Act of God

Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Legal Tale
Review: When it comes to books I'm a bit of a sexist. Yeah, I can admitt it. When scanning down the racks at my local bookstore and I see the name of the author is female, I usualy keep scanning. Not that I haven't tried. Yet often when I decide to take the chance to read a female author I struggle through the book trying to relate with the characters.
I really can't tell you why I picked up this book. Not only my horribly sexist outlook on reading but the fact that the last two books I read on the subject of abortion were at best mediocre. Both books were full of cliche situations and took them selves way to seriously.
Then I read Susan R. Sloan's Act of God. What instantly impressed me was the humor of the novel. Often when author's take on such a sensitive subject they try to handle in with sensativity, henceforth a dry and humorless tale. Here Sloan attacks the situation with an almost Hiaasenesque flare which borders on over the top. Yet the humor doesn't overshadow the seriousness of the situation.
The other thing I really liked about the book was the courtroom scene. More and more of our legal thrillers have turned into lawyer as detective stories, never really entering the courthouse. When they do actually try a case rarely does it ever play out to its natural conclusion. Usually some big secret is revealed and the defendents life is never place in the hands of the jury. Here Sloan takes us step by step through an exciting trial with to likeable adversaries.
Whatever your take is on this subject matter, I recommed reading this book. Maybe I have finally found the female author I can relate to.