Limitations by Scott Turow is certainly not his best work. His allusions and metaphors are sometimes heavy-handed and of questionable value to the story. His legal analysis is not of the quality that he acquired at Harvard Law and, in fact, would probably not merit a passing grade in basic criminal law.
Some, but not all,
of the characters are complex and interesting. The book is a very quick read.
Except for a significant flashback, it is a straightforward linear novel.
I had just completed Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility
and found Limitations to be a very pleasant change of pace. Each has plenty of angst but Turow also
supplies suspense and action. However, after I had finished Turow's novel I
felt let down and disappointed. I know that he is capable of better. I had the
feeling that he had started out with a strong story line but ran out of time
and settled for something unsatisfactory. Perhaps that is the fate of one who
tries to maintain an active law practice while writing novels on the side. I'm
confident that he treated his law clients better than he did his readers.
The characters demonstrate a remarkable lack of empathy
for other people and teach us the tragic consequences of such behavior. I will happily give Scott Turow another
chance. He is a very talented story teller and a bright lawyer. I look forward
to his next work.
No comments:
Post a Comment