Hello All,
I feel very surprising to write this. You know why? I never thought that i can write a review of a novel, especially a 600 page one. This is a new thing that I have started after coming to my new room. The idea of reading a novel started on a very ad-hoc basis just by vising a Higginbotham’s store at Chennai central railway station and suddenly buy a catchy book.
And that catchy book happened to be John Grisham’s “The Chamber”. I started reading this book with a very Little passion and believe me it dragged me to read it for three continuous day. I never know how did I do it.
The story starts with a flash back about a Gang of Klansman that involve in a serious bombing of the Law office of Kramers. This will be explained in much reality talking about the way the two kramer twins will be thrown to the Ceil’s of the office floor and all that. He also talks about the media buzz, FBI investigation etc etc.
Sam Cyhall, happened to be a part of this bombing, around whom the story revolves around until his end. He a kind of relatively innocent compared to others that are involved in the bombing. He will be caught by the police for this murder case. And after a long struggle by Kramer, he will be imposed with a death penalty.
The later few episodes, deals much about Cyhall’s struggle to get out of prison and the intervention of few famous Pro-Bono organizations to help him legally. They also flashes you back to the days when Sam was young and was involved in much brutal stuff as part of the Klan.Though it sounds brutal and heartless about Sam, the writer was very effective in create a Good/Decent impression about Sam at the end of the novel.
The writer explains very well much about the circumstances and the thing at Death Row/ MSU (Maximum Security Unit as they call it). It creates lot of interest about the surroundings and the situations inside the death row. He also explains about how they maintain the typical security in MSU. Later he gives much closer look at the Death row, talking about the daily habits of Death row inmates, Their mentalities, their timings, the details about their prison rooms, the way the security system works, the part times of the death row inmates.
The story continues, by explaining much about Sam in Death row. His relationship with the security people. His part time. His friends who only speaks but can not have a look at each other. His hobby of reading the Law books and using a small old type writer to put something on paper. His Habit of chain smoking. The goodies that he gets from his secret brother every month. His dressing in the prison and outside the prison. His mentality. His knowledge in law.
Then enters the hero this novel, Adam Hall. A young Law graduate, Just out of his college, approaches a famous law organization and makes a deal with them to represent / help Sam in the death row.Seeing his courage to take up such a tough assignment. The way the writer explains this character is mind blowing. This character shows up his dynamism, confidence, toughness, emotion, and sentiment. Though he initially hesitates to reveal him as Sam’s grand son, he will be honest to accept it later before all those he had hided that.The initial states of his interaction with the prison personal’s and Sam are much interesting and fascinating.
Slowly, Sam and Adam gets in to business. Sam and his prison \mets always call him a kid (in Law). Probably, Sam know much better than Adam. Adam starts applying his Gang plank appeals to different courts in all the possible ways that he can. He faces many disappointments. He faces may hopeful moments. He also faces some frustrations as well. This is the part where the author shows his knowledge in Law. This is where I came to know of new and interesting things about US law.
Adam keep getting closer his Grand Fa and their relation will keep on becoming stronger and affectionate. Author keeps track some of the Adam’s relations like Sam’s daughters. But, he is not so successful in using this particular character. This character come in to the picture like a Storm and suddenly goes off somewhere in the air until the climax of this novel. It is during the climax when Sam’s brother comes in to picture.
The Governor of the state, is another important character of this story. He is the only person that sam hated most and he had taken a written contract from Adam restricting Adam to speak to Governor. Governor plays most important role in deciding weather sam has to die or not. Towards the end of the story, author keeps you in the pace of sentiment and almost drags you in to tears in some situations. Especially, when the days are nearing to Sam and there are no much of surprises that Adam can make. He also keeps a the suspense of the story by always keeping a secret character that is assumed to have helped Sam in planing the bombs during the Kramer bombing. Adam, tries a lot to find about that secret accomplice but Sam never reveals about it.
Towards the end, the story becomes more suspense with all the following questions….
1) Will Sam be Gassed ?
2) Will there be a surprise at the last minute ?
3) Will Governor grants freedom to Sam ?
4) What happens to Sam’s belongings ?
5) If Sam is gassed, where will be be buried ?
6) How are the last moments of sam ?
7) Who are all that witnessed Sam’s death ?
What is the Sam’s Last meal ?
etc etc etc…..
For more details, I suggest you guys to read the novel. Believe me, this very interesting at the end. ………. !
Your comments and criticism are most well come. I strognly recommond this book and I took 10 days to complete this 600 page book. 
Regards,
Durga Prasad Tamirisa
