Go Set a Watchman question

No! This book is absolutely terrible! Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird was a great classic enjoyed by many, however, this new story throws everything out the window. It's written terribly and the plot is boring with no strong theme or story line. My favorite character (which I will not reveal for spoilers sake) is killed off before the story even takes place with no more than a sentence of background information leaving me frustrated and disappointed. I couldn't even finish the book it was so slow, boring, and bad. I know it sounds hypocritical because I never actually finished the book, but TRUST ME do not read this monstrosity it may just ruin Harper Kee's classic for you.

Read many reviews of the book before you decide.

I'll link mine so I don't have to cover the same ground again.

My primary caution to all potential readers is, "This is not the same town nor characters" from TKAM. Only the names remain the same.

My Review and Commentary -> https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Considering your fondness for the original, I would say NO. The story is not compelling and ends up on a wrong note on both feminism and racism. There is some point to the story, but not enough to read this mediocre work; you can get the same messages delivered better elsewhere.

I read Go Set a Watchman and hated it, but it didn't really ruin my love of To Kill a Mockingbird. I think the key is to keep in mind that it was written before TKAM and was essentially a very rough draft. That said, it is interesting to see how Harper Lee eventually got to the classic novel she's known best for.

I didn't even finish it.

Kate wrote: "I am worried that if I read this book it may tarnish my memory of 'To Kill a Mockingbird', one of my favourite books. Would love some advice from people who have read it."

It may tarnish your memory of Atticus Finch. The truth is that this book is very relevant, now. Most people have blind spots when it concerns the most pressing social issues of our time, like racism. Part of growing-up, is setting aside our romantic views of the past and the people we love.

GSAW was the first book wrote by Harper Lee. Her publisher did not like the characters or the book so Harper Lee decided to change the whole thing. After publishing TKAM she locked GSAW away until right before her death in 2016, when she decided to release it. I think of GSAW as a completely different book with no ties to TKAM.

No

Lots of stuff here I couldn't disagree with more. TKAM is a sentimental and marketable version of the original manuscript, great movie vehicle. Go Set A Watchman is the stronger, truer book. I am really glad I put off reading it, means more in 2017 than it did in 2015. Yes, it's a first novel, yes, it tells more than shows, yes, it is politically incorrect. Yes, it was true when written and remains true today. If you are capable of deep and independent thought, read it. If you follow the school of the oh-I-am-way-too-delicate or think you shouldn't expose yourself to a first novel that, while true and insightful, is sometimes not the mature, crafted writing you deserve as a sophisticated reader, don't read it.

No. It's terrible. Most of it was written before TKAM and I can see why nobody wanted to publish it. The narrative drags on and thew characters are not likable.

Yes, you should read this book. It paints a very different picture of its characters than in the first book. Book characters like actual people have to change over time and with the times. While some may not like the plot of the book and it can be interpreted in multiple ways it was interesting to see how they developed as they got older.

I read GSAW few days after the Mockingbird and I loved it. Both were wonderful. In GSAW you see the changes, but it was amazing time with both books. I highly recommend it.

Find the courage to read GSAW. Accept that it will change your perception of TKAM and be prepared to have the racial narrative in your mind changed forever. Where TKAM is romantic, GSAW is far more realistic. But if you want to retain the romanticism, then let this one go.

Ah, nothing can destroy Mockingbird. I read both every month, and I still love Atticus Finch. Loving Mockingbird only makes you feel more intensely the pain of Jean Louise in Watchman. It´s a very well written book, Harper Lee still wrote it in her warm, funny way...
Oh, yeah, I DID feel for Jean Louise. But sometimes we have to "kill a little to live".
And ifHarper Lee hadn´t written anything else besides TKAM, we would complain about that. Human race is never satisfied. And, yes, people change. So did Atticus Finch. And I LOVED both of Lee's novels. Please, read it!!!

As a young man in, "To Kill a Mockingbird,"he (Atticus Finch) was a hero; but, as an old man in "Go Set a Watchman," Atticus was a bigot. How could he have changed so much....South or no South.

The problem with “Go Set a Watchman” is that we were supposed to become Atticus Finch, not the other way around. (Forget for a minute about the reality that the second book was actually the first version and that Atticus as a character actually evolved from old bigot to young champion.)

In the last few years, this book has initiated alot of discussion about race and prejudice that interests me a whole lot more than the actual literary value of either of the books, but it’s really a poorly written book. For some alternatives on related themes I would recommend “Devil in a Blue Dress” (Mosley), “Where the River Bends” (Matthews), The Power of One (Courtenay, but the movie is better than the book).

I don't think that they were both written by Harper Lee. Did not enjoy

I'd agree and say it wasn't nearly as good as 'To kill a mocking bird'. I didn't want to read 'To set a watchman' as i noticed the reviews weren't as good, but i really wanted to read it, so that i would've completed the set. It's readable enough though.

It's a solid read but not as good as "Mockingbird". Honestly, its ok but not great.

Ditto to Joseph.

Remember TSAW was a first draft of TKAM, as such no the writing isn't as polished. She wrote this book at a time when the south was attempting to come to terms with major changes. I feel this reflects the "southern attitude" more than TKAM. I found it fascinating to compare and contrast the two books.