John Grisham's Painted House Creates Art
A Painted House by John Grisham
After writing multiple legal thrillers that translated better to the big screen with big stars (Tom Cruise, Denzel Washington, Julia Roberts), John Grisham took his aw-shucks attitude to A Painted House. Channeling John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath without the genius, Grisham nonetheless tells an engaging story about Luke Chandler, the youngest son of an Arkansas cotton family in the 1950s.
Grisham paints the bleak environment in bring spring pastels in a nice juxtaposition. The characters, especially focal point Luke, are exceptionally subtle, particularly for a Grisham novel. The difficulties farm families face while waiting for the arrival itinerant workers is richly detailed, as is Luke's love of baseball, his wonder at the simple joys of going to town in nearby Black Oak and his coming of age. Overriding all else is the war in Korea, casting a gray pallor over Black Oak.
The Plot In Exactly One Hundred Words
The Chandlers sharecrop cotton in rural Arkansas. They also hire workers including U.S. and Mexican families. As Luke concentrates on soaking up everything done by Hank,the teenager from one of the "hill country" workers living outside the farmhouse.
Hank's anger in such a tough time combined with xenophobia, a hardscrabble life and jealousy of Luke forms a major conflict throughout the story. Hank finds himself involved in a relationship with the daughter of a proud Mexican family and reacts poorly, giving Luke a poor role model contrasted with the heroic Ricky, Luke's uncle off to Asia to fight in Korea.
What Works Well
The characters in A Painted House are John Grisham's strongest ever. Fully developed and interacting in plausible ways, Luke and his family are the centerpiece of a small Ozark region town decades ago. Wonder and innocence tangle with awe and weariness as the book's real conflict beyond the plot. These strong characters and their development allow Grisham to concentrate on basic, but also strong plots, blazing a path through time that allows the reader to luxuriate in the setting.
What Doesn't Work Well
A Painted House has more than its share of clichés, including more than would ordinarily be homage to period pieces. There are also some anachronisms, but despite disappearing into the magic plot formula more than once, A Painted House remains fresh.
The Bottom Line, Dog Earred Pages and All
No lawyers, no clandestine governments, just a simple farm family's tales of daily life. Think of it as an episode of The Waltons willing to tackle racial issue with conflict lasting longer than one hour. Because the characters are rich and deep, readers won't mind popcorn suspense that keeps them turning pages.
Five Things To Remember About This Review
1. A Painted House is more about characters and living than about fast plot development.
2. Consider this Grisham's Grapes of Wrath
3. Luke Chandler is John Grisham's best developed character to date.
4. The story captures the life of a poor farming family.
5. Unusual for Grisham, the pacing is satisfactory and the plot naturally unfolds.
