The Client

Grisham begins his novel in an unconventional way, breaking traditional plot structure by writing his inciting incident (i.e., Romey’s death by suicide) before his exposition establishing characters and their motivations. What effect does this early placement of an inciting incident have on the narrative? Did it create an explosive opening? Or does valuing action over character in the novel’s beginning make it more difficult for readers to become invested in the drama?

The Client is written with a third person omniscient point of view, where the narrator reveals the inner thoughts of all the characters and is able to seamlessly jump between different locations, even within one chapter. What significance does Grisham’s use of point of view have in the novel? Does it create for a more immersive reading experience, or would the novel have benefited from a more focused, first-person narration?

What do you think of Grisham’s choice to have his protagonist be a child? What role does Mark’s age play in the author’s development of his themes and social commentary? What elements of the book might have been strengthened or weakened if Mark were swapped with an adult protagonist?