A Lesson before Dying (Audio Theatre Collection) (Serpent's Tail Classics) (Kennebec Large Print Perennial Favorites Collection) (Oprah's Book Club)

by Ernest J. Gaines and Romulus Linney

[ibeforem]

I was decidedly "meh" about this book. I think it addresses several important issues — the plight of young black men in the early 40s, the state of the justice system at the time, the usefulness of religion — but I think those issues could have been addressed in a better way. The main character, Grant, is not particularly likable. He’s bitter, unmotivated, and at times, just plain mean. In fact, most of the characters in the book are not particularly likable. Most of them appear to be downright miserable. A sign of the times? I don’t know, but you’d think *someone* in the novel would be a joyful person. Jefferson, the imprisoned man, is an interesting character, but even his turn-around is a little anti-climatic. With the build-up of the novel and the title and the praise and all, I expected much more of an epiphany at the end. For me, the pay-off just wasn’t there. If I hadn’t been reading this for my book club, I wouldn’t have finished it.