Helpful Score: 7
I have avoided Grisham's writing for a while, but after accidentally picking up one of his books, "The Testament" and enjoying it, I picked up "The Associate" the day it came out.
The plot's concept wasn't bad. The characters were okay, I would have liked a little more development.
The worst part is that as the book draws to an end, I found myself with more questions than answers.
It feels like Grisham wrote another chapter, which somehow never made it to printing. Another reviewer suggested that the end hinted at a possible sequel, but after the way this book ended, I doubt I'd force myself to plod through a sequel and risk being disappointed again.
If I had only paid a credit, I don't think I'd be disappointed. But even with the 40% off Border's coupon, I feel like I overpaid.
The plot's concept wasn't bad. The characters were okay, I would have liked a little more development.
The worst part is that as the book draws to an end, I found myself with more questions than answers.
It feels like Grisham wrote another chapter, which somehow never made it to printing. Another reviewer suggested that the end hinted at a possible sequel, but after the way this book ended, I doubt I'd force myself to plod through a sequel and risk being disappointed again.
If I had only paid a credit, I don't think I'd be disappointed. But even with the 40% off Border's coupon, I feel like I overpaid.
This is another example of John Grisham doing what he does best. As usual, the plot line is full of twists and turns and all sorts of action. This book is different, however, in a couple of ways. First, we're allowed into the character more in that we know what he's thinking, we know what actions he intends to take regarding what's going. But, there are some open ends. You hear about particular stores, but you are never with the main character when he visits them. You know that the main character must be doing research, but other than stating that the main character has a sudden penchant for spy novels, you never are told what research he did.
Finally, the ending was just flat and completely anticlimactic. Furthermore, I feel like I've been robbed because I wasn't told ANYTHING! Now, I know that recently Grisham has going a little sneaky about giving the reader an unexpected ending, but this was NO ending. It was, to me, an utter disappointment. And, because nothing was told, it actually made me wish that I hadn't read the book at all.
Go a head and read this, but remember that you will know just as little at the end of the book as you do in the begining.
Finally, the ending was just flat and completely anticlimactic. Furthermore, I feel like I've been robbed because I wasn't told ANYTHING! Now, I know that recently Grisham has going a little sneaky about giving the reader an unexpected ending, but this was NO ending. It was, to me, an utter disappointment. And, because nothing was told, it actually made me wish that I hadn't read the book at all.
Go a head and read this, but remember that you will know just as little at the end of the book as you do in the begining.
Helpful Score: 3
I really enjoyed John Grisham's latest book. It was a fast read for me as I didn't want to put the book down. The story kept my interest as I wanted to know what would happen next. I enjoyed Grisham's work as he covered the little details. I felt the descriptions of New York were great from the street names to a mention of the Mets ahead and likely to lose it in the stretch. The story kept me guessing throughout and have no problems with how this story ended. It is very fitting for it to end the way it did.
Helpful Score: 3
Kyle McAvoy is a young, intelligent lad with all the right values inherited by his father and his small-town law office in Pennsylvania. Since early childhood he'd been dreaming of becoming a lawyer, taking his father as an example. His decision to become a community lawyer earning less money but doing good for the less fortunate has long been made and he can't wait to start as soon as he's made it through the bar. After that the same doors already open for him, will still be open.
His plans however are smashed into 1000 pieces when he is threatened to be exposed as being present at a crime scene where a young girl was raped while unconscious.
Five years ago Kyle was like many other students: he drank, he participated in parties and he had girls who were willing. The video unfortunately places him in the same room like three others and a girl. While Kyle and a friend were heavily drunk and placed and passed out in front of the TV, two other friends had some fun with a girl know as being an easy girl. When she passed out they raped her.
Now Kyle has to decide to do as he is told or endanger his whole future and decide about his friends future as well.
An alias, Bennie Wright, wants him to accept a job offer with one of the biggest law firms in the U.S., Scully and Pershing whose client Trylon Aeronauticts fights with another leading company over a multi billion dollar contract with the Air Force.
With all the technology and secrets involved, the case is handled as the biggest and highest valued case in the history and so is its protection.
While Kyle has to work himself into the trust of the litigation partners from the bottom up, the pressure on him is held by Wright. Fearing for his life when one of the two rapists is found dead with a bullet in his head Kyle knows his live is as much in danger as his dead friends life was.
Opportuniy and a way out of his misery opens when due to arguments a few of the litigation partners and associates seperate from the firm and Kyle is assigned to the Trylon case.
-
John Grisham's new thriller is just as good as his other legal thrillers except that the idea doesn't feel new to the reader. The story, the whole plotline about espionage, has already been written one way or the other by many other well known writers and probably by Grisham himself in The Firm. (I haven't read The Firm.)
