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A.J. Palladino #1
Rock Bottom
From New York Times bestselling author and internationally renowned environmental and consumer advocate Erin Brockovich comes Rock Bottom, a debut thriller and first in a series of novels that introduces one of the most fascinating and memorable characters in suspense fiction.
Ten years ago, a pregnant seventeen-year-old, Angela Joy Palladino, fled her hometown, Scotia, West Virginia, as a pariah. Over time, AJ succeeded in establishing herself as an environmental activist, dubbed “The People’s Champion,” only to be forced to retreat from the spotlight in the wake of a crushing media disaster.
When AJ is offered a job with a lawyer who is crusading against mountaintop removal mining, she is torn. As a single mother of a special needs nine-year-old boy, AJ can use any work she can get. But doing so will mean returning to the West Virginia hometown she left in disgrace so long ago.
Upon arriving in Scotia, AJ learns of the sudden death of the lawyer who hired her. Soon after joining forces with his daughter, Elizabeth, threats begin to surface, bodies begin to pile up, and AJ discovers that her own secrets aren’t the only ones her mountain hometown has kept buried. Hitting rock bottom, AJ must face the betrayal of those once closest to her and confront the harrowing past she thought she had left behind.
In Rock Bottom, Erin Brockovich combines passionate intensity, first-rate storytelling, and her real life experiences in a novel that will leave you breathless.
Ten years ago, a pregnant seventeen-year-old, Angela Joy Palladino, fled her hometown, Scotia, West Virginia, as a pariah. Over time, AJ succeeded in establishing herself as an environmental activist, dubbed “The People’s Champion,” only to be forced to retreat from the spotlight in the wake of a crushing media disaster.
When AJ is offered a job with a lawyer who is crusading against mountaintop removal mining, she is torn. As a single mother of a special needs nine-year-old boy, AJ can use any work she can get. But doing so will mean returning to the West Virginia hometown she left in disgrace so long ago.
Upon arriving in Scotia, AJ learns of the sudden death of the lawyer who hired her. Soon after joining forces with his daughter, Elizabeth, threats begin to surface, bodies begin to pile up, and AJ discovers that her own secrets aren’t the only ones her mountain hometown has kept buried. Hitting rock bottom, AJ must face the betrayal of those once closest to her and confront the harrowing past she thought she had left behind.
In Rock Bottom, Erin Brockovich combines passionate intensity, first-rate storytelling, and her real life experiences in a novel that will leave you breathless.
260 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2011
22 people are currently reading
407 people want to read
About the author
Erin Brockovich
15 books73 followersErin Brockovich is an American legal clerk, consumer advocate, and environmental activist, who, despite her lack of education in the law, was instrumental in building a case against the Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) of California in 1993. Her successful lawsuit was the subject of a 2000 film, "Erin Brockovich," which stars Julia Roberts. Since then, Brockovich has become a media personality, hosting the TV series "Challenge America with Erin Brockovich" and "Final Justice on Zone Reality." She is the president of Brockovich Research & Consulting. She also works as a consultant for Girardi & Keese and the New York law firm of Weitz & Luxenberg, which has a focus on personal injury claims for asbestos exposure, and for Shine Lawyers in Australia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
August 7, 2015
Angela Joy Palladino usually known as AJ fled from her coal mining home in Scotia, West Virginia. She was 17. Ten years later she is back with her 9 year old disabled son, after taking a job with a lawyer who is crusading against mining which is removing the mountain tops. But when she arrives she finds the lawyer who hired her is dead. However his daughter Elizabeth seeks AJ’s help to carry on the fight. Was his death from natural causes or is there a murderer on the loose.
It certainly seems that there are plenty of people, including AJ’s own parents, with secrets they want to keep and reasons for wanting AJ to leave town and leave this case alone. It is also the town where the father of her son, David, lives and AJ has reason to feel anger and resentment towards him and his wealthy family.
This was my first book by Erin Brockovich or CJ Lyons. I enjoyed it and it moves along at a good pace, although it is not without flaws. I found the characters a little unbelievable and as for David, the 9 year old, he was like no 9 year old I have ever met. I also found the changes from first person and third person rather jarring. Sometimes it took a while to work out whether you are seeing things from AJ’s point of view of Elizabeth’s. Towards the end I thought the story started to get rather far- fetched. Despite those quibbles it is a book that I wanted to keep reading. It kept me turning the pages and turning them faster the closer I got to the end, so that has to be a good sign. If you are interested in a quick read, environmental issues and secrets with a bit of mystery you should enjoy it.
It certainly seems that there are plenty of people, including AJ’s own parents, with secrets they want to keep and reasons for wanting AJ to leave town and leave this case alone. It is also the town where the father of her son, David, lives and AJ has reason to feel anger and resentment towards him and his wealthy family.
This was my first book by Erin Brockovich or CJ Lyons. I enjoyed it and it moves along at a good pace, although it is not without flaws. I found the characters a little unbelievable and as for David, the 9 year old, he was like no 9 year old I have ever met. I also found the changes from first person and third person rather jarring. Sometimes it took a while to work out whether you are seeing things from AJ’s point of view of Elizabeth’s. Towards the end I thought the story started to get rather far- fetched. Despite those quibbles it is a book that I wanted to keep reading. It kept me turning the pages and turning them faster the closer I got to the end, so that has to be a good sign. If you are interested in a quick read, environmental issues and secrets with a bit of mystery you should enjoy it.
March 14, 2017
I enjoyed this book by Erin Brockovich more than I expected I would. She chose an excellent co-writer in CJ Lyons. There were many similarities between the storyline and the case she was famous for. She added a lot of interesting characters and an interesting backstory. The mystery itself was interesting, but the plot was definitely character-driven. I will continue the series because I enjoyed the characters so much. I'd love to see where they go next.
August 7, 2013
When this book came out I was intrigued; I wanted to read it for I thought it might be fun but then I was hesitant because was it just one more book written by a celebrity?
Then at a conference I hear C.J. Lyons speak and I said to myself, this has to get on my to-read list. As it turns out my "to-listen-to" list moves faster and this quickly got to the top.
I enjoyed this book.
AJ Palladino left town when she was 17 and pregnant. She never returned and was truly upset when her parents never asked to see her or their grandson. Ten years later she does return after a horrific incident when she was doing a radio show and she is offered a job with a local lawyer.
She and her special needs son move into the farm workers house on her grandmother's property. Only to find it is the day of her employer's funeral.
This book is full of environmental issues concerning mountain top removal used in the coal industry and the rights and regulations thereof. Environmentalists who truly care and those who are hired to create a media circus to get the name out.
"Rock Bottom" has many mysteries and many skeletons in closets. Sometimes we do not know who is the good guy and who is the bad guy and in some scenarios the same person is both. This is a book that you will love ... but the ending is realistic and not romantic. There is no happily ever after in this story though, I will be honest, I wanted one.
Then at a conference I hear C.J. Lyons speak and I said to myself, this has to get on my to-read list. As it turns out my "to-listen-to" list moves faster and this quickly got to the top.
I enjoyed this book.
AJ Palladino left town when she was 17 and pregnant. She never returned and was truly upset when her parents never asked to see her or their grandson. Ten years later she does return after a horrific incident when she was doing a radio show and she is offered a job with a local lawyer.
She and her special needs son move into the farm workers house on her grandmother's property. Only to find it is the day of her employer's funeral.
This book is full of environmental issues concerning mountain top removal used in the coal industry and the rights and regulations thereof. Environmentalists who truly care and those who are hired to create a media circus to get the name out.
"Rock Bottom" has many mysteries and many skeletons in closets. Sometimes we do not know who is the good guy and who is the bad guy and in some scenarios the same person is both. This is a book that you will love ... but the ending is realistic and not romantic. There is no happily ever after in this story though, I will be honest, I wanted one.
