The Defendants: Four handsome teenage boys from hardworking immigrant families. All with corroborating stories.
Whose side would you take?
Zara Kaleel, one of London’s brightest young legal minds, shattered the expectations placed on her by her family and forged a glittering career at the Bar. All before hanging up her barrister's wig to help the victims who needed her most. Victims like Jodie Wolfe.
Jodie’s own best friend doesn’t even believe her claims that their classmates carried out such a crime. But Zara does. And Zara is determined to fight for her.
Jodie and Zara become the centre of the most explosive criminal trial of the year, in which ugly divisions within British society are exposed. As everything around Zara begins to unravel she becomes even more determined to get Jodie the justice she’s looking for. But at what price?
Comment: Last year, I've read a book by this author which offered a great food for thought plot. I was hopeful all the books by the author would be the same, and that is why I've decided to give this one a try.
Lawyer Zara Kaleel had a promising career but she left everything behind and is now working for a non profit that helps those who can't afford other means. This is how she meets Jodie Wolf, a young white girl with facial deformities caused by a genetic disorder, who tells her that four school friends had assaulted her. Things progress but Zara recognizes how sensitive the situation is because the four boys are Muslims and Zara, a Muslim herself, might be caught in the middle. Everything becomes more complex when conflicting information is exposed... who is telling the truth? What really happened?
As the blurb suggests, this is definitely a very provocative novel, in the sense that the themes are all likely to cause divergence and opposed views. I think this would be a very good story for book clubs to analyze. Personally, I was more interested in the courtroom idea, and how the trial would go, considering that there are legal steps that had to be taken. Apparently, plots where courtroom scenes take place are stories that appeal to me.
I think the author has done a good enough job in trying to present things in a kind of leveled manner, in letting the reader come up with their own conclusions about what might have happened and why. Sure, there are some intentional misleading sequences and information, so keep up with the mystery of what would happen next, and in terms of me having a doubt, yes, I was always reluctant to say this is it or not, but at the same time, a big part of me was immediately driven to believe one side more than the other.
In fact, I saw myself wishing the side I thought was the right one to get ahead. I wanted that, in the courtroom scenes, things would go positively towards that side and that the other would not have any "victories" but of course, it wasn't so. In terms of this being addictive to read, I think the author did accomplish what she aimed for. I also liked all the investigation that took place into letting the lawyers being aware of possible distractions or red herrings. Sometimes, when an unexpected information was revealed and ruined the plans I also felt bad over its consequences.
Thus, plot wise, the story was quite engaging. Of course, some characters were more likable than others and their personalities, backgrounds and, yes, faith, did play a role in shaping my opinion of what was happening. I think the characters were all divisive and we get to see one or two scenes from their POV (all in third person narration) which means some behavior might become easier to explain, if not to accept. There were times I wish something more substantial would be shared, so that things would go easier for the characters I cared about.
Regarding the plot and the characters who had a bigger role in the whole thing, I think readers can make their own minds about what is happening and what is behind some of the unsaid things. There were moments I felt anger, I hated this person or that, I felt things weren't developing as they should but,,, justice takes time and sometimes things don't happen the way we want them to. I think this was a good read, mostly for how it does give room for thought, to thinks a lot of what ifs.
The main character is Zara, though. A lawyer who is not representing Jodie, only advising her on legal matters before the state takes over (or something like this), and someone who sees herself in the complicated middle of everything because she is a Muslim. I understand the author wanted this character to be at center stage for obvious reasons, but I will be honest: I disliked that so much attention was given to her troubled past, to her difficult relationship with her family and, yes, her being a Muslim. I understand this but Zara wasn't, at times, someone I liked.
I think the story would have had a better impact, for me personally, if Zara had had a quieter life, or if her background had been such a problem/issue. Some of the same issues could have been addressed and she didn't have to be so rebellious, or not the way she was. Anyway... so much focus on Zara detracted my attention from the plot and, at times, I think this was not the best strategy.
No comments:
Post a Comment