Book Review : RAINMAKER
AUTHOR : JOHN GRISHAM
COST : ~Rs 250
PAGES : ~550
RATING : 
TAKE-AWAY :
YOU CAN’T LOSE FOREVER! KEEP AT IT AND THINGS WILL CHANGE!!
Well, I liked this one. The second half is a real page turner. This one commences at an easy pace, almost tardily, and then grips you. Frankly, I gave this book a break after around 100 pages. My second reading attempt however, was a real joy. Substantial time is well spent by Grisham on the building the characters and the intricacies of the plot.
As it goes, the protagonist, Rudy Baylor is a final year law student, struggling to make ends meet. His college sweetheart has just walked over him. The odds are heavily stacked against him clearing the bar council exam and obtaining a license to practice. Thanks to an unexpected take over of the firm he was supposed to join, he loses his prospective job as well. All he has is one case, coincidentally thrust on him, during one of his final year charity consultations.
The case is one of bad faith against an insurance company. Legitimate requests by Rudy’s client to save her son have been rejected snobbishly, resulting ultimately in fatality. As it turns out, the defendants for this lawsuit are the best lawyers that money can buy. Rudy on the other hand has never stepped into a court room.
Grisham makes everything very believable, resisting the temptation of projecting the protagonist as a genius or wizard. All he is, is a logical, level-headed, smart, run of mill guy. Some of the court sequences are real kick-ass, especially the one in which the final verdict is pronounced by the jury. Rudy’s restrained reaction which is so amazingly captured. I am sure many of us will relate to this in some way.
The plot has its share of twists towards the end and though I would have preferred a more triumphant climax, liked this one in totality. Definitely, a worthy read.
