If you think of it as a first draft of To Kill A Mockingbird, it’s really interesting. If you are expecting a sequel, you will be angry and disappointed.
I agree, they should have published it with a forward explaining what it actually was. The way they published it most people don’t even realize the story behind its discovery and that it is actually just the beginnings of what is now To Kill a Mockingbird.
I really didn’t like it! Even though the characters share the same names there are not the same people that were in TKAM. I felt like the Lee estate published it for the profit and not because Lee felt the public should read it.
I listened to the audio, read by Reese Witherspoon. I’d heard the many pros & cons but was still curious. It’s a good look into the prevailing attitudes of the time, shocking perhaps from today’s perspective. I appreciate that there were high expectations. I found it thought provoking because I wasn’t expecting very much.
I went into it with the clear understanding that it was a first draft, that said I still thought it was good, I saw the potential that maybe the editor thought too…like it only got better and clearer with TKAM
It made me angry with Atticus. I had also hoped Scout would have accomplished more. She seemed…content and lost so much passion. It was a big let down for me. BUT I’m gad I read it.
It was not meant to be published in its current form. But it did lend some interesting insight to the social/sociological perspectives of the day. I really had to think of them as two separate books rather than a sequel or a prequel. My intention was not to read it but I caved to peer pressure. ?
I really liked it. I enjoyed To Kill a Mockingbird so much when I read it at age 13! This book (reading it at age 61) was good even though I know a lot of younger readers were disappointed with Atticus in this book. I related to them that they needed to remember the time period that this book represented. Just keep this in mind when you read it.
I really disliked it. It was boring and didn’t have a conflict that made me care to keep reading. In fact, for most of it, I had no idea what the point of the book was.
I liked it. That publisher who declined this book originally turned out to be pretty smart. Go Set a Watchman, if published in the 50’s, would just have been another book. But published now it is like looking into a buried time capsule of that period. Lee nailed small town southern living in this from the perspective of the men. If you have ever lived there, you will know what I mean. Another perspective of southern living in this time period? Read The Help by Kathryn Stockett for the perspective of the women. Some of the issues raised? Still exist in the south.
To really enjoy the book, forget about “St Atticus”. This is a book of letting go of childhood memories made beautiful by foggy eye glasses. Children at some point as they become adults need to figure out what part of their parents they like, and what parts they don’t like as much. Oh yeah – and you don’t have to like someone to love them.
Love Lee’s writing style. She really brings the time period to life in her story. So glad they found this manuscript and published it.
You have to read it to the very last sentence! It was upsetting about half way thru. Was upset with the characters that I liked so much in TKAM. But I was glad I finished it.
To Kill a Mockingbird is my favorite book of all time. So I was a bit worried about this one. I read it the week after my father died so I think I was much more understanding and sympathetic to Atticus than I would have been otherwise.
I liked it! So many were upset to learn that Atticus had “feet of clay”…a real human. It was good to see them all in later years and hear more about the imperfect life.
I thought it was more truthful about the racial conditions in the south. The writing skills were in the stage of development. To Kill a Mockingbird was what we wanted to happen and Go Tell a Watchman was grounded in truth. IMHO,
Unfortunately I think I have to agree with you. But after living in the Midwest for many years, I have to add that not all the prejudice is in the South. IMHO
It’s interesting, but it’s not a finished work — it’s a draft that was discarded, and imo should never have been published except as part of an academic textual study of To Kill a Mockingbird.
I read it, thought it did not sound like her writing voice to me, and sighed. I could understand her not publishing it for so many decades, and I wonder about the ‘why’ of putting it out there as it was done.
Yes and I loved it. Others have said the opposite, thinking the characters aren’t who they should be. But one needs to remember, Watchman came first, she was a young, inexperienced writer at the time and it shows. It reads a little rough and unpolished but I love it.
Thank goodness someone else loved it. This is why I love Bookclubs. I revisit my thoughts and see things through another’s eyes, but it is nice to have another see them as I do!
If you think of it as a first draft of To Kill A Mockingbird, it’s really interesting. If you are expecting a sequel, you will be angry and disappointed.
I agree, they should have published it with a forward explaining what it actually was. The way they published it most people don’t even realize the story behind its discovery and that it is actually just the beginnings of what is now To Kill a Mockingbird.
I liked it way better than the reviews I read.
I thought it was awful. Never should have been published.
I really didn’t like it! Even though the characters share the same names there are not the same people that were in TKAM. I felt like the Lee estate published it for the profit and not because Lee felt the public should read it.
If Lee had wanted it published, she’d’a done so 50 years ago.
I listened to the audio, read by Reese Witherspoon. I’d heard the many pros & cons but was still curious. It’s a good look into the prevailing attitudes of the time, shocking perhaps from today’s perspective. I appreciate that there were high expectations. I found it thought provoking because I wasn’t expecting very much.
I liked it. A little different perspective.
I wasn’t too impressed but glad I read it.
I went into it with the clear understanding that it was a first draft, that said I still thought it was good, I saw the potential that maybe the editor thought too…like it only got better and clearer with TKAM
Horrible….. ruined To Kill A Mockingbird
…which is why I refuse.
It made me angry with Atticus. I had also hoped Scout would have accomplished more. She seemed…content and lost so much passion. It was a big let down for me. BUT I’m gad I read it.
Unreadable
Could not get into it. Tried a few times. Really did not like it
I didn’t care for it. I believe if she wanted it to be read, she would have published it herself.
I agree. It needed several re-writes and the assistance of a good editor.
