Back in February I wrote this blog post about Go Set a Watchman. Now that the book is out, I think I've made my decision. I don't want to read the book. 

Anyone here read it? What are your thoughts? I have not heard very good things about the book and some of what I've heard really supports the notion that this book was not really publication ready (it was originally denied by publishers) and I just feel like some very greedy folks forced a situation that shouldn't have been forced.

It doesn't really matter what I think or feel, but for now, that's why I'm not buying it or even picking it up at the library for that matter. I honestly have no desire to read it any longer.

When Harper Lee's sequel to To Kill a Mockingbird, I was immediately giddy. Then I thought about it a little and I got a little concerned. I've read articles in support of the book and others which match my skepticism.

I hate to feel this conflicted about reading a book. I hate that I know I have to read this book no matter what. I hate knowing that someone might have done something unscrupulous and knowing that means Lee may not be completely aware of what is happening or even being compensated as she should be.

Here's the latest article I've read on the topic. I'm guessing that I'll continue to follow the news/media and I'll make a very last-minute decision when the book is published (to read or not to read), but I honestly cannot see myself going through the ensuing years of my life having not read this book.

Thank you Simon & Schuster via Edelweiss for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Like many other book reviewers have stated, I was very excited when I was approved for an advanced copy of The Silver Star. Having read The Glass Castle also by Walls, I knew she had the background to pull off a story about neglected/abandoned youth.

Bean and her sister, Liz, are daughters of Charlotte Holladay, a flighty, singer-songwriter. Charlotte leaves her girls alone for long periods of time and during one the girls are in danger of being “found out” by authorities so they make the journey to Byler, their mother’s home town, in order to stay with their Uncle Tinsley.

Bean though young is also very logical while her sister has a lot of her mother’s artistic and creative tendencies. While in Byler the girls learn about Bean’s father, are involved in tense race relations, and witness how unfair the justice system can be. Additionally, they learn much about their mother and her family.

I enjoyed this story and definitely felt Wall’s personal experience flow through the story. Charlotte’s neglectful parenting infuriated me throughout the story of course, and both the girls were loveable. During the story Bean reads To Kill a Mockingbird as a school assignment and I was not surprised to see parallels between TKAM and this story. Bean is much like Scout, and Walls, like Lee, teaches her young characters several lessons through a trip through the legal system.

Through their ups and downs, both Bean and Liz learn a lot about themselves, their family, and the world. Both girls grow and change and I’d venture even switch roles – in the beginning of the story Liz is very much the caretaker, and the one responsible for decisions, but by the end Bean was very much taking care of Liz if not her mother and Uncle Tinsley as well.

Loveable protagonist, infuriating antagonists, and a good storyline – readers shouldn’t miss this one!

I was provided an ARC copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I am not compensated for any of my reviews.

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