Book: To Kill A Mockingbird

Author: Harper Lee

Price: Rs. 250

Pages: 309

Publications: Arrow Books

Plot: Set in the 1930s, in Maycomb a small town where every family knows other families. In this town lives a family, Atticus, a lawyer, a widower with his two children Jem (his son) and Scout (his daughter)  whom he raised with the help of a black caretaker Calpurnia.

The book outlines the time duration of 3 years and in these 3 years, though Maycomb does not face any big changes but Atticus’s family does. In the last year, narrated in the book, Jem and Scout found that their father is defending a Black man who is accused of raping and beating a young White woman.

Young children faced many troubles in the course of this case, but there was one thing which kept them going, their faith in their father.

But is Atticus being virtuous by defending a Black man? Is Tom (Black man) is really innocent? If yes, would he be able to prove that he is unblemished?

Well, I am not going to spill the beans ;-). You have to read it to find it out.

My Views: The best part about the book?

The fact that it is narrated by Scout, yes the youngest of the family. These young eyes describing her life in school, her neighbors, expounding how being a Tom boy has become a headache for women in her extended family. Acquiring maturity in three years, she and her brother Jem witness an incident of racial discrimination in their town. Their young minds questioning this reality and trying to make sense of it.

Scout’s curiosity, her innocence brings fun to the book. I laughed at reading her innocent yet sarcastic exposition in the book.

The book has raised the issue of racial discrimination. Set in 1930 this book brings to us not only the reality of that time but the reality of present time too. Where we still discriminate people on the basis of color, caste, class or be it a gender. A bitter truth of society brought in this book through the young eyes of Scout.

I loved the novel, hoisting a sober issue, but yet fun to read.

Recommendations: I will suggest this book to every novel reader. Definitely a book worth reading.

Ratings: 5/5

Komal Bagri

A traveler and a bookworm at heart, Komal Bagri has explored many destinations across India. But that never seems to be enough and she’s always ready to hit the road again. Her obsession for travel is combined with a love for books. She is currently working as a Content Developer at an eminent press.