The Testament
After 15 years, I read Grisham’s The Testament for the second time. Over the past several years I’ve studied the craft of writing fiction, become multi-published, and am writing my 9th novel. Grisham violates many of the cardinal rules that I was taught, especially those related to point of view. He hops heads faster than a water skipper with a large-mouth bass on its tail. But, does that really matter?
When I turned off my internal editor, I read a great redemption story, told powerfully, with characters I will not forget. The main message — no one is beyond redemption, but sometimes they need someone who understands that truth to believe in them and to point the way.
When I finished the book for the second time, I realized the real testament was not the will that most of the book talks about. There are two testaments in the story, one written out of hate, the other out of love and understanding. Read the book for yourself and see which is the most impacting.
I seldom read a novel more than once, but The Testament has a permanent spot on my bookshelf, because I will read it again … and again — not to learn the rules of writing but to peer into the heart of a writer.