4/5
To kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is notorious for being read in school, and for good reason too. This story is based off of the author’s own personal experiences which makes it in many ways historically accurate. It’s also told through the eyes of her when she was a child which in many ways may make it relatable to those reading it. Despite being about very serious issues Harper Lee managed to make this story feel humorous and lighthearted. The anticipation and curiosity to see what might happen next made it such an easy book to read through as there was always something to look forward to. Harper Lee did a great job with showing Jem and Scout’s innocence as children throughout the story, but also their understanding of the situation. Atticus was also a very likeable character for being such a great father figure and fighting racial inequality even though it was an impossible job.
The plot was truly one of a kind as it expressed life in the 1930’s through the eyes of a child. It’s also very eye opening as it shows the amount of inequality and unfairness that African Americans were facing. Some complaints I have is that characters would be introduced, but would almost seem to disappear later in the book. Another complaint I have is that the main plot isn’t even introduced until halfway through the book. The first half did it’s job with making us feel attached to the main characters however half of the book being character development seems a little bit unnecessary. Despite these complaints I still enjoyed reading the book. It’s very unfortunate I will probably never get to read a book quite like it again.