Go Set A Watchman (AUGUST)

I'm not sure if you can tell by the excitement on my face, but when I received this book in the mail, I could hardly contain myself. To Kill a Mockingbird is my all time favorite classic novels, and although I didn't expect Go Set a Watchman to live up to those expectations, I was hoping that some of the same elements were there. The novel has made me go back to do some research on the history of De-Segregation in the South. The plot line is similar to one of those assignments that I give my students where I ask them to write about the characters 20 years after the story has ended. Although there has been some shock by readers about Atticus' change in views on race, the story is not about Atticus. It is about Scout--now going by Jean Louise--and her reaction to the changes she finds back home at Maycomb. Jean Louise has to let go of what she held onto when she was a child and learn to stand up for her own ideals. It is a difficult lesson for her, but it is necessary so that she can fully transform into an adult. Go Set a Watchman is an easy read, and it should be considered by anyone who wants to hear about the second chapter of Scout's life.