To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic book about the appalling bigotry and callousness faced by outsiders. In the early 1930s in Maycomb in the Deep South of America, where the story is set, it was almost a crime to be different. Three children thought differently. Scout Finch, a tomboy with attitude, her brother Jeremy, otherwise known as Jem and their friend Dill are involved in an extraordinary story which is revealed through the eyes of Scout.
Through her, one of the stories we are told is about her father, Atticus, a lawyer who has been given an incredibly tough case. He is the only gentleman in Maycomb County who will stand up for a black man in court. The defendant’s name is Tom Robinson.
Tom Robinson has been falsely accused of the rape of a white woman, Mayella Ewell. The Ewells are the embarrassment of the town. Everyone else is civilised and polite. The Ewells are the exact opposite. In fact, the Ewells are just as much outsiders as Tom Robinson. The only difference between them is that Mr Ewell and his family are white. This is a story of racism that many black people from this period could have related to.
This is a terrific book which really makes you think, and I would favourably recommend it to ages eleven and upwards. It is definitely the best book I have read this year and I will also cherish the experience of watching the film with Gregory Peck as Atticus and enjoying the superb play that is touring the country at the moment.
I would give this book five stars out of five for the reality and brilliance of it. This summer, after many decades, Harper Lee will be releasing her new book. I can’t wait for it to come out as it is a sequel to “To Kill a Mockingbird” and I bet it will be just as spectacular!
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