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Mississippi Blood


New York Times bestselling author Greg Iles illuminates the brutal history of ...
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How do the courtroom scenes in Mississippi Blood compare to those in other Southern literature?

Created: 06/17/18

Replies: 6

Posted Jun. 17, 2018 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
davinamw

Join Date: 10/15/10

Posts: 3442

How do the courtroom scenes in Mississippi Blood compare to those in other Southern literature?

There have been many legendary courtroom scenes in Southern literature, Harper Lee's "To Kill a Mockingbird" and the legal thrillers of John Grisham being two of the most memorable. How do the courtroom scenes in Mississippi Blood compare?


Posted Jun. 26, 2018 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
susiej

Join Date: 10/15/14

Posts: 363

RE: How do the courtroom scenes in Mississippi Blood compare to those in other Southern literature?

I thought the courtroom scenes in this trilogy were darker than those in many other pieces of Southern literature I have read. By this I mean the level of tension and fear were more prominent. As a viewer of the action, I felt closer to the scene - more intimately involved somehow. I think that may be the result of the narration choice Iles uses. In the work of both Lee and Grisham narrative voice is 3rd person - here Penn is doing the telling - first person. This brings the reader right into the setting and the heightened fear is very compelling.


Posted Jul. 04, 2018 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
BuffaloGirl

Join Date: 01/13/18

Posts: 208

RE: How do the courtroom scenes in Mississippi Blood compare to those in other Southern literature?

The only courtroom scene I am familiar with is from To Kill a Mockingbird. Obviously, Mississippi Blood was 700 pages versus a much shorter book and took place in present day versus almost 60 years ago for Mockingbird. Just the difference in years makes what occurs, especially in a rural Mississippi courtroom, much different.


Posted Jul. 06, 2018 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
dorothym

Join Date: 06/13/11

Posts: 37

RE: How do the courtroom scenes in Mississippi Blood compare to those in other Southern literature?

Hard to think about southern writers and court scenes without mentioning John Grisham. The tactic used in the final court scenes was highly unlikely and there is always more violence under the surface - when not in plain sight - in this series.


Posted Jul. 06, 2018 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
alycet

Join Date: 04/23/12

Posts: 182

RE: How do the courtroom scenes in Mississippi Blood compare to those in other Southern literature?

Mississippi Blood seemed to follow a different line. The questions were not routine and likewise the answers contained a lot of surprises more like the "old tv Perry Mason" type. I don't think that had anything to do with north or south.


Posted Jul. 10, 2018 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
dianaps

Join Date: 05/29/15

Posts: 460

RE: How do the courtroom scenes in Mississippi Blood compare to those in other Southern literature?

Different but not sure why.


Posted Jul. 21, 2018 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
juliaa

Join Date: 12/03/11

Posts: 276

RE: How do the courtroom scenes in Mississippi Blood compare to those in other Southern literature?

Maybe because Mississippi Blood is the end of a trilogy, and I was worn down as a reader by the time I got to it, I didn't find the courtroom scenes as interesting and fascinating as I do in Grisham novels or, of course, in TKAM.


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