However, the book is nicely written and conclusive. At some points I thought it could have been more racy or exciting but overall it kept me reading.
The ending unfortunately was uneventful and a huge bore. It leaves the reader with too much questions.
His plans however are smashed into 1000 pieces when he is threatened to be exposed as being present at a crime scene where a young girl was raped while unconscious.
Five years ago Kyle was like many other students: he drank, he participated in parties and he had girls who were willing. The video unfortunately places him in the same room like three others and a girl. While Kyle and a friend were heavily drunk and placed and passed out in front of the TV, two other friends had some fun with a girl know as being an easy girl. When she passed out they raped her.
Now Kyle has to decide to do as he is told or endanger his whole future and decide about his friends future as well.
An alias, Bennie Wright, wants him to accept a job offer with one of the biggest law firms in the U.S., Scully and Pershing whose client Trylon Aeronauticts fights with another leading company over a multi billion dollar contract with the Air Force.
With all the technology and secrets involved, the case is handled as the biggest and highest valued case in the history and so is its protection.
While Kyle has to work himself into the trust of the litigation partners from the bottom up, the pressure on him is held by Wright. Fearing for his life when one of the two rapists is found dead with a bullet in his head Kyle knows his live is as much in danger as his dead friends life was.
Opportuniy and a way out of his misery opens when due to arguments a few of the litigation partners and associates seperate from the firm and Kyle is assigned to the Trylon case.
-
John Grisham's new thriller is just as good as his other legal thrillers except that the idea doesn't feel new to the reader. The story, the whole plotline about espionage, has already been written one way or the other by many other well known writers and probably by Grisham himself in The Firm. (I haven't read The Firm.)
However, the book is nicely written and conclusive. At some points I thought it could have been more racy or exciting but overall it kept me reading.
The ending unfortunately was uneventful and a huge bore. It leaves the reader with too much questions.
Helpful Score: 3
Grisham at his best. A well developed main character and fascinating plot and a great glimpse at life in a big Wall Street law firm. The ending seemed a little abrupt or quiet for some reason but very satisfying.
Helpful Score: 2
This one sucked me in from the beginning. It's definitely a "don't begin if you have important tasks to complete" kind of book.
Helpful Score: 2
Really unimpressed with the ending...
Helpful Score: 2
I thought that this Grisham would finally draw me back into his writing. Until it lost steam about half way though. I feel the ending was thrown together without much thought, and there were several holes that didn't quite get stitched up. Not enough to entice me to rush out for his next one.
Helpful Score: 2
John Grisham is one of my favorite authors who I am glad is writing his normal genre again. The book was a little slower in the beginning to me, but picked up quickly at the end. Without giving anything away, I guess I was a little disappointed in the conclusion, but not in the writing. Not one of my favorites from him, but much better than most written work.
Helpful Score: 2
Classic John Grisham book. You can never really be sure what's going to happen and you really want the "good guy" to win.
He's varied his location a little - so many of the lawyer books take place in the south. He moved his character to New York for this story, and it was interesting that the character never seemed very happy in New York - always happiest in other locations, away from the big city.
I loved the description of life in a huge law firm - really makes me glad I never became a lawyer!!
He's varied his location a little - so many of the lawyer books take place in the south. He moved his character to New York for this story, and it was interesting that the character never seemed very happy in New York - always happiest in other locations, away from the big city.
I loved the description of life in a huge law firm - really makes me glad I never became a lawyer!!
Helpful Score: 2
Typical Grisham page-turner. Great escape for a plane ride or beach.
Helpful Score: 1
I always enjoy John Grisham's books, but his legal thrillers are the best! This one rates up there with "The Firm". I could not wait to find out "what happens next" when reading this one!
Helpful Score: 1
Definitely not is best work, but still a good read...except for the ending. Don't worry, I won't give away the ending...because there isn't one!
Helpful Score: 1
I wasn't so impressed with this book. It wasn't as spellbinding as Grisham's past books have been. Not bad, but it just didn't capture my attention like his last. I've collected all his past books, but chose to let this one go.
Helpful Score: 1
Love it... John Grisham has taken it to the next level...can't wait to watch it as a movie.
Helpful Score: 1
I enjoyed The Associate, not as much as some of Grishams other books though. For me it wasnt a fast page turner thriller. I was never on the edge of my seat, but I overall was pleased with it. I was disappointed with the ending. Had to check to make sure the last page was really the last page. Possible sequel ?
Helpful Score: 1
Great read! Not as good as the Firm (this book was compared to that), but entertaining none the less.
Helpful Score: 1
Not as good as some of his others, but a quick enjoyable read.
Helpful Score: 1
Good Grisham novel. Suspense, excitement, well thought-out action. Even though it was very different, it reminded me of The Firm as the main characters are similar and get into trouble not of their making.
