilitation clinics that are treating his brother Forrest. Not to forget his judgment on mass tort which Forrest is planning to milk as a medical screener.
But this novel is not so much about exposure. Typical of Grisham novels, the protagonist is a hunted man as soon as he realizes that he is not the only one aware about the cash. Nor are we aware of who is trailing Ray. We run with him and his stash of cash in the boot of his Audi. But we are constantly in the company of a weak character who is not honest enough to turn the money in or share it with his brother or for that matter make good with it.
The urgency never seems to catch on. Having somehow reconciled in his mind that the money must be kept a secret to protect his father’s unblemished reputation, is Ray trying to justify his own greed. The truth lies somewhere in between because Ray qualifies for neither villain nor hero. He is as mediocre as the novel itself. But nothing wrong with that. Most people are like that in real life.
It would be impolite to avoid The summons especially if it is Grisham’s comeback novel. Earlier novels by John Grisham like The firm and The client had a lot of meat in them and yet a much tighter plot. They were truly unputdownable not only by the readers of bestsellers but equally by mature minds able to appreciate the classics.
Indeed The firm was a classic in many ways. The summons lacks the taut thrill characteristic of the earlier novels but then it isn’t really a thriller; it is more like a mystery book and in that capacity it fits the bill. It is not the best of Grisham’s novels but it’s not the worst. It probably rates somewhere in the middle, much like its hero Ray. If you’re a Grisham lover like many of us, then go ahead and enjoy. At least it won’t get your blood pressure up! Seriously, it’s not half as bad. How’s that for being non-committal. I can’t betray the guy for I’m a Grisham fan myself!
The Summons
By John Grisham
Arrow Books of Random House Available at Paramount Books, 152/O, Block 2, PECH Society, Karachi-75400. Tel: 021-4310030
Email: paramount@cyber.net.pk
ISBN 0-09-940613-6. 391pp. Rs295
|
|
|
|
