Sunday, February 27, 2005

"The Broker" by John Grisham

The yearly winter dose of Grisham arrived early this year and caught me a bit off guard. Since I was busy finishing a little novel called Anna Karenina, Grisham's The Broker had to wait.

The book is fun and fast-paced, typically Grisham. As you'll discover from the inside cover, much of the plot is set in Italy, and Grisham does well describing the attractive culture and lifestyle of some Italian cities. He also delves into quite a bit of Italian in the book, adding to the setting and giving the reader a taste of the language, especially as it pertains to espresso drinks and restaurants. The book is a quick read and is best accompanied by a cup of strong Italian Roast or a Cappuccino if reading before 10:30 in the morning.

Grisham himself has openly admitted that he is not a classic author (I think I remember him saying this in an interview, though if I'm wrong, I take it back), and when one reads his books they are simply written, moving along at break-neck speeds.

Personally, my two favorite John Grisham books are The Testament and The Chamber. Ranking The Broker will take a couple of weeks for it to settle in and take its place with the others. (Interestingly, the book feels a lot like The Partner…enough said.)

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