Gray Mountain

Oh dear!

What would have made Gray Mountain better?

I love John Grisham's novels. I have read them all so the instant I knew his latest one was out on Audible, I bought it. However, this was not exactly the usual Grisham literary gold!

The story is predictable, trite and - I never thought I would write this about a Grisham novel - boring! The protagonist is female and sometimes the narrative feels more like a bad chick-lit novel, particularly when the dialog is between two women. No, dear John G., women do not talk about their sexual adventures minutes after meeting each other. The romantic encounters told through his protagonist are toe-curling and hackneyed and I couldn't help thinking that all it would have taken him to make the female lead credible (and less annoying!) would just have been to give her the voice that as he normally gives his male leads. Instead this woman is whinging, indecisive and not very likeable.

What didn’t you like about Catherine Taber’s performance?

The narration was wooden; monotone, abrupt and with so little tonal variation that it almost lulled me to sleep on several occasions.

You didn’t love this book--but did it have any redeeming qualities?

I can highly recommend this book if you are suffering from insomnia, have a soft spot for Barbara Cartland morphed with Marian Keys and only need a light sprinkle of excitement.

14 of 14 people found this review helpful

Why was this ever published?

What disappointed you about Gray Mountain?

This book starts depressing, gets out a pick axe and digs itself deeper.

What was most disappointing about John Grisham’s story?

The story lacks any depth in narrative, plot or characters.
Examples of basic lack of research or even in touch with reality and practicality:-
Reference is continually made to 51mm calibre sniper rifles. That's 2 inches in US speak. That size would be a Cannon on wheels! What he meant was a 50 calibre which is 0.5 inches. Don't get excited, there's no gripping storyline attached.
There is some wandering around mountain areas described as 100 acres but to tie in with the narrative would be ten times that size.

Would you be willing to try another one of Catherine Taber’s performances?

Not having listened to any other narrations by Catherine it might be unfair to judge her with this one. I hope she thought it best to deepen and enhance the story's depths of depression.
She was successful.
One imagines her going in to therapy after completing the book.

You didn’t love this book--but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Redeeming qualities? One hopes Grisham gets such a lashing with this book that he understands his followers expect better of him.

One redeeming line, obviously by accident, the heroine, in a light aircraft, puts on a headset and the pilot says "Say something". She says "Something".

Any additional comments?

I have no idea why Grisham's publisher didn't turn the manuscript down for the good of his reputation.

8 of 8 people found this review helpful

This moved along at a plodding pace,

What would have made Gray Mountain better?

It had the potential of having a good end but it just did not deliver.

What will your next listen be?

I was going to go for another Grisham but not so sure. Probably Frost at Christmas

What didn’t you like about Catherine Taber’s performance?

She fitted the character but not outstanding

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

I felt let down by the end of the book. It had an end yes but just not that inspiring

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Terrible

What would have made Gray Mountain better?

I love Grisham novels and have every one in either book or audio. Really looked forward to downloading this new one. What a disappointment. The plot is the old one of nasty business polluting the ground and the water. The story rambles along taking hours, literally, to get anywhere. The main character is the usual young female lawyer so they chose a woman to narrate it. No problem except she has only one voice and one pace of delivery. Everyone speaks the same! Men or women. Often you have no idea who is speaking - but you don't really care.
The narration is soporific - I fell asleep three times before I gave up after 5 1/2 hours. If this is really Grisham writing he should quit now. And, Audible, pension off the narrator before she bores anyone else to death.

Has Gray Mountain put you off other books in this genre?

No, love legal thrillers. But this is the worst yet.

What didn’t you like about Catherine Taber’s performance?

See above. Boring, monotonic, one paced, no ability to give different voices to characters . Listening to rough male characters talking like a girl just ruins enjoyment.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Very disappointed. Angry to be ripped off for such garbage. Sad for Grisham if he needs to stoop to this to augment his pension.

Any additional comments?

Don't download - even if you get it for free!!!

8 of 9 people found this review helpful

Disappointing. Not one of grishams best

The ending didn't tie up any cases & thus it was a disappointing read. An avid fan but not happy onez

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Dull

If this book wasn’t for you, who do you think might enjoy it more?

none

What will your next listen be?

not sure, always looking for a good story

How could the performance have been better?

add some action, some thrill anything! The story was dull from start to end no follow thru

You didn’t love this book--but did it have any redeeming qualities?

Well the description of the coal country was educational and the exposure to the greedy destruction of the nature.

Any additional comments?

Not the best book from John Grisham

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Is it just me?

Would you try another book written by John Grisham or narrated by Catherine Taber?

I've been a fan of John Grisham for many years, but, apart from the main lawyer being female, there's just nothing new in Gray Mountain. I'm afraid I found it boring and struggled through to chapter 14 - but I'm off in search of a bit more excitement. Sorry John!

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Tedious

Half way through part one I started checking to see how much time was left as I was getting bored with the non-story, I thought 'Ah well- only another couple of hours', then to my horror I realised that there was ANOTHER part to plough through. It was at this point that I gave up as I decided that my time could be better spent.
There really was nothing happening, and the characters were not worth caring about.
John Grisham seems to go to extremes and will either write a stonking good book or one that is absolutely turgid and leaves you wondering what was the point of it all. Sadly this novel (for me) falls into the latter category.

6 of 7 people found this review helpful

Disappointed

Good story overall but main character was a "weak woman" unlike all of the macho men lawyers in previous books. Wanted to tell her to get a grip and get on with it. Not my favourite book.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Not your usual Grisham

I don't normally like to pan a novel, especially one written by a highly respected author but, if this had been his first novel instead of A Time To Kill, I doubt that anyone would have read any of the others.

This book is boring. Not from the first page, but not long after it. I don't know if it's helped or hindered by the narration - hindered I think - because the pace is too slow, makes you want to sleep. It would have been cleverer if the pace was faster in New York & Washington then slower in The Boonies, perhaps.

But the whole point of the book is wasted, took too long to make, was too pedestrian and, quite frankly, could have sufficed a novella.

John Grisham has done this a few times in his literary career. I now feel that I cannot freely invest in one of his novels, it's too much of a financial risk. I have to say that, I was warned about it from the other reviews. I didn't take them seriously. I won't make that mistake again.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful