45 pages • 1 hour read
John GrishamA Painted House
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2001A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
In A Painted House by John Grisham, seven-year-old Luke Chandler's life changes when he witnesses a murder by one of the workers on his family's cotton farm in Black Oak, Arkansas, during the 1952 cotton harvest season. As the only witness, Luke struggles with the moral dilemma of telling the truth, risking his family's livelihood, or lying to protect them and faces various personal and social challenges in a tightly-knit, patriarchal community. The novel includes descriptions of sexism, ableism, classism, and racism.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
John Grisham's A Painted House offers a compelling departure from his usual legal thrillers, immersing readers in a Southern coming-of-age tale set in 1950s Arkansas. Praised for its vivid, nostalgic storytelling and rich character development, the novel occasionally suffers from a slow pace. Overall, it delights with atmospheric charm despite minor flaws.
Who Should Read A Painted House?
A reader who would enjoy John Grisham's A Painted House is likely a fan of Southern fiction and coming-of-age stories. This novel will appeal to those who appreciate vivid, rural settings and rich character development. Similar readers may also enjoy Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird and William Faulkner's The Reivers.
RecommendedReading Age
14-18yearsLexile Level
780LBook Details
Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Historical Fiction
Mystery / Crime Fiction
Life/Time: Coming of Age
Emotions/Behavior: Revenge
Identity: Masculinity