September 18, 2011
Just finished "Rock Bottom" by Erin Brockovitch. It was a great thriller about the efforts to stop Mountain Top Removal coal mining. MTR is a reality in WV; where literally, the top of a mountain is blasted away to expedite coal extraction. Mining companies are quick to utilize this method and the people who live in coal mining towns cannot oppose the mining companies because they are the only employer in town. However, MTR employs less people than conventional under ground mining.
Erin states in the afterword that WE must take action before our communities are rendered uninhabitable because there is No ONE ELSE TO DO SO. The government is broke, understaffed and moves as fast as molasses in January. The corporations will continue to pollute the earth unabated in their quest for short term profits. The legal system can take years to correct a deadly situation; meanwhile new cases of strange and "rare" cancers become an epidemic. This is the first in a series of muckraking books without the technical or legal jargon that puts these dangers and their consequences in everyday life that we all can relate to. Get the word out, Erin! There are some who will listen.
Erin states in the afterword that WE must take action before our communities are rendered uninhabitable because there is No ONE ELSE TO DO SO. The government is broke, understaffed and moves as fast as molasses in January. The corporations will continue to pollute the earth unabated in their quest for short term profits. The legal system can take years to correct a deadly situation; meanwhile new cases of strange and "rare" cancers become an epidemic. This is the first in a series of muckraking books without the technical or legal jargon that puts these dangers and their consequences in everyday life that we all can relate to. Get the word out, Erin! There are some who will listen.
May 12, 2020
This book was just ok. It took place over the course of three days (in the story) and originally I felt like a good story was building...then BAM everything wrapped up nice and neatly, when in real life there’s just no way that’d happen. It’s a shame because if it had been written differently it could’ve been really good.
May 28, 2021
I found this to be just an OK read. The first half of the story felt strong, but then some weird situations just didn't ring right and ... I just was glad when it ended. It's a solid 2.5 story. I didn't hate it at all, I just didn't enjoy it much.
It also felt very "Erin Brockovich"-movie-like to me. Which is a fabulous movie...but I don't want to read about it over and over in different stories.
It also felt very "Erin Brockovich"-movie-like to me. Which is a fabulous movie...but I don't want to read about it over and over in different stories.
September 22, 2025
Yes - the same Erin Brockovich from the movies.
I enjoyed the book. Not my favorite, but was entertaining.
I enjoyed the book. Not my favorite, but was entertaining.
April 6, 2011
Angela Joy Palladino used to be called “The People’s Champion”. This is because she fought for the people and what was right, no matter what the odds were against her. Angela had a good life. She worked as a radio personality. That is until a fatal incident left Angela packing up all her belongings and her son, David and moving back home. A place that she left ten years ago and did not look back.
Angela is ready to start over. When Angela’s new boss is murdered. Things go from good to bad real quickly. Angela teams up with her boss’s daughter, Elizabeth to solve her father’s murder. Some people in town don’t appreciate Angela sticking her nose where it does not belong. Angela better watch her back or she will end up buried ten feet under ground.
Rock Bottom is the first book I have read by Ms. Brockovich. Though, I am familiar with who she is and what she does. I am a fan of CJ Lyons. Her medical suspense novels are good. Together, I thought that these two women made a great duo. I could not tell where one author left off and the other one picked up. I liked Angela. She is tough but at the same time, she just wants to be a good mother to her son. This made her more human in my eyes. I liked the topic that Ms. Brockovich based this book on. It is an interesting one but an important one…environmental issues and the effects on the land, people and animals. I can not wait to see what next issue Angela battles. Rock Bottom is rock solid!
Angela is ready to start over. When Angela’s new boss is murdered. Things go from good to bad real quickly. Angela teams up with her boss’s daughter, Elizabeth to solve her father’s murder. Some people in town don’t appreciate Angela sticking her nose where it does not belong. Angela better watch her back or she will end up buried ten feet under ground.
