Book Review: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

"Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy ... they don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." - Maudie Atkinson

To Kill a Mockingbird was my third classics this year and it was as brilliant as my two former reads (I wish to keep the two books to myself ahem). This novel shows childhood innocence and curiosity at its best through the two main characters, Jean Louise Finch, or more often called as Scout, and his brother, Jeremy Atticus Finch or Jem. Jem was older by a few years from Scout, hence explained his more mature thinking and actions, making him sometimes more like a teacher to his sister than just a brother. Although I found Jem's changes of attitude as he went through his puberty a little annoying at times, it was impossible to hate him entirely because he still showed his loving quality especially towards Scout and how he was becoming more like a wise man like his father, Atticus, was quite admirable.   

I loved the way Harper Lee subtly divided parents into two different groups that practised and believed in two contrasting parenting philosophies, one was Atticus's parenting style while another was Alexandra's parenting style. Atticus was the father of Scout and Jem while Alexandra was Atticus's sister, thus the children's aunt. Atticus believed that for his children to learn the world better, he had to give his children the freedom to explore the world, letting them loose from home during the day to play, walk around the neighbourhood and mingle with the neighbours. He, of course, lined some boundaries for Scout and Jem not to cross such as not to be too curious about one of their neighbours, Boo Radley, who the children only knew by name but never saw him anywhere. On the other hand, Alexandra was fonder of the idea that children should be home most of the time and that girls should wear dresses instead of overalls like Scout. She was stricter to Scout than she was to Jem because to her Scout was not feminine enough, so tensions between these two female characters were to be expected especially when Alexandra stayed with the family for a while in the middle of the story. Although I had no problem with the way Atticus raised his children, I could not say Alexandra's way was completely wrong either. 

Maudie Atkinson was another interesting character in To Kill a Mockingbird. She was one of the Finches neighbours. She was my favourite. I liked Atticus more from the others at first because of the words he spoke and actions he did showed his intelligence, but as I read more, I couldn't help but to fall for Maudie Atkinson harder than I did Atticus. Atticus was obviously a wise man and he lived up to his name as a lawyer. But what is more attractive than an obvious wise individual? It is the one who is unexpectedly to be wise. To me, Maudie Atkinson was exactly the latter one. She was just a baker but how she rationalised Atticus's antique disposition to Scout and Jem, who sometimes came to her to talk about their father, showed that she knew a lot more than just cookies and cakes. She was a woman of wisdom oblivious to many but to few who were willing to look deeper into someone like her.      

I could not understand the novel when I first read most of the first part; I almost hated it and had been monologuing with myself as to why this book has so many good reviews. I stopped myself from reading the pages for a while and instead tried to understand it from the synopsis at the back cover. And after that, Harper Lee's words became lighter and I even enjoyed it.  

I was a happy reader again.

"People in their right minds never take pride in their talents." - Maudie Atkinson