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The Firm
25th Anniversary edition of the bestselling legal thriller – now with a new introduction from John Grisham.
When Mitchell McDeere qualified third in his class at Harvard, offers poured in from every law firm in America. Bendini, Lambert and Locke were a small, well-respected firm, but their offer exceeded Mitch's wildest expectations: a fantastic salary, a new home, and the keys to a brand new BMW.
It was his dream job - but it was to become his worst nightmare.
--back cover
When Mitchell McDeere qualified third in his class at Harvard, offers poured in from every law firm in America. Bendini, Lambert and Locke were a small, well-respected firm, but their offer exceeded Mitch's wildest expectations: a fantastic salary, a new home, and the keys to a brand new BMW.
It was his dream job - but it was to become his worst nightmare.
--back cover
490 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 1991
About the author
John Grisham
715 books81.7k followersJohn Grisham is the author of forty-nine consecutive #1 bestsellers, which have been translated into nearly fifty languages. His recent books include The Judge's List, Sooley, and his third Jake Brigance novel, A Time for Mercy, which is being developed by HBO as a limited series.
Grisham is a two-time winner of the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction and was honored with the Library of Congress Creative Achievement Award for Fiction.
When he's not writing, Grisham serves on the board of directors of the Innocence Project and of Centurion Ministries, two national organizations dedicated to exonerating those who have been wrongfully convicted. Much of his fiction explores deep-seated problems in our criminal justice system.
John lives on a farm in central Virginia.
Grisham is a two-time winner of the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction and was honored with the Library of Congress Creative Achievement Award for Fiction.
When he's not writing, Grisham serves on the board of directors of the Innocence Project and of Centurion Ministries, two national organizations dedicated to exonerating those who have been wrongfully convicted. Much of his fiction explores deep-seated problems in our criminal justice system.
John lives on a farm in central Virginia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 7,361 reviews
January 7, 2013
This was the first novel I've read of John Grisham and it inspired some of the most important decisions of my life. It affected me so much that it irrevocable changed my life for all eternity. (I'm probably exaggerating but most of it's true.)
First of all, because of this book, I took up Accounting as my major in college. This book painted a very exciting picture of how an accountant's life could be very exciting. It showed how he could steal from the Mob and get away with it. Who wouldn't want that kind of exciting life? You should realize that I read this book when I was in high school, and yes I knew it was fiction, but I was young and gullible. I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life and I read this book. It made an quite an impression on me. Of course, after 4 years in college and about to graduate and become a CPA, I've realized that being an accountant is not all that exciting after. Like seriously. It's not. Don't be an accountant. You'll die of absolute boredom.
Second, it cemented my desire to be a lawyer. Even when I was younger, I already wanted to be a lawyer, but was unsure on what pre-law course to take (hence, the accountancy major). I was argumentative opinionated and I had a domineering and arrogant personality. Perfect lawyer material right? So this book is the reason why I'll go to law school after college.
Oh my god I just realized that this review has totally gone nuts. This is no longer a review but a life story. Omfg I'm so sorry. To anyone who's reading this, I'm amazed that you have gone this far. But I'm quite sure nobody will be reading this so I'm gonna say what I want to say. Read this friggin book. It's awesome. And it might change your life as it has changed mine.
First of all, because of this book, I took up Accounting as my major in college. This book painted a very exciting picture of how an accountant's life could be very exciting. It showed how he could steal from the Mob and get away with it. Who wouldn't want that kind of exciting life? You should realize that I read this book when I was in high school, and yes I knew it was fiction, but I was young and gullible. I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life and I read this book. It made an quite an impression on me. Of course, after 4 years in college and about to graduate and become a CPA, I've realized that being an accountant is not all that exciting after. Like seriously. It's not. Don't be an accountant. You'll die of absolute boredom.
Second, it cemented my desire to be a lawyer. Even when I was younger, I already wanted to be a lawyer, but was unsure on what pre-law course to take (hence, the accountancy major). I was argumentative opinionated and I had a domineering and arrogant personality. Perfect lawyer material right? So this book is the reason why I'll go to law school after college.
Oh my god I just realized that this review has totally gone nuts. This is no longer a review but a life story. Omfg I'm so sorry. To anyone who's reading this, I'm amazed that you have gone this far. But I'm quite sure nobody will be reading this so I'm gonna say what I want to say. Read this friggin book. It's awesome. And it might change your life as it has changed mine.
April 27, 2019
This was the first or second John Grisham book I ever read. I read it years ago - in fact, I think when I read it the most recent Grisham book release was The Pelican Brief or maybe The Client.
I remember enjoying this book a lot and that all of his early books had a similar feel and were very easy to get into. It was also the start of my expectation that several times throughout a Grisham you will get details on what the main characters are eating or drinking. Instead of just saying he grabbed a bite to eat on the way home, you always get details about what was ordered and usually a couple of beers are involved. When he does that in his newer releases I automatically think "Classic Grisham!"
I have managed to read most of his books over the years, and while many are not up to the same standard as his early books, I still enjoy checking them out every time there is a new release.
I remember enjoying this book a lot and that all of his early books had a similar feel and were very easy to get into. It was also the start of my expectation that several times throughout a Grisham you will get details on what the main characters are eating or drinking. Instead of just saying he grabbed a bite to eat on the way home, you always get details about what was ordered and usually a couple of beers are involved. When he does that in his newer releases I automatically think "Classic Grisham!"
I have managed to read most of his books over the years, and while many are not up to the same standard as his early books, I still enjoy checking them out every time there is a new release.
January 29, 2022
The Firm, John Grisham
The Firm is a 1991 legal thriller by American writer John Grisham. His second book, it was Grisham's first which gained wide popularity; in 1993, it was made into a film starring Tom Cruise and Gene Hackman. Grisham's first novel, A Time to Kill, came into prominence afterwards due to this novel's success.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز دوم ماه اکتبر سال1998میلادی
عنوان: شرکت؛ نویسنده: جان گریشام؛ مترجم: مرجان رزم آرا؛ تهران، سپنج، سال1373؛ در572ص؛ چاپ دوم سال1375؛ موضوع داستانهای نویسندگان ایالات متحده آمریکا - سده20م
عنوان: شرکت؛ نویسنده: جان گریشام؛ مترجم: فریده مهدوی دامغانی؛ تهران، البرز، سال1373؛ در631ص؛ چاپ دوم سال1376؛ چاپ دیگر سال1395؛ در636ص؛ شابک9644420594؛
با اقتباس از این رمان، فیلمی به کارگردانی «سیدنی پولاک» و بازی «تام کروز» و نیز سریالی تلویزیونی در بیست و دو قسمت ساخته شده است؛
میچ مکدیر، به تازگی، از دانشکده فارغ الحصیل شده، و بدنبال کاری مناسب میگردد؛ او سرانجام شرکتی را پیدا میکند؛ هنگامی که «میچ مکدیر» با «بندینی» و «لمبرت»، به توافق میرسد؛ میاندیشد که او و همسر زیبایش «آبی»، در مسیر آرزوهاشان قرار گرفته اند؛ «شرکت»، امکانات رفاهی فراوانی، در اختیار او قرار میدهد؛ موقعیت شغلی او در این «شرکت» ناباورانه بود، تا اینکه او متوجه مواردی مشکوک، در «شرکت»، و در پرونده های گذشته میشود؛ در این زمان اف.بی.آی هم، با او برای همکاری، ارتباط بر قرار میکند؛ او مطمئن میشود، که «شرکت» مشغول کارهای دیگری است
نقل از متن: (ما خیلی به شما افتخار میکنیم، و نقشه ها و برنامه های بسیار عالی و درخشانی، برایتان در نظر داریم؛ ما تازه دو وکیل عالی را از دست داده ایم؛ میشد گفت آن دو از بهترین وکلای شرکت ما بودند؛ متاسفانه هر دوی آنها در کارهای مربوط به مالیات بودند؛ بنابرین به ناچار از شما توقع کار و تلاش بیشتری خواهیم داشت؛ همه ی ما ناچار خواهیم بود زحمت بکشیم، و فعالیت بیشتری بکنیم؛ «لوئیز» با یک سینی فنجان قهوه داخل شد؛ یک قوری نقره قهوه، با تعدادی فنجانهای چینی مرغوب بر روی میز نهاده شد.)؛ پایان نقل
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 09/11/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ 08/11/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
The Firm is a 1991 legal thriller by American writer John Grisham. His second book, it was Grisham's first which gained wide popularity; in 1993, it was made into a film starring Tom Cruise and Gene Hackman. Grisham's first novel, A Time to Kill, came into prominence afterwards due to this novel's success.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز دوم ماه اکتبر سال1998میلادی
عنوان: شرکت؛ نویسنده: جان گریشام؛ مترجم: مرجان رزم آرا؛ تهران، سپنج، سال1373؛ در572ص؛ چاپ دوم سال1375؛ موضوع داستانهای نویسندگان ایالات متحده آمریکا - سده20م
عنوان: شرکت؛ نویسنده: جان گریشام؛ مترجم: فریده مهدوی دامغانی؛ تهران، البرز، سال1373؛ در631ص؛ چاپ دوم سال1376؛ چاپ دیگر سال1395؛ در636ص؛ شابک9644420594؛
با اقتباس از این رمان، فیلمی به کارگردانی «سیدنی پولاک» و بازی «تام کروز» و نیز سریالی تلویزیونی در بیست و دو قسمت ساخته شده است؛
میچ مکدیر، به تازگی، از دانشکده فارغ الحصیل شده، و بدنبال کاری مناسب میگردد؛ او سرانجام شرکتی را پیدا میکند؛ هنگامی که «میچ مکدیر» با «بندینی» و «لمبرت»، به توافق میرسد؛ میاندیشد که او و همسر زیبایش «آبی»، در مسیر آرزوهاشان قرار گرفته اند؛ «شرکت»، امکانات رفاهی فراوانی، در اختیار او قرار میدهد؛ موقعیت شغلی او در این «شرکت» ناباورانه بود، تا اینکه او متوجه مواردی مشکوک، در «شرکت»، و در پرونده های گذشته میشود؛ در این زمان اف.بی.آی هم، با او برای همکاری، ارتباط بر قرار میکند؛ او مطمئن میشود، که «شرکت» مشغول کارهای دیگری است
نقل از متن: (ما خیلی به شما افتخار میکنیم، و نقشه ها و برنامه های بسیار عالی و درخشانی، برایتان در نظر داریم؛ ما تازه دو وکیل عالی را از دست داده ایم؛ میشد گفت آن دو از بهترین وکلای شرکت ما بودند؛ متاسفانه هر دوی آنها در کارهای مربوط به مالیات بودند؛ بنابرین به ناچار از شما توقع کار و تلاش بیشتری خواهیم داشت؛ همه ی ما ناچار خواهیم بود زحمت بکشیم، و فعالیت بیشتری بکنیم؛ «لوئیز» با یک سینی فنجان قهوه داخل شد؛ یک قوری نقره قهوه، با تعدادی فنجانهای چینی مرغوب بر روی میز نهاده شد.)؛ پایان نقل
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 09/11/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ 08/11/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
October 24, 2023
⚖️ A cut throat firm if ever there was one. The film with Cruise is also quite good. ⚖️ Another book I think of when I reflect on The Firm is The Devil’s Advocate. The film version brings together Charlize Theron, Keanu Reeves, and Al Pacino. It’s diabolical🔥
October 5, 2023
Excellent then, excellent now.
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9/18/2023
Let's go!! Listening this time around.
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Read long time ago. Loved it and have to re-read this one again.
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9/18/2023
Let's go!! Listening this time around.
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Read long time ago. Loved it and have to re-read this one again.
August 22, 2021
If you weren’t around when The Firm came out almost 30 years ago, it was one of those books that broke through into super-popularity, like The Da Vinci Code or Gone Girl. I’d argue that Presumed Innocent and The Firm reinvigorated the legal fiction genre. If you’ve never read it or seen the movie, you know early that something is wrong at the law firm of Bendini, Lambert, & Locke: the firm’s weird selection criteria and rules, the focus on loyalty and family stability. You know the promises made to Mitch McDeere to lure him from Harvard Law School to a job in Memphis are too good to be true, but you probably won’t guess why until the reveal.
It is a clever plot, and original too, even though it could be reduced to a 10-second elevator pitch. Part of what makes it work is that the back half of The Firm goes in unexpected directions. Mitch McDeere is caught in an impossible position, and his hesitance to work with the government is understandable under the circumstances, but he’s not exactly a morally upstanding character: he only helps to take down the villain after getting what’s his and stealing a bit that’s not, and he never tells his wife about what happened in the Caymans.
The Firm is not perfect, and while it was his breakout book I don’t think it’s one of Mr. Grisham’s best novels. It is longer than it needs to be. There’s fat here that Mr. Grisham learned to cut from his later novels. In fact, it could have been one of those rare books where the movie is better (I mean, that cast is incredible), but the movie changes the back half of the novel in some really unsatisfying ways. Still, it’s an enjoyable book, and definitely worth reading if you never have.
It is a clever plot, and original too, even though it could be reduced to a 10-second elevator pitch. Part of what makes it work is that the back half of The Firm goes in unexpected directions. Mitch McDeere is caught in an impossible position, and his hesitance to work with the government is understandable under the circumstances, but he’s not exactly a morally upstanding character: he only helps to take down the villain after getting what’s his and stealing a bit that’s not, and he never tells his wife about what happened in the Caymans.
The Firm is not perfect, and while it was his breakout book I don’t think it’s one of Mr. Grisham’s best novels. It is longer than it needs to be. There’s fat here that Mr. Grisham learned to cut from his later novels. In fact, it could have been one of those rare books where the movie is better (I mean, that cast is incredible), but the movie changes the back half of the novel in some really unsatisfying ways. Still, it’s an enjoyable book, and definitely worth reading if you never have.
May 16, 2024
Third in his Harvard graduation class Mitchell McDeere gets the job opportunity of a lifetime with a Memphis lawyer firm offering huge earnings now and in the future, great perks and even a low-rate starter mortgage; the fact that they have no non-white or female lawyers he is prepared to overlook; they demand absolute loyalty and want him and his wife to become part of their extended family. It's only when he's knee deep in his new job that he realises that he may have a made a mistake they he can never get out of!
One of Grisham's signature books, and it's a monster. A delightfully insidious conspiracy is slowly revealed leaving the protagonist in a very difficult situation. An interesting take on us against them, but it's the law firm that fascinated me - is there always a price for any sort of utopia, even for a business? A no holds barred suspense filled legal thriller that truly made Grisham into the commercial storytelling global leader that he is today and has been for decades. An 8 out of 12, Four Star read.
2024 read
One of Grisham's signature books, and it's a monster. A delightfully insidious conspiracy is slowly revealed leaving the protagonist in a very difficult situation. An interesting take on us against them, but it's the law firm that fascinated me - is there always a price for any sort of utopia, even for a business? A no holds barred suspense filled legal thriller that truly made Grisham into the commercial storytelling global leader that he is today and has been for decades. An 8 out of 12, Four Star read.
