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Go Set a Watchman

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Go Set a Watchman

By: Harper Lee
Narrated by: Reese Witherspoon
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About this listen

Go Set a Watchman is set during the mid-1950s and features many of the characters from To Kill a Mockingbird some 20 years later.

Scout (Jean Louise Finch) has returned to Maycomb from New York to visit her father, Atticus. She is forced to grapple with issues both personal and political as she tries to understand both her father's attitude toward society and her own feelings about the place where she was born and spent her childhood.

An instant classic.

©2015 Penguin Audio (P)2015 Penguin Audio
Classics Family Life Fiction Literary Fiction Small Town & Rural Thought-Provoking
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What listeners say about Go Set a Watchman

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Forget the negativity surrounding it - it is a wonderful book

After finishing the book I can only say that I don't understand those who claim that this book should never been published or similar nonsense. Yes, compared to "To Kill A Mockingbird" it does not feel as masterfully written - it was a draft after, but if you compare it to the other books you have read, you will be compelled to conclude that even in a draft form this is better than most of them. It is absolutely fascinating for those familiar with "To Kill A Mockingbird" and while it is a shock regarding Atticus, his character is still fully consistent between the two books - it is just that the Scout's perspective changes, and this book presents this very well. A thoroughly enjoyable listen.

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3 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Thought provoking, complex and highly relevant today.

Still not sure I understand the title, thus book is a beautifully written thoughtful and thought provoking read. It is full of unexpected twists, and perceptions of human relation and the formation of our values and beliefs which are powerful and wise. With race, prejudice and religion as
challenging threads it is a book which as relevant now as To Kill a Mockingbird was all those years ago. And what a way with words, Harper Lee is an amazing writer and this is book to listen to more than once. Great narration, highly suited to the writer's work, and a greatly evocative style.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Faultless narration

Reese is superb, her dialect is perfect for this story.
To kill a mocking bird is one of my favourite books and this has now joined it.
A brilliantly written coming of age for scout.
You won't be disappointed.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Interesting to know what happens to Scout but lacking the magic of the original.

Too preachy to be really enjoyable and too many histrionics to be believable. Passed the time.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Nicely read but the story was a bit disappointing.

As a follow on to "to Kill a Mockingbird" perhaps I expected too much from this novel but it just did not have nearly the same bite or impact as its predecessor .

The story deals with Scout's return after years living in New York and how she finds that the community and her family have changed. I just didn't make a connection with characters and read to the end more out of interest than fascination.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Pleasantly surprised

I had heard a lot of mixed reviews on this book so I was cautious on how to receive this book. I really enjoyed it and Reese Witherspoon was great. A very different performance for her and lots of different characters but she performed well.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Bitter Sweet But A Worthy Sequel

Credentials up front i'm not American and didn't grow up with 'To Kill A Mockingbird' so it doesn't loom as large for me. I got TKAM on Audible, loved it and followed it up immediately with this so the controversy mostly flew over my head, that being said. Ii think this is a perfectly good sequel, the idea of rejoining Scout as an adult to see what happens when the scales fall from her eyes and the hero of her childhood fails to live up to the impossible bench mark she set for him i thought was great. The evolution of the characters and their world felt believable and consistent with the tone of the first book to me it is truly moving to see through Scout's eyes once more as she embarks on what is probably the second most important journey of her life, in terms of finally, truly growing up. Whilst the sequel doesn't quite hit the heights of the original i found it had just as many insightful and important things to say, yes it is bitter sweet but so is growing up.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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A beautiful story told wonderfully & whimsically

Written by a very wise mind, the story contains gems of wisdom relevant to the racial disharmony occurring in contemporary USA.

Go Set a Watchman sees Scout come to affirm her convictions & see the world as it truly is. A touching, heartbreaking but wonderful story told beautifully by Witherspoon. I care not to find faults, I only wished there was a follow up as I imagine Scout to go on and do wonderful things and impacting change!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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A genuine delight &...it's good to be challenged

If you could sum up Go Set a Watchman in three words, what would they be?

Touching, funny, wonderful

What other book might you compare Go Set a Watchman to, and why?

Obviously it reminds you of to kill a mocking bird. Harper Lee has her own style & this is true to it.

What about Reese Witherspoon’s performance did you like?

Reese Witherspoon handles this beautifully. Sensitively adopting every character and giving them life.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I never listen to a book in one sitting. I spread it deliciously over three days & will listen to it again.

Any additional comments?

Don't be put of by the mixed reviews.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Loved it.

No, it's not To Kill a Mockingbird - that's because it's Go Set a Watchman. Unique.

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