The Testament by John Grisham- Book Review

The Testament by John Grisham is an adventure novel filled with suspense, unexpected twists, legal matters, lawyers, and billions of dollars.

My father bought me this book for Christmas, and at first, I was unsure of what to think about it.

I have to be honest; I had never heard about John Grisham, and the fact that the book was written almost 22 years ago had me even more confused about what to expect.

Surprisingly, this book was worth the reading. Involving ruthless family members, lawyers, and a burned-out alcoholic protagonist that will keep you reading nonstop until you finish the book.

That being said, there were a few things that I didn’t like or felt were rushed.

Here I’ll share some reasons why you should read it and some of the things I didn’t like about it.

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What I Loved

The Plot Involving Billions of Dollars

The premise and plot of this book build around a will involving eleven billion dollars. Troy Phelan is one of the richest men in America, with about eleven billion dollars and a bunch of greedy kids and ex-wives.

After he makes “his last will,” which is all his family cares about, he kills himself. But here comes the plot twist, seconds before jumping off to his death, he created a new will, one that doesn’t involve any of his family members. Instead, eleven billion dollars were handed to an illegitimate daughter, a missionary somewhere deep in the Amazons.

The thought of having billions of dollars makes me sick. Why would someone want too much money? The Phelan kids have a ton of r=selfish reasons on why they want a billion dollars.

It is crazy to see how some people think about money, let alone; manage eleven billion dollars. I think the perspective this book allows readers in terms of money management is excellent.

There are Legal Matters and Lawyers

If you ever thought that being a lawyer was your thing, or you enjoy learning about legal matters and trials, then this book is for you.

I learned more about what lawyers do and legal matters in this book than in my whole life. A 60% of the book is about lawyers, litigations, law firms, judges and trials.

This book’s premise might sound nonsense and incongruent if you have some knowledge about legal matters and how a will works. But, John Grisham is a lawyer, so he knows what he is writing about. You will see that everything makes sense once you read the book.

The Setting is Stunning (The Amazon)

Have you ever dreamed about going on an adventure deep down the Amazons? Cause I do! Well, the setting of this book takes place down in the Pantanal. The Pantanal sprawls across Bolivia, Brazil, and Panama.

It is the world’s largest tropical wetland. It also has one of the largest crocodile concentrations globally, with approximately 10 million. That’s a little scary.

John Grisham did an incredible job describing the Pantanal, its people, and the ambiance there. I felt as if I was on an adventure in the Pantanal.

I ended up wanting to travel to the Amazons more than I wanted to before. Here is an article with some facts about the Pantanal. It is worth the read. https://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/5-interesting-facts-about-the-pantanal-the-world-s-largest-tropical-wetland

What I didn’t love

The Main Characters are not Memorable

There are three main characters. The eccentric billionaire Troy Phelan. The alcoholic litigator, Nate O’ Riley. And the selfless missionary, Rachel Lane.

However, the book is focused on Nate. He is the one whose struggles and identity are explored. You can see him change and evolve along with the book.

I liked his character, and I enjoyed reading about how his life changed. However, I didn’t connect with him. I felt like something was missing to make me feel connected to him.

On the other side, Troy and Rachel were barely in the book. They are the primary keys in the plot, but they don’t impact the reader. It didn’t bother me that Troy wasn’t that much in the book. That was the whole purpose. But I was very disappointed with Rachel.

I was eager to meet her character, but she was just in a few chapters.

I did like her character, and I felt respect for her, but again, I couldn’t create a connection with her. Too little was shown about her. Her character had much more potential, but Grisham didn’t explore it.

Too Many Characters

I have read books with lots of characters, but at least they have different personality traits. This made it challenging to keep track of who was who.

There were too many lawyers, and although this was cool in some parts, most of them acted the same way. Some of them weren’t even necessary to the plot; they just added more confusing names.

A similar thing happens with The Phelan Children. They acted all the same. They had similar lives, and they all wanted the same thing; money.

There was some purpose in all the Phelan Children being the same. I think the idea that they were all a bunch of spoiled, ungrateful kids wanted to be supported by this. But at least they could have something surprising or unique about them.

The Ending was Rushed

This book’s plot made me get so invested in it, but near the end, everything went downhill.

I didn’t hate the end; it was quite brilliant and unexpected. However, the way it unfolded was terrible. Everything happened so fast, and many problems are left unresolved.

If it hadn’t been so rushed, I would have loved the ending, as it included a big surprise that makes sense connected with the title of the book. So it is worth reading, but keep in mind that things will escalate very fast.

Conclusion

In the end, I would say that The Testament it is worth reading.
It is an entertaining book that makes you want to keep reading, travel to the Amazon, and write a well-written will. Is it memorable? Not that much. But is it enjoyable? Yes, very much.

I also liked the message underneath it. It made me have reassurance in the way I look at life and money. It also has a helpful spiritual message, but I don’t want to spoil anything about it. I invite you to learn more about that journey by yourself.

So go on, buy it, and read it. I want to read your thoughts on it!