2024 read
October 20, 2014
it's not that this book necessarily deserves a 1, being the worst score possible, but... it's just so fucking dumb. I only finished it because I'm stuck in between 4 rice fields in japan, and the only reading I had available in english was. well. the label on my pepsi bottle.
IF you happen to be a 40-50 year old (white)man, and like reading about "6 figures", then I'll understand you liking this book.
Hhere's a taste.
"And, don't worry McDeere (former star college quarterback), The firm will front you a mortgage at NO INTEREST *reader gasps* and the BEAMER?? Consider it a gift *holy shit this book is crazy! Wow! These guys have so much money!* Your house? Yeah.... get this.... INTERIOR DECORATING
uh oh... are you getting nervous yet? Isn't this TOO GOOD?
knock yourself out, white collar, money grubbing, unimaginitive suburbanites all over america.
IF you happen to be a 40-50 year old (white)man, and like reading about "6 figures", then I'll understand you liking this book.
Hhere's a taste.
"And, don't worry McDeere (former star college quarterback), The firm will front you a mortgage at NO INTEREST *reader gasps* and the BEAMER?? Consider it a gift *holy shit this book is crazy! Wow! These guys have so much money!* Your house? Yeah.... get this.... INTERIOR DECORATING
uh oh... are you getting nervous yet? Isn't this TOO GOOD?
knock yourself out, white collar, money grubbing, unimaginitive suburbanites all over america.
January 20, 2021
John Grisham was a struggling lawyer and a struggling writer when he wrote The Firm. His first book had not done well.
But this book would sell millions of copies and pave the way for his later success as one of the bestselling writers in the world.
A young lawyer,straight out of law school is offered a job at a top law firm on very attractive terms. But even before he starts the job,he has to attend the funerals of two of the firm's lawyers.
Not much later,he discovers that three more lawyers employed by the firm have also died. He soon finds himself under constant surveillance. What is the firm's secret and why have they hired him ?
This is compelling storytelling,a first rate legal thriller. It was also adapted as a film with Tom Cruise in the lead role. However,the book is much better than the movie.
But this book would sell millions of copies and pave the way for his later success as one of the bestselling writers in the world.
A young lawyer,straight out of law school is offered a job at a top law firm on very attractive terms. But even before he starts the job,he has to attend the funerals of two of the firm's lawyers.
Not much later,he discovers that three more lawyers employed by the firm have also died. He soon finds himself under constant surveillance. What is the firm's secret and why have they hired him ?
This is compelling storytelling,a first rate legal thriller. It was also adapted as a film with Tom Cruise in the lead role. However,the book is much better than the movie.
October 7, 2023
This was my first read by Grisham in 1993 and I can truthfully say that the thrill is NOT gone. The Firm is brilliant and reminds me why I have continued to devour one Grisham title after another for the past 30 years. Mitch and Abby are unstoppable and I can't wait to see what happens in Book 2. Also want to rewatch the movie and see Tom Cruise in his signature sprint through Memphis. 😎
December 1, 2019
Mitch McDeere, a young promising lawyer, hires with Bendini, Lambert & Locke, a small firm of integrity set in Memphis. But the firm is secretely controlled by the mafia (an crucial aspect he doesn't know when signing a contract with them). Relatively soon the FBI wants him to cooperate with them. Everything is wired (house, car, office) and he really is between a rock and a hard place. What will he do to save his and his family's life? This is an "eerie firm with people that make your skin crawl." In this early Grisham novel you get incredible insight beside the shiny facade of a renowned lawyer firm how the real business is done. The story is tight, the plotting excellent and the characters absolutely convincing. One of his earliest bestsellers and the novel absolutely deserves it. Intriguing til the last page with a surprising development of the story. Highly recommended! If you want to understand the Grisham phenomenon you probably should start here. "It's a cutthroat business when the weak are eaten and they starting get rich... he who endures wins the gold." There is also a Tom Cruise film on this novel. But the book is the real deal!
Read
January 11, 2024DNF. Too much dialogue. I would have love to see more thought processes, it was just not my thing.
February 17, 2022
One of my favorite books--an engaging legal thriller that kept me invested from the first page to the last.
January 11, 2024
I had read this novel way back in the mid-1990s, much before I was on Goodreads. The release of the sequel prompted me to pick it up again (paired with the audiobook this time). One of my favorites from John Grisham, I enjoyed it this time as much as I did over twenty-five years ago). The only difference is that this time, I could visualize the setting having visited Memphis, The Peabody (loved those ducks!) and The Rendezvous (the food is delicious!). It was fun to be able to relate to those experiences!
Mitch McDeere, fresh out of Harvard Law School passes up the opportunity to work on Wall Street for a small firm in Memphis, Bendini, Lambert & Locke, with an enviable salary, benefits, and ample opportunity for growth. Mitch promptly packs up and moves to Memphis with his wife Abby. Little did he know then that The Firm was being covertly investigated by the FBI for financial crimes and links to the mob and he would be right in the middle of it all, endangering his career and his life. The narrative follows Mitch as he looks for a way out before it is too late.
The Firm by John Grisham is surely one of his best works and one that has stood the test of time. Despite this being a second reading, I was immersed in the story until the very end. Well-thought-out characters, consistent pacing, a gripping plot, and Grisham’s masterful storytelling – what more could we ask for? Could not recommend this novel enough!
I paired my reading with the audio narration by Scott Brick which made for an entertaining immersion reading experience!
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
Mitch McDeere, fresh out of Harvard Law School passes up the opportunity to work on Wall Street for a small firm in Memphis, Bendini, Lambert & Locke, with an enviable salary, benefits, and ample opportunity for growth. Mitch promptly packs up and moves to Memphis with his wife Abby. Little did he know then that The Firm was being covertly investigated by the FBI for financial crimes and links to the mob and he would be right in the middle of it all, endangering his career and his life. The narrative follows Mitch as he looks for a way out before it is too late.
The Firm by John Grisham is surely one of his best works and one that has stood the test of time. Despite this being a second reading, I was immersed in the story until the very end. Well-thought-out characters, consistent pacing, a gripping plot, and Grisham’s masterful storytelling – what more could we ask for? Could not recommend this novel enough!
I paired my reading with the audio narration by Scott Brick which made for an entertaining immersion reading experience!
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
June 24, 2020
It's just one of those things. I love this novel. Twice read, once watched, and now once listened to on audio. Don't ask me what the attraction is. I wish I knew.
Brilliant suspense thriller.
Brilliant suspense thriller.
August 21, 2018
Sorry to say but I found this book overly long and, at times, a bit pedantic.
Mitch McDeere has an IQ that’s off the Richter scale and has just finished a law degree at Harvard Uni and managed to come in third in his class.
A small, by New York standards, legal firm in Memphis woes Mitch to join the firm. The money being offered is well above what other bigger and more prestigious firms are offering. So with this carrot in front of him Mitch joins the firm. Mitch obviously hasn’t heard the expression “if it sounds too good to be true it most likely is”. So much for his high IQ.
After a few months Mitch is approached by the FBI who tell him that the firm is a front for a ruthless Mafia family. Mitch is expected to help the FBI to bring this family to justice or else find himself in a whole lot of trouble.
Mitch is left with no choice but to help. Mitch helps by copying ten thousand documents that reveal the extent of corruption performed by the firm on behalf of the Mafia.
By chance the firm just leaves all of these damning documents in a locked room, in an unguarded condo on Cayman Island.
Ineptitude rules, Mitch is inept for taking the job in the first place, the firm is inept for its lack of security with the documents and the family are inept for putting their trust in the firm.
To be fair, the last 150 pages were exciting to read. But all in all it was just a bit too silly.
This was not my first John Grisham book and it won’t be my last but this has been my least favourite so far.
Mitch McDeere has an IQ that’s off the Richter scale and has just finished a law degree at Harvard Uni and managed to come in third in his class.
A small, by New York standards, legal firm in Memphis woes Mitch to join the firm. The money being offered is well above what other bigger and more prestigious firms are offering. So with this carrot in front of him Mitch joins the firm. Mitch obviously hasn’t heard the expression “if it sounds too good to be true it most likely is”. So much for his high IQ.
After a few months Mitch is approached by the FBI who tell him that the firm is a front for a ruthless Mafia family. Mitch is expected to help the FBI to bring this family to justice or else find himself in a whole lot of trouble.
Mitch is left with no choice but to help. Mitch helps by copying ten thousand documents that reveal the extent of corruption performed by the firm on behalf of the Mafia.
By chance the firm just leaves all of these damning documents in a locked room, in an unguarded condo on Cayman Island.
Ineptitude rules, Mitch is inept for taking the job in the first place, the firm is inept for its lack of security with the documents and the family are inept for putting their trust in the firm.
To be fair, the last 150 pages were exciting to read. But all in all it was just a bit too silly.
This was not my first John Grisham book and it won’t be my last but this has been my least favourite so far.
June 10, 2017
Excellent read! suspenseful,entertaining,great plot twist,good character development and nice depth..recommend to all (paperback!)
January 13, 2024
Mitch McDeere is about to graduate third in his class from Harvard Law School. Now his goal is finding the best job with the most eye-watering salary and benefits that he can. So when he has secured not one but three offers from exclusive law firms in New York City and Chicago, he believes his future is on the fast track to success. Just the same, an offer from the small but lucrative firm of Bendini, Lambert & Locke in Memphis, Tennessee has gotten him curious, so he agrees to an interview with the partners on a whim.
When he meets with them face-to-face just months before his graduation, the offer they make is truly a dream come true. Instead of having to wait years for the big money and amazing benefits, they’re offering everything right from the start. Granted, his follow up visit to the law firm’s headquarters gives both Mitch and his wife, Abby, somewhat of an uneasy feeling, but who could possibly walk away from this chance of a lifetime.
Once in town, the couple finds themselves living in a home they never thought they could afford so soon and driving a BMW that Mitch adores. But just as quickly as his life seems to be ticking off all of his desires, he’s approached by FBI Special Agent Wayne Tarrance. It seems that the firm Mitch has ensconced himself within is in the middle of a harrowing investigation that links his employer with none other than that of the Mafia.
Not exactly the gleaming pinnacle of ethics that he had hoped for, Mitch finds himself in a nightmare of his own making. Now the freshly minted, strait-laced attorney must pit his own smarts and principles against that of his bosses. He is not, however, the first to do this dance with the firm and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Chess move after chess move, Mitch must watch his own back. After all, if he’s not careful, he just might not make it out alive.
Having watched the movie adaptation of The Firm, which starred none other than Tom Cruise as Mitch McDeere, I generally knew what to expect from the book. What I was unprepared for, however, was the perfect plotting, convincing characters, and one thoroughly epic game of cat-and-mouse.
Starting at the top, I do have to say that while each of the characters were genuine and true-to-life, they were hardly engaging. Told in a round robin way via multiple, omniscient POVs, every perspective was covered. At the same time, though, it was delivered in a someway dry manner that kept me from really connecting with any of them along the way. Don’t get me wrong, I was rooting for Mitch and Abby every step of their journey, but their sense of desperation was missing just a tad.
What I absolutely loved, however, was the dynamite plot filled with one astounding twist after another. How Mitch could stay one step ahead of the game was beyond me, but I was fully invested just the same. Even better, I loved the fact that Grisham managed to explain the goings on without getting too bogged down in legal jargon or the extremely complicated illegal acts. Did I need to pay a bit more attention than I normally do in a thriller? Well, yes, but much of that was due to how fast-paced the whole book felt.
With dynamic, sharp writing that had me sitting beside Mitch in his office or getting off of a plane in the Caymans, it was imbued with palpable tension throughout. What really got me, though, was how downright plausible it all felt. A legal thriller that raced along with nary a courtroom in sight, my fingers flew as fast as they possibly could. And that climax! What can I say? I could almost hear the building tempo of the music playing around me.
There were some flies in the ointment, however. First off, it was obvious that this was written by a man in the very early 90s. With plenty of skirt chasing that included some rather sexist descriptions as well as an all too unenlightened view on race, the white, elite, Southern views rolled off of this one in spades. Granted, those were the kinds of individuals this plot centered around, but the book didn’t have to adopt them as well. I’m hoping that had it been written today, much of that would’ve been toned down. But then, you never really know, do you?
Secondly, while not a huge problem for me, the descriptions were often too long and with details that were unnecessary for the plot. Due to this, a good quarter of the over 400 pages could probably have been shaved off without damaging the storyline in the least. Did it greatly affect my opinion? No, not really, but I still found myself skimming here and there.
Ultimately, partly because a few things that were changed when it was adapted into a movie, I highly recommend reading this one before diving into the much anticipated sequel, The Exchange. A clever, original storyline packed with plenty of suspense, one gut-churning chase, and more mind games than you could ever imagine, I’m now eager to find out what Mitch has been up to for the last fifteen years. So while the movie is not one to be missed, I definitely suggest checking out the book first. After all, I, for one, had an absolute blast. Rating of 4 stars.
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Trigger warning: infidelity, sexism, racism, being roofied, organized crime, mention of: tax fraud, money laundering
When he meets with them face-to-face just months before his graduation, the offer they make is truly a dream come true. Instead of having to wait years for the big money and amazing benefits, they’re offering everything right from the start. Granted, his follow up visit to the law firm’s headquarters gives both Mitch and his wife, Abby, somewhat of an uneasy feeling, but who could possibly walk away from this chance of a lifetime.
Once in town, the couple finds themselves living in a home they never thought they could afford so soon and driving a BMW that Mitch adores. But just as quickly as his life seems to be ticking off all of his desires, he’s approached by FBI Special Agent Wayne Tarrance. It seems that the firm Mitch has ensconced himself within is in the middle of a harrowing investigation that links his employer with none other than that of the Mafia.
Not exactly the gleaming pinnacle of ethics that he had hoped for, Mitch finds himself in a nightmare of his own making. Now the freshly minted, strait-laced attorney must pit his own smarts and principles against that of his bosses. He is not, however, the first to do this dance with the firm and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Chess move after chess move, Mitch must watch his own back. After all, if he’s not careful, he just might not make it out alive.
Having watched the movie adaptation of The Firm, which starred none other than Tom Cruise as Mitch McDeere, I generally knew what to expect from the book. What I was unprepared for, however, was the perfect plotting, convincing characters, and one thoroughly epic game of cat-and-mouse.
Starting at the top, I do have to say that while each of the characters were genuine and true-to-life, they were hardly engaging. Told in a round robin way via multiple, omniscient POVs, every perspective was covered. At the same time, though, it was delivered in a someway dry manner that kept me from really connecting with any of them along the way. Don’t get me wrong, I was rooting for Mitch and Abby every step of their journey, but their sense of desperation was missing just a tad.
