David and Goliath go to court (The Rainmaker - John Grisham)

Name: millwall23

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Product:	The Rainmaker - John Grisham
Date:	03.03.02 (490 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Smooth, Compelling

Disadvantages: No action or thrills, Romance is false

< RAINMAKER - a person (as a partner in a law firm) who brings in new business; also One who is known for achieving excellent results in a profession or field, such as business or politics. >

This is John Grisham’s 6th novel and the 2nd set in the courtroom (A Time To Kill being the first). An intriguing and amusing look at the law told from the point of view of newly graduated lawyer Rudy Baylor.

Rudy looks set as he approaches the closing days of law school, he has a job and will finish in the top half of his class and has two promising cases to take with him. But all is about to change for young Rudy as lady luck is about to deal him a bitter blow. This causes Rudy to fall by the way of “Bruiser” Stone, a lawyer at the bottom of the profession more crooked than the crooks he represents. With no home, the police on his back and a somewhat shady job will his two cases be able to save him? Rudy is about to find himself head deep with the big boys.

Told in the first person this is an unusual book that could loose the reader before it even begins. Grisham solves this problem with his fresh sense of humour and intelligent plot both of which are developed in the first few pages. You soon forget the style of writing as you get drawn in and by the time you reach a quarter of the way through it actually becomes enjoyable. The characters are gritty and real (made human by their strengths and weaknesses) and even the most inconsequential of them have purpose even if he does occasionally make more of them than needed. The vividness and depth of writing makes it easy for you to feel the varied emotions often running at tangents without loosing your interest or confusing you.

Probably one of his most complex books with the prominent storyline – little lawyer takes on huge corporation – being backed up by side helpings of romance, danger, friendship and much more. The basic outline is hardly original
with dozens of books and films reproducing the old David vs. Goliath story recently but this one’s different in that it has flare and depth. Everyone from Rudy right on down to the less important Prince has a purpose and a fresh perspective.

The obviousness of the plot is counteracted by the interlocking relationships between all the parties making it flow and keeping you gripped and page turning until the very early hours. Perhaps his only weakness is in his attempts at romance that I find at times boring and a little too convenient. He fails to develop his love interests beyond mere sexual attraction whereas the rest of the book has fast and furious intellectual exchanges blended with touches of soft compassion and emotional outbursts of anger and frustration which are simply delightful.

The case is gripping but it’s not until close to half way through the novel that it actually starts leaving the first half to develop and nurture the wonderful relationships between all the concerned parties. It helped to give great depth on multiple layers to an otherwise over reproduced formula. Helping you to understand Rudy, the great Leo F Drummond of Tinley Britt and the relationship between the aforementioned Tinley Britt, Rudy and Judge Kipler who although only a small character adds lovely humour.

Personally I feel that love interest, battered wife Kelly, could and should have been developed more, although needed this is without doubt the books week spot being obvious and rather one-dimensional. However his side kick the self named “paralawyer” Deck Schifflet is a splendid creation, he’s failed the bar exam 6 times and he’s Rudy’s best hope! His clients are splendidly written and you can’t help but feel compassion and sadness for Donny-Ray Black that leaves you lusting for blood by the end of the novel.

There’s very little action, suspense or even drama but it’s the c
haracters themselves that carry you along and Grisham’s strong writing. The book keeps you enthralled by it’s complex plots and side plots all seasoned with a sprinkling of good old fashioned “let um have it” emotions.

The Rainmaker is a relatively short novel (598 pages) that begs to be read cover to cover in the shortest time possible, compelling and gripping it’s easy to re-read over and over and will have you both laughing out loud and sitting with tears in your eyes. The ending is predictable but you’ll be yearning for it none the less by the time the final pages approach.

It’s books like this that makes everyone into a wannabe lawyer.

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