Go Set a Watchman

[chickennugget]

Has anyone read it yet? I'm waiting to get my hands on it, I just haven't gotten around to it. I've heard some mixed things about it... Let me know what you guys think, whether you've read it or not!

[Stoneofstones]

I've read it. I didn't hate it, but it was a bit meandering and the second half was very racist which was hard for me to take, It has some humorous moments though and I like the description used when telling stories of the past. The racist bit isn't so much of what my problem with the book is, but rather it is not resolved and both viewpoints are faulted.

[sqm]

I got it at an airport in Berlin the day it was released.

I'm not American and where I live To Kill a Mockingbird does not hold the same kind of position it does in the USA, I did not read it in class and we didn't talk about the book in school. That's why I never knew about the impact the book had on race issues until I read NYT's review of Watchman that talked about the racism. After the NYT review I understand why the racism, domestic violence and strong gender roles are being highlighted in media. But when I read Watchman those parts didn't really stand out to me, they were not scandalous, the book doesn't make strong statements.

Actually I thought Watchman was kind of pointless and, at times, boring. Adult Scout as a character was annoying and if Watchman was really written before Mockingbird I understand why the publishers wanted the book to focus more on child Scout; the best parts of Go Set a Watchman are Scout's flashbacks to her childhood when she describes the stuff she, Jem and Dill did during summers. During those parts the storytelling has that same relaxed, frozen-in-time, smalltown feeling Mockingbird did and what I loved.

At best it's an "okay" book and I understand why people are saying it should not have been published – it's a completely unnecessary sequel.

[yosoycordova]

Besides tainting my views on Atticus, my favorite character in literature, I can't bring myself to read it because I still believe Harper Lee didn't actually want it released. But I too have heard it's nothing too special.

[Moonpie]

I can't/won't read it either for the same reasons as the above poster. Mockingbird is too dear to me to spoil.

[Burberry]

Oh a literary thread on GG, I rarely venture from the trash talk area. So we aren't a bunch of stupid, jealous old hags after all?

When I first heard about it I planned to read Watchman immediately, like on release day, right after re-reading Mockingbird of course. Then I heard about the shocking excerpts and thought there was no rush, I really can't wrap my head around it. I'm in the middle of something else now and will re-read Modkingbird next, but now I'll be looking for clues that Atticus wasn't the man we thought he was.

I agree with the above poster, I don't believe Harper Lee wanted Watchman published either, she had decades to do so if she desired. Plus it's very suspicious that this all came about right after her sister died. Her longtime lawyer and "friend" brought Watchman to the attention of the publisher. No offense if you're a southern lawyer, my best friend is actually a southern lawyer, but I know several of them and wouldn't trust them at all. I love my friend dearly but I would not leave him in charge of my estate! Anyway, I'll read Watchman but it's sounds like I'll dismiss it and forget it even exists.