What I absolutely loved, however, was the dynamite plot filled with one astounding twist after another. How Mitch could stay one step ahead of the game was beyond me, but I was fully invested just the same. Even better, I loved the fact that Grisham managed to explain the goings on without getting too bogged down in legal jargon or the extremely complicated illegal acts. Did I need to pay a bit more attention than I normally do in a thriller? Well, yes, but much of that was due to how fast-paced the whole book felt.
With dynamic, sharp writing that had me sitting beside Mitch in his office or getting off of a plane in the Caymans, it was imbued with palpable tension throughout. What really got me, though, was how downright plausible it all felt. A legal thriller that raced along with nary a courtroom in sight, my fingers flew as fast as they possibly could. And that climax! What can I say? I could almost hear the building tempo of the music playing around me.
There were some flies in the ointment, however. First off, it was obvious that this was written by a man in the very early 90s. With plenty of skirt chasing that included some rather sexist descriptions as well as an all too unenlightened view on race, the white, elite, Southern views rolled off of this one in spades. Granted, those were the kinds of individuals this plot centered around, but the book didn’t have to adopt them as well. I’m hoping that had it been written today, much of that would’ve been toned down. But then, you never really know, do you?
Secondly, while not a huge problem for me, the descriptions were often too long and with details that were unnecessary for the plot. Due to this, a good quarter of the over 400 pages could probably have been shaved off without damaging the storyline in the least. Did it greatly affect my opinion? No, not really, but I still found myself skimming here and there.
Ultimately, partly because a few things that were changed when it was adapted into a movie, I highly recommend reading this one before diving into the much anticipated sequel, The Exchange. A clever, original storyline packed with plenty of suspense, one gut-churning chase, and more mind games than you could ever imagine, I’m now eager to find out what Mitch has been up to for the last fifteen years. So while the movie is not one to be missed, I definitely suggest checking out the book first. After all, I, for one, had an absolute blast. Rating of 4 stars.
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Trigger warning: infidelity, sexism, racism, being roofied, organized crime, mention of: tax fraud, money laundering
July 2, 2014
I read this back when it was first released in 1991! At the time I was a teenager who was getting on a plane to visit relatives and I needed something to read to pass the time. THE FIRM distracted me the for the long plane trip.
Just recently I was at the used bookstore looking for a book for my teenage son to read while he is gone for the next 10 weeks working at a Boy Scout camp as a lifeguard. The series he is reading wasn't available so I started searching for an alternative. The only books I could think of were my romance books and I'm sure no 16 year old boy wants to read his mom's romance books-
I had to think back to my 'before romance reading days' to come up with something. I grabbed this book and packed it for him.
A week and half ago we had to have him at the camp by 9 am which meant we had to be on the road by 6 a.m. to make it there with no time to spare. *on a side note...the camp is located on the Oregon coast. The camp owns 2 miles of beach.* After we dropped him off we started heading home along the coastline.
photo taken by my husband
We pulled into a small town and found a used bookstore because we needed something to listening to while passing the time in the car. We saw this book on audio cassette and bought it. Listening to it made me laugh because it had some cheesy music that transitioned the scenes. I'll be curious to see if my son will even read it. The last time I talked to him he had not even cracked the book open.
I'm sticking to my original rating because at the time I thought this book was the BOMB.
Just recently I was at the used bookstore looking for a book for my teenage son to read while he is gone for the next 10 weeks working at a Boy Scout camp as a lifeguard. The series he is reading wasn't available so I started searching for an alternative. The only books I could think of were my romance books and I'm sure no 16 year old boy wants to read his mom's romance books-
I had to think back to my 'before romance reading days' to come up with something. I grabbed this book and packed it for him.
A week and half ago we had to have him at the camp by 9 am which meant we had to be on the road by 6 a.m. to make it there with no time to spare. *on a side note...the camp is located on the Oregon coast. The camp owns 2 miles of beach.* After we dropped him off we started heading home along the coastline.
photo taken by my husband
We pulled into a small town and found a used bookstore because we needed something to listening to while passing the time in the car. We saw this book on audio cassette and bought it. Listening to it made me laugh because it had some cheesy music that transitioned the scenes. I'll be curious to see if my son will even read it. The last time I talked to him he had not even cracked the book open.
I'm sticking to my original rating because at the time I thought this book was the BOMB.
March 12, 2009
This is quick, because I can't imagine anyone who has never read a Grisham novel/watched a 'film' adaptation of a Grisham novel/read a book review of a Grisham novel/watched that episode of 3rd Rock From the Sun all those years ago where the family goes into Witness Protection for some reason and they're all reading different Grisham novels, and when they realize the plot is exactly the same, they switch books and continue reading and sure enough, the plot is exactly the same. And yes, I've just spent about ten minutes searching the interwebs for the clip that apparently only I can remember, because I have an inordinate amount of brain sludge in my cerebral cortex.
ANYHOODLE. For the four people in the world who may not have ever read a Grisham 'legal' novel (because sometime in the early Aughts he went and branched out), here are the requirements:
I. An idealistic lawyer – the fresher out of law school, the better; or,
II. A lawyer who has become disillusioned with the system, but will give it one last try.
He/She discovers:
A. The case he's currently working on has ties to the Mafia;
B. The case he's currently working on has ties to the KKK;
C. The case he's currently working on has ties to the highest of government; or
D. The case he's currently working on has ties to the evil health care industry.
With the help of:
1. His friends;
2. The FBI; or
3. No one, because he's an IDEALISTIC LAWYER,
He:
a. Is able to win his case;
b. Is able to turn the Mafia over to the FBI;
c. Is able to prove the conspiracy.
As his life is now in danger, he must:
i. Escape to the Caribbean or South America;
ii. Enter into the Witness Protection program;
iii. Face the reporters and live to fight another case;
iv. Retire from law.
Usually, he also manages to swindle the Mafia/Government/Whatever out of a tidy sum of:
*$10 million.
The Firm is I, A, 2, b, I, $10 million.
Enjoy.
ANYHOODLE. For the four people in the world who may not have ever read a Grisham 'legal' novel (because sometime in the early Aughts he went and branched out), here are the requirements:
I. An idealistic lawyer – the fresher out of law school, the better; or,
II. A lawyer who has become disillusioned with the system, but will give it one last try.
He/She discovers:
A. The case he's currently working on has ties to the Mafia;
B. The case he's currently working on has ties to the KKK;
C. The case he's currently working on has ties to the highest of government; or
D. The case he's currently working on has ties to the evil health care industry.
With the help of:
1. His friends;
2. The FBI; or
3. No one, because he's an IDEALISTIC LAWYER,
He:
a. Is able to win his case;
b. Is able to turn the Mafia over to the FBI;
c. Is able to prove the conspiracy.
As his life is now in danger, he must:
i. Escape to the Caribbean or South America;
ii. Enter into the Witness Protection program;
iii. Face the reporters and live to fight another case;
iv. Retire from law.
Usually, he also manages to swindle the Mafia/Government/Whatever out of a tidy sum of:
*$10 million.
The Firm is I, A, 2, b, I, $10 million.
Enjoy.
September 28, 2023
It doesn’t take law firm Bendini, Lambert & Locke long to entice one of Harvard Law’s top five students to consider a job offer despite the firm being based in Memphis, Tennessee. Mitchell Y. McDeere is young, impressionable, hungry, recently married, and up to the ears - $23,00 - in student loan debt. To Royce McKnight (managing partner), Oliver Lambert (senior partner), and Lamar Quin (not yet made partner), McDeere is the perfect fit for their firm. Willing to do whatever it takes to make money, McDeere racks up the billable hours and spends more time at the office than at home.
