Go Set A Watchman by Harper Lee

Rating: 4/5

There are many mixed reviews about this book out there and I'm just going to express my thoughts on what I thought about the book. For those who haven't read it, Go Set A Watchman follows Jean Louise (Scout) in her mid 20's and returns home to see her father, Atticus Finch who is now in his 70s. In their home (he sold the other home which is now an Ice Cream shop) is Atticus and his sister Alexandra who annoys Jean Louise (according to her) at every opportunity. You have to remember this is the South and back in the day so her aunt's perceptive is, you must wear skirts, act in proper manner, don't talk back, don't give anyone a certain look, the family has a reputation, don't do this or that.

Jean Louise I feel, has not changed in character. She's still that rough, challenging, sarcastic girl who easily gets annoyed and wants to argue about everything (in To Kill A Mockingbird, her fist would go up pretty quickly). While home she eventually discovers that her father along with Henry, her boyfriend/maybe one day fiance, are racist.

The book in all honesty was slow to begin with. It centered more on Jean Louise and her relationship with her boyfriend and her constant bickering with her aunt. It really didn't pick up until her discovery and from there that was basically the rest of the book. If this was a movie, Jean Louise's character  should win an award for just the amount of emotion she displayed while talking to her father, a now fallen hero in her eyes. She felt robbed of a childhood with the discovery of her father's thoughts on African Americans.   She saw everyone as equal, she admired Atticus, a brave man who once defended an innocent black man when no one else would, she loved their housekeeper Calpurnia who her father never hesitated to help out when needed yet here he was talking about the white race being superior and blacks shouldn't have the same equal opportunities. Racism is always a touchy subject and still exist, which is evident with all the events currently happening today but I won't get into that in my review. I will say it definitely makes you see Atticus differently and thankful that To Kill A Mockingbird was released first.

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