Murder by Death

Yes, I've finally read it.  I'd managed to not read TKAM for decades because there was never a copy at hand and frankly, I was never interested enough to make any effort to acquire one.  Until, as some of you know, I was at a library book sale last year and made an impulsive grab of a copy for $1, which turned out to be one of those 1-in-1000 freak instances of a first edition sliding under the radar.  It's a well loved first edition, but even so, it's worth considerably more than $1.

Now, I have a rule: I don't keep books in my library I don't intend to read.  So, when I told my husband about my unbelievably lucky find his response was SELL IT.  SELL IT NOW!  But I didn't want to sell it, which meant I had to read it.  And here we are. 

I'm not going to waste anybody's time by trying to review To Kill a Mockingbird on the coattails of the millions of others who've read and reviewed it over the years.  I will just say this:  it was good.  Of course it was good.  But after all the hype surrounding this book I was surprised by the following:  it's a much slower-paced book than I expected; years go by in this book.  The brief bursts of humor: Scout's dry delivery made me chuckle a few times.  And finally, this book isn't just about one plot; there are two stories running parallel, and though they intertwine at the end, they are distinct.  There were a few other things - not really surprises, just very salient points and choices Lee makes that I found interesting and filed away for future conversations with friends.

I enjoyed this book enormously and I'm glad I read it.  Do I think it's one of the be-all-end-all books I've ever read?  No, sorry.  But I can't think of any reason on Earth I'd ever actively steer anyone away from reading it.  I can't think of anyone or any circumstance which I'd be saying "eh, maybe this one wouldn't be for you".  I think it's for everyone and since we've yet to learn the lessons it teaches, it's a book that should be read again and again.

This book applies to so. many. cards. for the Kill Your Darlings game, and I have no idea yet what I'll use it for.