‘Go Set A Watchman’ – Harper Lee

go set a watchman

When it hit the news that a manuscript for ‘Go Set A Watchman’ had been found I completely understood the concerns that many readers will have had. ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ is a modern classic, and one that so many people hold dear for numerous reasons. How on earth would publishing the novel that was rejected add to anything? I admit to thinking it seemed like a fairly cynical money-making ploy, and certainly seemed like a rather frail woman was being taken advantage of.

When the novel was first published I was quite surprised by the furore surrounding some of the revelations. It was the idea that this was the book that become ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ that intrigued me and my interest to see the book as part of a process was what, ultimately, persuaded me to purchase a copy.

It took some time to read. Not because it was challenging, or because I couldn’t get into it. If I’m being honest, the character of Scout is such a defining character that I could not read this without thinking of her as she was. The story didn’t really seem to go anywhere. There was nothing awful about it, but nor did I really find anything to rave about.

For me this is a novel that has to be read alongside ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’, and purely to see it as part of a process of writing.

I can’t help but think this is a valuable document for lovers of literature, but not a book to recommend to readers for its own sake.