Rock Bottom is the first book I have read by Ms. Brockovich. Though, I am familiar with who she is and what she does. I am a fan of CJ Lyons. Her medical suspense novels are good. Together, I thought that these two women made a great duo. I could not tell where one author left off and the other one picked up. I liked Angela. She is tough but at the same time, she just wants to be a good mother to her son. This made her more human in my eyes. I liked the topic that Ms. Brockovich based this book on. It is an interesting one but an important one…environmental issues and the effects on the land, people and animals. I can not wait to see what next issue Angela battles. Rock Bottom is rock solid!
November 25, 2014
At 17 Angela Joy leaves her coal mining town in West Virginia in disgrace because she is pregnant. She has her baby and manages to scrape out a life as a environmental activist which of course this author is famous for hence the movie Erin Brockovich.
Now due to unforeseen financial constraints she is forced 9 years later to return home along with her handicapped son David. Suffice it to say the welcome isn't great except by her grandmother. David has never been told who his father is but now his father is in charge of the top soil coal mining that is basically raping the land and A.J. gets caught up in the fight to stop this kind of mining.
Pretty good story. I rated it ✿✿✿
Now due to unforeseen financial constraints she is forced 9 years later to return home along with her handicapped son David. Suffice it to say the welcome isn't great except by her grandmother. David has never been told who his father is but now his father is in charge of the top soil coal mining that is basically raping the land and A.J. gets caught up in the fight to stop this kind of mining.
Pretty good story. I rated it ✿✿✿
May 8, 2017
This book had a decent storyline and a lot of potential, but the execution was poor. If someone told me it had been written as someone's senior thesis, I would have believed it. Everything felt a bit too one-dimensional and predictable.
October 28, 2016
I look forward to reading more novels by Erin
April 20, 2019
Really wanted to like it, but I just couldn't get into this. This may have been a matter of style. The subject matter made this a two though.
September 17, 2023
I appreciate the environmentalist portion of the story, but it was dripping in soap opera drama and just so much self loathing.
May 19, 2017
4.5 stars. Erin Brockovich is an intriguing character study. In the early '90's, as a single mother with no skills of any sort, she basically talked her way into a job with attorney Ed Masry. And then one day as she was sorting through case files, she ran across boxes of files dealing with Pacific Gas & Electric and the small, high-desert town of Hinkley, California. Brockovich is tenacious when she senses something amiss, and with PG&E trying to buy all the resident's homes amid skyrocketing cancer cases, something was definitely wrong in Hinkley. Investigating further, she determined that PG&E was dumping toxic waste (hexavalent chromium) near its generating plant and it had leeched into the groundwater, causing a variety of cancers in and around the town. Her research under Masry's guidance brought about the largest settlement in a direct-action lawsuit in US history (And it's worth noting that Julia Roberts won a Best Actress Oscar in 2000 by playing this tough, fast-talking character). In this series, which begins with Rock Bottom, Brockovich is writing about environmental issues that concern her the most. This novel is a very fast, three-day examination of the practices of Big Coal, particularly Mountaintop Removal: "...a cheap way to extract coal by blasting off the tops of mountains, forests and all - what the miners called "overburden" - and dumping it into the valleys below while huge machines clawed at the exposed coal seams. Extracting coal this way was cheap, and it used half as many men as underground mining to get at coal twice as fast. But it was damned expensive in terms of the cost to the people and the environment - poisoned streams and groundwater, fish kills, flash floods, destroyed habitats, unemployment, housing values decimated, wells turned toxic." This is strong stuff for fiction, but it illustrates some of the many problems we have with corporate greed and malfeasance in this country.
