A teenage girl from the hill family gives Luke his first exposure to sex, the sight of a naked female body, which convinces him that he has indeed grown up and is no longer a mere child but definitely on his way to becoming a man. He is also exposed to other events during this cotton season, including a murder, that peels away the layers of skin of childhood innocence and forces him to make choices that are difficult enough for adults, much less a seven-year-old. Luke also watches his family grow when their opinions of people they had once felt disdain towards changes as situations and circumstance leads them to a change of heart and attitude.

Although Grisham's gives the narration of the story to a seven-year-old, Luke presents it as an adult and though it is quite charming and touching to witness the family's daily plight, there is something about it that calls to mind hokey and contrived.

Perhaps it is because Grisham did not really veer from his formula. No, there are no lawyers anywhere to be found,...

Yet the basis for the story is very similar to "The Client," which is also a tale of a young boy with a secret. And try as he might, this story is still a thriller, a suspense tale, just like all of his other novels, just minus the lawyers. And although he may have thought he veered from formula and had written a piece of work that was poignant and character driven, this novel is does not create an unforgettable character, not even Luke. And moreover, Grisham still uses the cliffhanger sentences at the end of his chapters, just like his other formulated novels.
If this book was truly based on Grisham's childhood experiences and written from the heart, one would think that there would be no hint of his usual contrivances of plot and character. And so although the intention is to be a departure from his legal thrillers, it is still a good verses evil suspense novel, with the usual flash of sex, just minus the lawyers.

Works Cited

Grisham, John. The Painted House. Doubleday. 2001; Pp.1.