The Associate

Presenting The Associate by John Grisham.

Here is the summary of the book:

Kyle McAvoy is one of the outstanding legal students of his generation: he’s good looking, has a brilliant mind and a glittering future ahead of him. But he has a secret from his past, a secret that threatens to destroy his fledgling career and, possibly, his entire life.

One night that secret catches up with him in the form of some bad men in a dark alley - they have a deeply compromising video of the incident that haunts him. The men make it clear to Kyle that he no longer owns his own future - that he must do as they tell him, or the video will be made public knowledge, with all the unpleasant consequences.

What price do they demand for Kyle’s secret? Strangely, it is for Kyle to do exactly what any ambitious young lawyer would want to do: take a job in New York as an associate at the largest law firm in the world , a job that is incredibly well paid and, with mammoth hours and outrageous billing, could lead to partnership and a fortune.

However, Kyle won’t be working for the company, but against it - passing on the secrets of the company’s biggest trial to date, a dispute between two defense contractors worth billions of dollars to the victor. Now Kyle is caught between the criminal forces manipulating him and the FBI, who would love to unmask the conspiracy. Will his intellect, cunning and bravery be enough to extricate him from an impossible dilemma?

Full of twists and turns and reminiscent of The Firm, The Associate is vintage John Grisham.

My third John Grisham novel after 'The Activist' (Theodore Boone) and 'Sycamore Row' (Jake Brigance) and it was a disappointment.Law is not my subject, I find it tedious as a whole and boring as opposed to Grisham's brand of court room drama is considered ..... well I like it but Sycamore Row is the only one I actually liked out of the three is have read. But back to business with 'The Associate' .... this one felt incomplete with an ending that felt like the author just gave it up when he finally decided to get to the good part.

Don't get me wrong 'The Associate' sports a great storyline. At heart this is a corporate espionage. Protagonist Kyle McAvoy, an up and coming brilliant law student, has more than enough talent and the confidence to make it big in New York. Enter this nameless organization that finds out about Kyle's sordid past and blackmails him into joining the biggest firm in Wall Street and spy for them regarding an important legal dispute, that has the Pentagon on edge and may as well be the litigation dispute of the decade.

Really Grisham penned a great plot line here and so far as I finished the book I liked what I read (almost). It is what I didn't find in the book that disheartened me. Also the much we read doesn't assert itself well. Kyle become too paranoid. The 'thugs' sport ridiculous names and don't feel dangerous enough and the big ani-climax at the end ruins everything.

Of course, the romance was the worst part. Granted it is not important to the story but if the author had taken a bit of time to polish his work and put in every element well, then it would have worked much better .......

Seeing as that is not really possible ..... so yes 'The Associate' parades a great idea ...... but that was all it remained and nothing more.

"A great idea but a disappointing result"

Genre :      Adult, Contemporary, Mystery, Legal Thriller

Publisher: Century

Release Date: 27th January, 2009

My Copy: bought (paperback)

Rate:              2/5 (It was Ok)

Other Books from Author (review links):
            Theodore Boone #4 The Activist
                  Jake Brigance #2 Sycamore Row

Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository 

Jake Brigance #2 Sycamore Row

Presenting Jake Brigance #2 Sycamore Row by John Grisham.

Here is the summary of the book:

Seth Hubbard is a wealthy man dying of lung cancer. He trusts no one. Before he hangs himself from a sycamore tree, Hubbard leaves a new, handwritten, will. It is an act that drags his adult children, his black maid, and Jake into a conflict as riveting and dramatic as the murder trial that made Brigance one of Ford County's most notorious citizens, just three years earlier.

The second will raises far more questions than it answers. Why would Hubbard leave nearly all of his fortune to his maid? Had chemotherapy and painkillers affected his ability to think clearly? And what does it all have to do with a piece of land once known as Sycamore Row?

I am pretty new to the Grisham experience and the only other one I have read was the fourth Theodore Boone book, The Activist and now reading Sycamore Row has given me quite the insight into Grisham's style and his brand of courtroom drama. And I liked this so much more than the Acticist. Law is not my favorite subject at all but Grisham's writing style was enough to keep us hooked until the end.

As such I haven't read the first book in the series, A time to Kill, but these are standalones so I didn't that to read this. But Grisham sure made Will contests an interesting read with this book.

Seth Hubbard has committed suicide after battling lung cancer for so long leaving behind a holographic (handwritten) will naming Jake Brigance as the attorney of the estate, kicking his family from the inheritance and leaving the substantial amount of his estate to his black housekeeper. Naturally the family wants to contest this Will but this is a bloodbath and just every lawyer out there wants to cash in on this battle. But overall I enjoyed this book very much.

"A smart and scintillating court room drama"

Genre :      Adult, Contemporary, Mystery, Legal Thriller

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton

Release Date: 22th October, 2013

My Copy: Hachette India

Rate:              4/5 (Really Liked It)

Other Books from Author (review links):
            Theodore Boone #4 The Activist

Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository 

Theodore Boone #4 The Activist

Presenting Theodore Boone #4 The Activist by John Grisham.

Here is the summary of the book:

Though he's only thirteen, Theodore Boone has spent more time in the courtroom than almost anywhere else, and there's always a new adventure waiting. After having been falsely accused of vandalism and theft, Theo is happy to finally be out of the hot seat, once more dispensing legal advice to friends and community members, when an exciting new case demands his urgent attention.

This is my first John Grisham book..... Sadly that's true I have to catch up with a lot of good books and authors in the markets...... But this is also the fourth book in the YA Theodore Boone series. Thank God! All the books don't need to be read as series.

I'm still not sure what I feel about this series since this is the fourth book but i'd say this though. I liked the straightforward and simply way the story is told and the characters playing their parts. Theo as well written as the protagonist and keeping him well within the constrains of his age and not making him a hi-fi genius. Grisham keeps the tone of the plot simple as it is targeted to the young audience putting in well explained examples to educate us about the role of an activist.

While I must say, Law is one subject that had always rushed over my head when we had it on one of my semesters at college (it was mandatory to the course). Still the subject of "Eminent Domain" and the "Animal Court" play a major part in this book.

I'm still not sure what I feel for this book since Grisham is known for his adult court room thrillers even more but the Theodore Boone series is definitely well made for the younger audience with concrete examples to educate them (as I mentioned above). There is a well placed satire in this against government - because as one of the characters rightly say, they may be big, rich, powerful and strong enough but it is not in their right to take land from the citizens..... Well Done!!

"Theodore Boone, the Kid Lawyer saves the day"

Genre :      Young Adult, Law, Realistic Fiction

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton Ltd

Release Date: 15th May, 2013

My Copy:Hachette India

Rate:              3/5 (Liked It)

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