The Firm
The pacing was good, and the plot was interesting, but I felt that Grisham failed his characters miserably by trying to force them to be what they weren't. It's been over 15 years since I've read this book, but I'll never forget the scene where the federal agents, who had been infiltrating the firm for years, found out that one of their own had been feeding the firm information about what the agents were doing. They dragged him into a room, smacked him around, confronted him, and then said, "You're dirt. You're lower than scum, you dirtbag" (or something similarly mild).Now, I found out later that Grisham prides himself on being a clean writer, and doesn't use profanity. Unfortunately, what the agents said didn't ring true to me. Would an agent really not say something more profane? I don't think so. I think in a situation like that, he would lose all self-control and say what was really on his mind. Besides, if the agents are going to beat this guy senseless, why hold back on the language, too?