Helpful Score: 1
A good Grisham book, more like some of his earlier work. The ending was not at all what I expected. Certainly gives you some to think about.
Not sure why this is getting almost universal raves. It's an interesting premise that not only doesn't seem to really go anywhere, but doesn't even get to where it's not going. Did he get tired of writing it and just say "screw it" and stop? Unless he was setting himself up for a sequel? I mean, nothing seems to get resolved!
For Grisham completists only, IMO. A decent enough yarn with some insight into how law school graduates are treated as first year associates at the big firms, but other than that, enh.
For Grisham completists only, IMO. A decent enough yarn with some insight into how law school graduates are treated as first year associates at the big firms, but other than that, enh.
Another hard-to-put-down Grisham in his old style of writing. Thumbs Up!
Another excellent book by John Grisham. I was a little disappointed with the ending though.
Having not read Grisham for a while, I thought it would be fun to read this one as I have enjoyed several of his books in the past: "Time to Kill", "The Firm", "The Client". I thought it was going pretty well until the ending just floundered completely as there was no ending. I almost wonder if Grisham got tired and just dropped the writing altogether. Disappointing to have a botched up ending.
This is a bit different fromt Grisham's usual novel, but even so, it is well written and hard to put down. The ending is a bit anti-climatic, but still a very thoughtful and intriguing tale.
John Grisham once again puts us on a twisted ride of legal suspense. You feel for Kyle and his co-workers as they put in 15-20 hour days, some even sleeping under their desk as first year associates. Kyle is caught up in what he believes to be is a no-win situation where he must perform or his past will be revealed! Another must-read by Grisham!
Good read, pretty intense and it does keep you on the edge. As with some of Grisham's other work I thought the ending was a little flat.
True to John Grisham suspenseful and a page turner. For the first time I felt somewhat disappointed with the ending and was left unfulfilled.
A fairly quick reading book - good intro into Grisham's style as this book is not as complex as some of his work. Good plot, interesting story; typically Grisham!
The book was great, but the ending -well where was the ending? It really left you hanging-I was very bummed about the ending-pretty flat-you were still wondering what happened-thought I missed something and I did-the ENDING!
Classic Grisham novel.
I do most of my reading on the commuter bus, and I was always so eager to get in my seat and keep reading "The Associate." It is very suspenseful and I did share all the emotions of Kyle McAvoy, the protagonist. I felt the ending was a bit flat considering all the detailed narrative build-up, but I do recommend this book as a thrilling read.
This book was a great read. It kept my interest and I actually loved it when I was reading it.
I could not get to the end to see all of the details unravel and understand more of the plot (the who and the why).
Then the book ended and I was so completely disappointed!!!! :-(
It just ended and left too many unanswered questions.
I am a huge Grisham fan but this one fell short in the end.
I could not get to the end to see all of the details unravel and understand more of the plot (the who and the why).
Then the book ended and I was so completely disappointed!!!! :-(
It just ended and left too many unanswered questions.
I am a huge Grisham fan but this one fell short in the end.
Typical Grisham. Lot's of legal ease and a soggy ending. Try something else unless you are a true grisham fan
Classic John Grisham
Another best seller from John Grisham. I could not put it down.
The Associate is a thriller about a young lawyer who has an ambition to be in the world's largest law firm. Kyle will stop at nothing to achieve his goal.
I highly recommend this and all John Grisham books
The Associate is a thriller about a young lawyer who has an ambition to be in the world's largest law firm. Kyle will stop at nothing to achieve his goal.
I highly recommend this and all John Grisham books
In the middle of the pack of the Grisham books. Took a few chapters to get into it. The middle is fantastic though.
Let me just start by saying I strongly recommed that you find another book to read. If you have it on you WL, please try and borrow it from your library if you feel that you must read it, because it's not worth a credit. I have read all of Grisham's books and was really excited about reading this one, but now I'm so annoyed with the ending that I just want to toss it. The book was written as if it's a sequel...I'm still waiting on the closure. So many questions were left unanswered I'm wondering why Grisham even bothered to mention them. It's like he did an outline for a book and forgot to fill in the details. Also this is the first book of his that I've read where he mixed up the name of his character. He started talking about Baxter and without changing the characters the comments were being addressed to Kyle...sloppy proof-reading. I can't make my displeasure more strongly felt. This book is a total rip-off.
After a slow start, the book took the twists and turns I expected from Grisham. A good read.
Though I like the book, it's not my favorite from Grisham. It struck me as the first part of a cliffhanger. The ending left me thinking that there's more to come.