It all changes one day when McDeere is having lunch at Lansky’s Deli. Special Agent Wayne Tarrance of the FBI approaches him and gives McDeere three pieces of advice and an offer he soon discovers he can’t ignore.
Other than a short Christmas novella, I’ve not had the pleasure of reading any of John Grisham’s books before. I had seen the movie over 20 years ago, and when I was surprised with a gifted ARC of Grisham’s sequel (The Firm #2), I knew I had to go back and read about McDeere’s work at The Firm. I loved this book and have added Grisham to my auto-read author list. Needless to say, I can’t wait to read The Exchange.
It all changes one day when McDeere is having lunch at Lansky’s Deli. Special Agent Wayne Tarrance of the FBI approaches him and gives McDeere three pieces of advice and an offer he soon discovers he can’t ignore.
Other than a short Christmas novella, I’ve not had the pleasure of reading any of John Grisham’s books before. I had seen the movie over 20 years ago, and when I was surprised with a gifted ARC of Grisham’s sequel (The Firm #2), I knew I had to go back and read about McDeere’s work at The Firm. I loved this book and have added Grisham to my auto-read author list. Needless to say, I can’t wait to read The Exchange.
September 12, 2016
I loved this book. This book belongs in the same category with the ones you can’t put down, and you curl in a corner, shaking with red eyes and a gaunt frame from malnutrition. Grisham developed the characters well and developed the plot with skill of a master storyteller. I noticed some similarities with Stephen King’s style, such as using a reference to the object with “the” instead of “a” (the “coffee table sat alone in the room,” “the man sat at the bar”), and he refers to people with nicknames, such as, for example, Collar-neck, or Red-nose (not used any books I’m aware of, just examples). King and Grisham had the same agent for a while, I believe, and used to be close, I’ve heard, so that makes sense.
I appreciated the business humor in dialogues, and the sarcasm. Grisham writes great, down-to-earth dialogue that forms characters into real people. I laughed a lot with the dialogue. For example, the main character, Mitchell McDeere tells his wife she has to do all this stuff to hide from both the Mob and the FBI, run here, change this, do that. He tells her she needs to dye her hair blonde. Instead of freaking out or moving fast in anticipation of being murdered, she says, “Blonde!” This developed her character and made me laugh, made me feel like I knew her, like when you shake your head and smile about someone and say to yourself, “Abby,” with affection.
If you don’t know the plot, or haven’t seen the movie or read the book:
Mitchell McDeere comes out of law school top of his class, and he knows what he wants. He has drive. He lands in with a Firm with promises to make him abnormally rich, faster than usual, as long as he follows certain ethical rules (which I thought Grisham a brilliant writer; as a Christian he made a way around all the sexual and immoral craziness of that kind of lifestyle, a great example for my writing; I’m also a Christian). He ends up in a conspiracy between the Mob and the FBI, and becomes directly involved with both organizations at the same time. He fights to keep himself and his family alive. A smart guy, Mitch pulls a few brilliant stunts only a good lawyer could conjure.
Grisham has earned a place on my favorite authors list. I want more! I just sold a few books of his to Half Price Books and when I realized I had got rid of them I about screamed. Off to Goodwill I go a-huntin’ again.
I appreciated the business humor in dialogues, and the sarcasm. Grisham writes great, down-to-earth dialogue that forms characters into real people. I laughed a lot with the dialogue. For example, the main character, Mitchell McDeere tells his wife she has to do all this stuff to hide from both the Mob and the FBI, run here, change this, do that. He tells her she needs to dye her hair blonde. Instead of freaking out or moving fast in anticipation of being murdered, she says, “Blonde!” This developed her character and made me laugh, made me feel like I knew her, like when you shake your head and smile about someone and say to yourself, “Abby,” with affection.
If you don’t know the plot, or haven’t seen the movie or read the book:
Mitchell McDeere comes out of law school top of his class, and he knows what he wants. He has drive. He lands in with a Firm with promises to make him abnormally rich, faster than usual, as long as he follows certain ethical rules (which I thought Grisham a brilliant writer; as a Christian he made a way around all the sexual and immoral craziness of that kind of lifestyle, a great example for my writing; I’m also a Christian). He ends up in a conspiracy between the Mob and the FBI, and becomes directly involved with both organizations at the same time. He fights to keep himself and his family alive. A smart guy, Mitch pulls a few brilliant stunts only a good lawyer could conjure.
Grisham has earned a place on my favorite authors list. I want more! I just sold a few books of his to Half Price Books and when I realized I had got rid of them I about screamed. Off to Goodwill I go a-huntin’ again.
June 25, 2011
Mitchell McDeere graduates from Harvard Law and is about to begin his career as a lawyer. Blessed with superhuman capabilities handed down generously by Mr.Grisham himself, Mitch finds no trouble in getting nailing three top job offers: two from from Wall Street, one from Memphis. Among other things, Mitch graduates with top honors, is among the top five in his class, was a quarterback at school, is an athlete (but his diet is mainly alcohol and cheeseburgers for the remainder of the novel), works for 20 hours a day, and, of course, requires hardly any sleep. Yet, unwittingly (oh, how I love the innocence), lured by money and associated perks, our man finds himself as a tax lawyer in the Memphis law firm Bendini, Lambert & Locke, where more sinister dealings happen under the cover of a legitimate law firm business.
The story-line never launches itself into the epic thriller that the plot threatens to become, the pace is completely off, and I can safely say that there is no single point of real suspense in this novel thanks to the some early giveaways with which you can construct most of what's about to happen (mhmm, no twists either). The novel starts somewhat promising but crumples into a muted, unimaginative ending with nothing much left to say.
A horrendous lack of detail regarding the crucial money laundering activities, non-existent lawyer talk, no legalese, and, worst of all, no gun descriptions or explanations for what the hell Mitch does 20 hours a day, seven days a week with the obscenely large files handed to him. He works on them! See? (Some brilliant explanation that involved checking client deposits and interest details (lol!) were scattered in the beginning, but Grisham gives up on the pathetic explanations eventually)
The book is so full of repetitions it makes you want to kill yourself for reading it. Every single bar in the Cayman Islands that finds mention in the book involves the three same things. Always! Islanders are playing either darts or dominoes. There is always a band that is tuning up. Mitchel orders the same kind of beer and cheeseburgers.
Our guy Mitch barks orders to an FBI Special Agent in the early parts, and the relationship deteriorates later when Mitch can't help calling Tarrance an idiot every time he is required to say something. Not joking. Tarrance is a sock puppet character who does not come up with any good ideas during these conversations. Why converse at all?!!! Sadly, Tarrance is made to alternate between: "Will do", "I'll ask my boss", or make some feeble attempt at bargaining in a deal or ask a stupid question. The last three options don't bode well for poor Tarrance, and all such replies are followed up by Mitch calling him an idiot.
When the FBI and the Mafia are hot on his tail, Mitch also finds, serendipitously, the assistance of an ex-con while being holed up in a room at a seedy Motel along Pacific Beach. The Mafia also give false leads to the FBI to throw them off his trail. Who needs the FBI, right?
The absolute worst--and this no writer should engage in--is an extended recital of the events occurring up to a certain point in time in the form a nervous realization by one of the characters, completely ruining the pace and putting the reader to sleep.
Eventually you will be tempted to assume that Grisham doesn't have a brain.
The book fails to entertain just as much as it fails to inform. The uninspired title should've been a giveaway, but I read the book only because I heard that this was Grisham's big break that made him famous in the 90s. I most certainly can't see how. I don't advise you to try either. Yuck!
