Word: turow
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1990-1999
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Despite the strength of the mysteries, much of the attention in Burden of Proof is on Stern's own personal development as a result of his wife's suicide. For the most part, this process makes a strong story. Turow makes a convincing case for the profound impact Clara's death has on him, and as a result keeps Stern's several-page-long thoughts about her from becoming tiresome...
While the book's plot is not always able to sustain suspense, Turow's style is perhaps the book's most consistent and sturdy feature. Turow writes simply and directly, with sentences that rarely extend for more than two lines. But though they are short, he packs a lot of description into them. Occasionally, Turow carries an extended metaphor that is pithily expressive; he once ties together in one paragraph Clara's preoccupation with music and death...
...Turow's adeptness at writing in such a direct style is perhaps essential to his characterization of Stern as calm and unemotional, as Stern speaks with curt and deliberate phrases himself. Turow is less successful, however, in his attempts at scripting other characters' dialogues. In his efforts to create distinct and eccentric characters, he occasionally makes different characters appear to have the same, hyper personality...
...very end of the book is a profound disappointment; Turow creates a most unlikely event that provides the most optimistic future outcome for all parties. The abrupt, trite ending seems to suggest that Turow got tired of writing and yearned for the comfort of his plush law office, and simply wanted to tack on a quick ending...
...Still, Turow does seem to approach his writing with an unusual degree of zest more often than not. While Burden of Proof does not shine quite as often as one would like, its bright spots more than compensate for its shortcomings...