Hated it
It will change your view of To Kill a Mockingbird
Hated it at first, and then thought, yes…this is ok.
I actually enjoyed it
I did. Some good. But obviously not Mockingbird
I’m the oddball…I actually liked it better than To Kill a Mockingbird.
Me too. You just have to let go of To Kill A Mocking Bird. There was a lot of truth in it.
I didn’t really care for it all that much.
Loved t– felt it completed Mockingbird!
I hated it, could not finish it. Nothing like To Kill a Mockingbird
Agreed…
I won’t ever read it. Harper Lee did not intend for it to be published.
Disappointing
In this book, Scout was VERY annoying… once I got past that, I was glad I read it.
It was not meant to be published in its current form. But it did lend some interesting insight to the social/sociological perspectives of the day. I really had to think of them as two separate books rather than a sequel or a prequel. My intention was not to read it but I caved to peer pressure. ?
I really liked it. I enjoyed To Kill a Mockingbird so much when I read it at age 13! This book (reading it at age 61) was good even though I know a lot of younger readers were disappointed with Atticus in this book. I related to them that they needed to remember the time period that this book represented. Just keep this in mind when you read it.
I’ve started that book multiple times & just can’t seem to get into it.
I read it, I felt compelled to! I’m glad I did, but it should never have been published and should have been left alone.
Didn’t care for it, except some of the parts about Scout growing up.
Didn’t care for it at all and I loved mockingbird
I’d be interested to know why you didn’t care for it.
I really disliked it. It was boring and didn’t have a conflict that made me care to keep reading. In fact, for most of it, I had no idea what the point of the book was.
I liked it. That publisher who declined this book originally turned out to be pretty smart. Go Set a Watchman, if published in the 50’s, would just have been another book. But published now it is like looking into a buried time capsule of that period. Lee nailed small town southern living in this from the perspective of the men. If you have ever lived there, you will know what I mean. Another perspective of southern living in this time period? Read The Help by Kathryn Stockett for the perspective of the women. Some of the issues raised? Still exist in the south.
To really enjoy the book, forget about “St Atticus”. This is a book of letting go of childhood memories made beautiful by foggy eye glasses. Children at some point as they become adults need to figure out what part of their parents they like, and what parts they don’t like as much. Oh yeah – and you don’t have to like someone to love them.
Love Lee’s writing style. She really brings the time period to life in her story. So glad they found this manuscript and published it.
I could have lived without it.
Big deal out of a nothing book IMHO.
It was good, but the bar had already been set so high.
Unfinished….
I’d have to research it, but I remember reading that there was something hinky about this publication.
I liked it
I love it. Read it and listened to it.
Unfinished! Boring!
Didn’t love it, story felt incomplete.
Didn’t like it. I held of on reading for a while and then after reading it I wished that I hadn’t.
It ruined my perception of the characters I formally had idolized in To Kill a Mockingbird.
I liked it. And a couple of real skeptics n my bc liked it, too.
You have to read it to the very last sentence! It was upsetting about half way thru. Was upset with the characters that I liked so much in TKAM. But I was glad I finished it.
It was an interesting perspective. I was a little disturbed by it at first. It is definitely not up to par with To Kill a Mockingbird.
To Kill a Mockingbird is my favorite book of all time. So I was a bit worried about this one. I read it the week after my father died so I think I was much more understanding and sympathetic to Atticus than I would have been otherwise.
I had a problem reconciling the characters in this book with the same characters in To Kill a Mockingbird.
Not nearly as good as To Kill a Mockingbird.
Ok
I bought that book last year but I still haven’t read it yet
Probably in the minority but I absolutely loved it…I had read To Kill a Mockingbird as a Freshman in high school and also loved that one…
I liked it! So many were upset to learn that Atticus had “feet of clay”…a real human. It was good to see them all in later years and hear more about the imperfect life.
Yeah, I wasn’t impressed.
No, don’t plan to either.
I wasn’t impressed at all
It wasn’t as good as Mockingbird but I liked it.
Liked it
I enjoyed it but wasn’t blown away exactly.
I read it, was disappointed
I thought it was more truthful about the racial conditions in the south. The writing skills were in the stage of development. To Kill a Mockingbird was what we wanted to happen and Go Tell a Watchman was grounded in truth. IMHO,
Unfortunately I think I have to agree with you. But after living in the Midwest for many years, I have to add that not all the prejudice is in the South. IMHO
Quite true!
not as good as TKAM but a good read
I liked it.
It’s interesting, but it’s not a finished work — it’s a draft that was discarded, and imo should never have been published except as part of an academic textual study of To Kill a Mockingbird.
Thank you all for the comments and opinions. I will not be wasting my time on the book.
I read it. Not nearly as good as To Kill a Mockingbird. Actually disappointed.
I liked To Kill a Mockingbird too much to try it. ?
Just ok.
Felt like ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ fanfiction.
I read it, thought it did not sound like her writing voice to me, and sighed. I could understand her not publishing it for so many decades, and I wonder about the ‘why’ of putting it out there as it was done.
Meh!!!
Mediocre. Just returned half read.
Very disappointed.
Yes and I loved it. Others have said the opposite, thinking the characters aren’t who they should be. But one needs to remember, Watchman came first, she was a young, inexperienced writer at the time and it shows. It reads a little rough and unpolished but I love it.
Thank goodness someone else loved it. This is why I love Bookclubs. I revisit my thoughts and see things through another’s eyes, but it is nice to have another see them as I do!