The story-line never launches itself into the epic thriller that the plot threatens to become, the pace is completely off, and I can safely say that there is no single point of real suspense in this novel thanks to the some early giveaways with which you can construct most of what's about to happen (mhmm, no twists either). The novel starts somewhat promising but crumples into a muted, unimaginative ending with nothing much left to say.
A horrendous lack of detail regarding the crucial money laundering activities, non-existent lawyer talk, no legalese, and, worst of all, no gun descriptions or explanations for what the hell Mitch does 20 hours a day, seven days a week with the obscenely large files handed to him. He works on them! See? (Some brilliant explanation that involved checking client deposits and interest details (lol!) were scattered in the beginning, but Grisham gives up on the pathetic explanations eventually)
The book is so full of repetitions it makes you want to kill yourself for reading it. Every single bar in the Cayman Islands that finds mention in the book involves the three same things. Always! Islanders are playing either darts or dominoes. There is always a band that is tuning up. Mitchel orders the same kind of beer and cheeseburgers.
Our guy Mitch barks orders to an FBI Special Agent in the early parts, and the relationship deteriorates later when Mitch can't help calling Tarrance an idiot every time he is required to say something. Not joking. Tarrance is a sock puppet character who does not come up with any good ideas during these conversations. Why converse at all?!!! Sadly, Tarrance is made to alternate between: "Will do", "I'll ask my boss", or make some feeble attempt at bargaining in a deal or ask a stupid question. The last three options don't bode well for poor Tarrance, and all such replies are followed up by Mitch calling him an idiot.
When the FBI and the Mafia are hot on his tail, Mitch also finds, serendipitously, the assistance of an ex-con while being holed up in a room at a seedy Motel along Pacific Beach. The Mafia also give false leads to the FBI to throw them off his trail. Who needs the FBI, right?
The absolute worst--and this no writer should engage in--is an extended recital of the events occurring up to a certain point in time in the form a nervous realization by one of the characters, completely ruining the pace and putting the reader to sleep.
Eventually you will be tempted to assume that Grisham doesn't have a brain.
The book fails to entertain just as much as it fails to inform. The uninspired title should've been a giveaway, but I read the book only because I heard that this was Grisham's big break that made him famous in the 90s. I most certainly can't see how. I don't advise you to try either. Yuck!
September 15, 2019
This book is really interesting, well written and absolutely irresistible. I'm on a mission to read every book that Grisham wrote, because his books never disappoint me.
April 4, 2024
Good things really do come to those who wait. This is my first time reading The Firm and now I feel very fortunate to be able to segue right into book #2, The Exchange while it is so fresh in my mind. Stoked to find out what happened to Mitch and Abby after this pulse-pounding cliffhanger ending. What a cat-and-mouse chase.
I am always left dazzled by Grisham's novels, and this is definitely at the top of my list as a favorite.
I am always left dazzled by Grisham's novels, and this is definitely at the top of my list as a favorite.
January 27, 2021
“The Firm” by John Grisham
🌟🌟🌟🌟
I read “The Firm” many years ago and was not disappointed I read it again. John Grisham you are an outstanding author it’s always a pleasure to read your incredible books. Happy reading...📚
🌟🌟🌟🌟
I read “The Firm” many years ago and was not disappointed I read it again. John Grisham you are an outstanding author it’s always a pleasure to read your incredible books. Happy reading...📚
November 4, 2020
*some plot points may be spoiled so beware*
Ever heard when snobs call romance novels nothing more but wish fulfilment for women? Well I present you with a wish fulfillment for a young to middle age men!
How do I know that? Well we have a very young guy who just finished university who acts chill and super confident in the situations that will make everyone except for trained spy sweat. And he has a super hot supermodel looking wife who is always horny for her husband and also an elementary school teacher! But you’ll hear about her sexy legs a lot, be prepared. There is this big plot point where Mitch goes away for three minutes and cheats on her. Why? At least make her a nagging shrill of a wife. What are you afraid of, Grisham? Oh, I remember, this is wish fulfillment. We cannot have non-bangable wives here.
The part where the law firm hires only ugly women so men will not be tempted, you can judge for yourself. It’s too easy a target.
Now when s*it got real and Mitch needed to escape how do you think his wife reacted? Did she say “come on, Mitch, I have a life and job and family and friends here. I cannot disappear. “? WRONG! This is wish fulfillment, remember! Wife has all that stuff but just to fill her day between waiting for her darling or asking when he will be home. Of course she is totally fine with that plan. And finding out your house is bugged? No big deal!
BTW the proof that this book was not written with me in mind was in the scene when Mitch comes home. He cheated, he is afraid of being caught. And there is an envelope for his wife!! Our blood runs cold, heart skips a beat. Are these THE photos?? But then his wife said - “ah, no, just some empty envelope was delivered.” I always don't recycle them but lay down for my husband to see them. When I was reading this scene I imagined countless men reading this chapter and thinking about their wives and mistresses and being frightened vicariously through Mitch.
The only character worth discussing here is Mitch. Others are just “basic guy” type, “ugly women” type and “hot women” type. Nothing more can be said about them.
So Mitch. Mitch is a big piece of poop. He cheated. When everything went south he made his wife his minion (she did a lot of risky work for him and he kinda was chill about it), he still did not tell her about cheating and risked her life. He also had her cornered into forgiving him and not leaving (well if she finds out when they were on the run and she was without her support or job then what she’s gonna do?). Also his brother Ray is important but her parents. Who cares about them.
And in the last sentence of the book he has sex on the beach (not a drink).
And the thriller part was just not very thrilling and also nothing was realistic ( FBI boss meeting with our guy in some dark alley, telling him that he, the top manager of a huge bureaucratic machine that is FBI, will personally wire to some dingy bank 2 millions without the IRS knowing, all the getting Ray out of jail bs was just laughable. And omg FBI are a bunch of incompetent goons). This is the most basic Michael Douglas-starring type of thrillers.
Ever heard when snobs call romance novels nothing more but wish fulfilment for women? Well I present you with a wish fulfillment for a young to middle age men!
How do I know that? Well we have a very young guy who just finished university who acts chill and super confident in the situations that will make everyone except for trained spy sweat. And he has a super hot supermodel looking wife who is always horny for her husband and also an elementary school teacher! But you’ll hear about her sexy legs a lot, be prepared. There is this big plot point where Mitch goes away for three minutes and cheats on her. Why? At least make her a nagging shrill of a wife. What are you afraid of, Grisham? Oh, I remember, this is wish fulfillment. We cannot have non-bangable wives here.
The part where the law firm hires only ugly women so men will not be tempted, you can judge for yourself. It’s too easy a target.
Now when s*it got real and Mitch needed to escape how do you think his wife reacted? Did she say “come on, Mitch, I have a life and job and family and friends here. I cannot disappear. “? WRONG! This is wish fulfillment, remember! Wife has all that stuff but just to fill her day between waiting for her darling or asking when he will be home. Of course she is totally fine with that plan. And finding out your house is bugged? No big deal!
BTW the proof that this book was not written with me in mind was in the scene when Mitch comes home. He cheated, he is afraid of being caught. And there is an envelope for his wife!! Our blood runs cold, heart skips a beat. Are these THE photos?? But then his wife said - “ah, no, just some empty envelope was delivered.” I always don't recycle them but lay down for my husband to see them. When I was reading this scene I imagined countless men reading this chapter and thinking about their wives and mistresses and being frightened vicariously through Mitch.