This was an OK story but I expected a much more explosive ending that Grisham has been known to deliver in the past. Grisham does a good job of laying the groundwork and drawing the reader into Kyle's world giving us a bird's eye view into the mess Kyle has found himself as well as the intense pressure of trying to out maneuver the bad guys and come out on top. I'm not sure what happened, but this book, though is a decent story had the potential to be so much more.
The Associate is a fast-paced book about a young law school graduate who is caught up in a scheme to steal documents from a high-powered law firm for which he works. I found the book to be a highly suspenseful page-turner. Grisham typically gets the reader involved immediately and the plot captivates from beginning to end.
Typical John Grisham with lots of turns and twists.
Felt like the ending was left hanging....not typical of John Grisham.
Really good book. If you're a Grisham fan, you will love this as much as his other books!
very disappointing! It seemed like there was going to be some twists thrown in, alterer motives revealed but instead there was nothing. I could see several exciting ways to end the book but Grisham didn't or didn't want to. I do not recommend just because you'll be disappointed.
A good story overall, but not nearly as suspenseful as "The Firm". The ending was a bit of a let-down as well. Grisham has set the bar so high with his prior novels that I expecting more from this one. Price of success, I suppose...
This was an intriguing book. I was hooked by the story line right away and really didn't want to put the book down once I started reading. It kept me guessing what would happen next and I loved the ending. John Grisham is a great storyteller. I have enjoyed every one of his books and that's almost all of them. It is so refreshing to read a good book without a lot of profanity muddying up the story. I wish more authors realized that profanity does not necessarily make a better book.
I highly recommend this book.
I highly recommend this book.
It followed the same formula as his other books. But, I enjoy reading John Grisham and this one didn't disappoint. If you are a Grisham fan, you'll like The Associate.
It seems John Grisham ran out of ink and skipped writing the last three or four chapters. Or he chose to leave issues that concerned the reader, unsolved. Or he was in a hurry to get to cranking out the next novel.
While I have always liked John Grisham's novels, this one left me unsatisfied. The plot built up too slowly and the ending was too fast and didn't really seem like an ending. Sorry - just not the best read....
The typical Grisham page-turner... a fast paced story of a young associate caught up in the dealings of a large firm. A good story.
One of the least interesting Grisham book. Slow, and a story line that could have totally been 'avoided' by (later) happens anyway. About the only good purpose of this book would be to encourage law students to read this before they sign up for law school.
This story is a bit different than John Grisham's usual legal thriller. Mr. Grisham points out the extreme action that extreme amounts of money and military technology can produce. I would not say that this is his best story, but it is certainly an entertaining one. A good read.
I enjoyed this book very much! Great reading and it was an exciting book to read.
Kyle McAvoy possesses an outstanding legal mind. Good-looking & affable, he has a glittering future. He also has a dark secret that could destroy his dreams, his career, even his life. One night that secret catches up w/him. Th men who accost Kyle have a compromising video they'l use to ruin him - unless he does exactly what they say. What they offer Kyle is something any mbitious young lawyer would kill for - a job in Manhattan as an associate at the world's largest law firm. If Kyle accepts, he'll be on the fast track to partnership & a fortune. But there's a catch. Kyle won't be working for the firm but against it in a dispute between 2 powerful defense contractors worht billions. Now Kyle is caught between the criminal forces manipulating him, the FBI, & his own law firm - in a malignant conspiracy not even Kyle with all his intellect, cunning, and bravery may be able to escape alive.
Like most other reviewers I enjoy the book waiting for a climatic climax but there was none. Too many unanswered questions. John Grisham is better than this.
The Associate is one of John Grisham's best.
Kyle McAvoy grew up in his fathers small-town law office in York, Pennsylvania. He excelled in college, was elected editor-in-chief of The Yale Law Journal, and his future has limitless potential.
But Kyle has a secret, a dark one, an episode from college that he has tried to forget. The secret, though, falls into the hands of the wrong people, and Kyle is forced to take a job he doesnt wanteven though its a job most law students can only dream about.
Three months after leaving Yale, Kyle becomes an associate at the largest law firm in the world, where, in addition to practicing law, he is expected to lie, steal, and take part in a scheme that could send him to prison, if not get him killed.
But Kyle has a secret, a dark one, an episode from college that he has tried to forget. The secret, though, falls into the hands of the wrong people, and Kyle is forced to take a job he doesnt wanteven though its a job most law students can only dream about.
Three months after leaving Yale, Kyle becomes an associate at the largest law firm in the world, where, in addition to practicing law, he is expected to lie, steal, and take part in a scheme that could send him to prison, if not get him killed.
Classic Grisham, a page turner you can't put down!
There was no character development and if it weren't for the first couple of chapters I would have given it only 1 star.
Another marvelous book from my all-time favorite author. Like most of his others, I just could not put this book down. Now I can't wait until he writes another!!
Grisham at his best.
almost as good as his initial books
