To Sing Like a Mockingbird

Nicole Juan

This novel pulled me in with its realism. Nothing here feels exaggerated the corruption, the family conflicts, the struggles at the reformatory all read like things that could happen in any small town.

Justin Kopechne is idealistic, but not in a way that feels unrealistic. His commitment to reforming young offenders is admirable, yet you can see how it wears on him and those around him. I found his relationship with his wife particularly compelling because it showed how even the noblest pursuits can drive wedges into personal lives.

The sheriff’s storyline was another highlight for me, his choices weren’t cartoonishly evil, but slowly compromised, which made his downfall even more believable.

The prose itself is clean and direct, letting the story speak without unnecessary embellishment. I finished the book with a sense of admiration for its honesty. It doesn’t give you heroes and villains; it gives you flawed people trying to survive in a flawed system. That made it feel authentic.