The only character worth discussing here is Mitch. Others are just “basic guy” type, “ugly women” type and “hot women” type. Nothing more can be said about them.
So Mitch. Mitch is a big piece of poop. He cheated. When everything went south he made his wife his minion (she did a lot of risky work for him and he kinda was chill about it), he still did not tell her about cheating and risked her life. He also had her cornered into forgiving him and not leaving (well if she finds out when they were on the run and she was without her support or job then what she’s gonna do?). Also his brother Ray is important but her parents. Who cares about them.
And in the last sentence of the book he has sex on the beach (not a drink).
And the thriller part was just not very thrilling and also nothing was realistic ( FBI boss meeting with our guy in some dark alley, telling him that he, the top manager of a huge bureaucratic machine that is FBI, will personally wire to some dingy bank 2 millions without the IRS knowing, all the getting Ray out of jail bs was just laughable. And omg FBI are a bunch of incompetent goons). This is the most basic Michael Douglas-starring type of thrillers.
July 30, 2012
I recently realized 1) I've never read any of John Grisham's novels and 2) that's a shame. So I picked this up at the library a couple trips ago, when I found myself browsing in the G's. Why The Firm rather than The Client or The Associate? My grandfather, a former lawyer, happened to mention it in a conversation a couple months ago, so the title was on my mind.
My main impression is that this is the kind of pulp that no one will read 100 years from now (thank goodness). It reminded me very strongly of some bad late Victorian short stories I read for a class in fin de siecle fiction. My, how far we've come since the early '90s (the 1990s, just to be clear, not the 1890s). I mean, really, if you're ever in doubt, just pick up this book. It's definitely a product of its time. Sexism, classism, ageism, consumerism--it's all here, unvarnished and unexamined. I don't think John Grisham is or was especially unenlightened...I think he just faithfully represented the cultural norms and popular attitudes.
(This might be a tangent, but if I really wanted to understand what life was like in a previous era, I would look first at its advertising and its advice columns. I would look at what was ephemeral, not intended to survive. Not just at that, but I certainly wouldn't neglect it. I think there's treasure to be gleaned from scrutinizing what was created purely for the present and not for the eyes of history.)
Aside from what now seems crass and/or naive (the sexism especially so, for me), this is a pretty good story. Gripping. At times seemingly very realistic. At others, less believable. (For example, I find it hard, very hard to believe that Abby would say what she does on the last page, given the limitations she and Mitch must find a way to live within. I'm told the movie ending is more realistic. I haven't seen it yet.) I can understand why this book might have put a whole year's worth of law school graduates off their interviewing. I'm sure someone out there decided at the last second to switch their focus to fashion design or sales.
My favorite bits by far were the scenes that show Mitch's interaction with his secretary. As far as I'm concerned, there weren't enough of them. Maybe because his secretary seems like the kind of woman who would resent being underestimated or labeled.
My main impression is that this is the kind of pulp that no one will read 100 years from now (thank goodness). It reminded me very strongly of some bad late Victorian short stories I read for a class in fin de siecle fiction. My, how far we've come since the early '90s (the 1990s, just to be clear, not the 1890s). I mean, really, if you're ever in doubt, just pick up this book. It's definitely a product of its time. Sexism, classism, ageism, consumerism--it's all here, unvarnished and unexamined. I don't think John Grisham is or was especially unenlightened...I think he just faithfully represented the cultural norms and popular attitudes.
(This might be a tangent, but if I really wanted to understand what life was like in a previous era, I would look first at its advertising and its advice columns. I would look at what was ephemeral, not intended to survive. Not just at that, but I certainly wouldn't neglect it. I think there's treasure to be gleaned from scrutinizing what was created purely for the present and not for the eyes of history.)
Aside from what now seems crass and/or naive (the sexism especially so, for me), this is a pretty good story. Gripping. At times seemingly very realistic. At others, less believable. (For example, I find it hard, very hard to believe that Abby would say what she does on the last page, given the limitations she and Mitch must find a way to live within. I'm told the movie ending is more realistic. I haven't seen it yet.) I can understand why this book might have put a whole year's worth of law school graduates off their interviewing. I'm sure someone out there decided at the last second to switch their focus to fashion design or sales.
My favorite bits by far were the scenes that show Mitch's interaction with his secretary. As far as I'm concerned, there weren't enough of them. Maybe because his secretary seems like the kind of woman who would resent being underestimated or labeled.
December 11, 2023
To be honest…
I saw the movie first, and absolutely loved every fast-paced moment of it with Tom Cruise, Gene Hackman and Jeanne Tripplehorn.
So…
It was only natural that I read the book which obviously gained popularity after the movie.
Read years ago, it seems fitting to share this review now, especially after the author has presented a sequel, with “The Exchange,” all these years later. Review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
In this page-turning thriller, Mitch is a young lawyer at a top law firm in Memphis, Bendini, Lambert & Locke. He is brilliant...
But...
This is a law firm he should not have accepted the offer. Especially as a top of his class student at Harvard with many other pending offers available.
And…
Even though this was the last place that he and Abby wanted to settle, the offer was just too good to walk away from…
Especially when they offer a brand-new vehicle and pay off his student loans, and arrange for a mortgage on a new home, with their very own decorator.
Eventually…
Mitch and Abby begin to feel uneasy about this decision.
And…
When he is approached by an FBI agent about two recent deaths of the firm’s employees, Mitch decides to investigate.
And thus…
The book takes off.
As readers…
We become involved in a fast-paced action thrilled mystery suspense that keeps us turning pages.
So…
Even if we know what is happening, and what could possibly be to come, we are still interested in the eventual outcome. (Whether you saw the movie, or not.)
Would it have been better to read the book first? Probably.
But…
The story made Grisham well-known, and this reader, always anxious for the next great read from him.
I saw the movie first, and absolutely loved every fast-paced moment of it with Tom Cruise, Gene Hackman and Jeanne Tripplehorn.
So…
It was only natural that I read the book which obviously gained popularity after the movie.
Read years ago, it seems fitting to share this review now, especially after the author has presented a sequel, with “The Exchange,” all these years later. Review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
In this page-turning thriller, Mitch is a young lawyer at a top law firm in Memphis, Bendini, Lambert & Locke. He is brilliant...
But...
This is a law firm he should not have accepted the offer. Especially as a top of his class student at Harvard with many other pending offers available.
And…
Even though this was the last place that he and Abby wanted to settle, the offer was just too good to walk away from…
Especially when they offer a brand-new vehicle and pay off his student loans, and arrange for a mortgage on a new home, with their very own decorator.
Eventually…
Mitch and Abby begin to feel uneasy about this decision.
And…
When he is approached by an FBI agent about two recent deaths of the firm’s employees, Mitch decides to investigate.
And thus…
The book takes off.
As readers…
We become involved in a fast-paced action thrilled mystery suspense that keeps us turning pages.
So…
Even if we know what is happening, and what could possibly be to come, we are still interested in the eventual outcome. (Whether you saw the movie, or not.)
Would it have been better to read the book first? Probably.
But…
The story made Grisham well-known, and this reader, always anxious for the next great read from him.
July 10, 2020
Of all Grisham's novels, The Firm is one of his best. Engaging, evocative and filled with surprises, it takes the reader on a journey into the 'dark' world of a law firm immersed in illegitimate enterprise, aka paradox. I read this book when it first came out, so memory of details isn't spot on. That said, the film adaptation has been one of my favorites, Tom Cruise aside :) Regardless, I'm a fan of Grisham's storytelling, his remarkable knowledge of law, trials, and all things associated.
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