August 15, 2024
This was an interesting book to be quite frank. I wasn’t expecting much from a celebrity but she impressed me! The writing was strong and the mystery had me on the edge of my seat. The talk about the environment was also amazing, although I expected that from the one and only Erin Brockovich. However, there were a few things I wasn’t fond of. For one, the changing perspectives threw me for a loop at certain points which was not exactly welcome. David, the son, seemed extremely mature for a nine year old. I understand how he’s supposed to be incredibly smart and such but it seems just a tad bit unrealistic. And the ending, I was literally screaming. I can never in a million years imagine THAT happening. This book is written so seriously just for the climax that could be placed in a Pretty Little Liars novel without anyone batting an eyelash. That truly threw me for a loop. Overall, a decent book.
September 9, 2024
Seventeen year old, Angela Joy 'AJ' Palladino left home pregnant. Ten years later she returns to her hometown of Scotia, West Virginia to discover her parents aren't welcoming. AJ and her son David , who has cerebral palsy, move in with her grandmother. AJ has returned to work for a lawyer who is trying to stop them destroying the mountaintop. Unfortunately, the lawyer suddenly dies and AJ starts working for his daughter, Elizabeth. Being backed against the wall someone is striking back - as both AJ and her employer find out. There are some twisty sub plots such as, David's father and his past with AJ, the mining company that could be poisoning the town, the mystery behind AJ's parents and their refusal to speak to her, and more. This is a powerful story of family, our environment and the legal world. I also understand this is Erin's debut novel. I really enjoyed and it was a fast read
May 7, 2017
Found this in a box of books sent by a friend. I've been working my way through them in the order in which they interested me, and Rock Bottom was, well, on the bottom. BOY WAS I WRONG! For anyone familiar with who Erin Brockovich is, you will be expecting a book filled with passion about ecology and the impact that huge industries have on ordinary lives, and you won't be disappointed. You will also find humor, and sorrow, and a wealth of just plain likable folks, as well as a few real stinkers. There is a second book about the same main character, so I'll be ordering that one, as well.
October 18, 2022
I read the second book in this series first a couple years ago and remembered really liking it. I really liked this one too...until the end.
Killing Cole ruined the series for me. It took a five star book I was proud to put on my bookshelf down to a four star book I'm about to throw in the donate pile. I hate that a book I was enjoying so much is now leaving me with a sick feeling in my stomach.
Killing Cole ruined the series for me. It took a five star book I was proud to put on my bookshelf down to a four star book I'm about to throw in the donate pile. I hate that a book I was enjoying so much is now leaving me with a sick feeling in my stomach.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2023
Interesting story and the start of a series. Angela left her home town as a shut out pregnate teanager. She was a single mon with a 9 year old special needs son. She was offered a job back in her hometown with a lawyer who practiced right up her alley as she has been dubbed the peoples champion, an invironmental activist. When the lawyer dies things unfold and she may find that those she loves have lied. Great story
January 31, 2018
Interesting book but got confusing at the end when the action picked up. It was difficult to picture what was really going on
May 21, 2019
message book - boring
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 19, 2020
Enjoyed this one more than expected. It contained classic Brockovich elements, but retained its own unique storyline.
April 10, 2020
Great!
August 28, 2023
Couldn’t put down
11/27/2014
11/27/2014
February 14, 2024
Potential was there… but just turned out to be a soap opera.
September 6, 2017
Decisive writing sets off this urgent story of environmental contrast, wrapping themes and motivations into a tight and readable (listenable for me - I listened to the audiobook) format. I am reminded of our eco-heroes in real life, made alive through this book.
August 21, 2011
Rock Bottom by Erin Brockovich & C.J. Lyons
I received an advance review copy of Rock Bottom from FSB Media. I am under no obligation to write a positive review, just an honest one.
Rock Bottom is the debut thriller by the renowned Erin Brockovich. It is the story of Angela "AJ" Palladino and her son who is handicapped.
AJ left her hometown when she was 17 and pregnant, to avoid disgrace. Since then she has tried to care for her son, but due to unfortunate happenings she is forced to return home to her parents, who she hasn't seen in a very long time.
AJ's parents are not particularly happy to see her, her mother never having been the same since her brother passed away some years ago.
While visiting home, AJ gets caught up in the environmental disaster that is about to destroy her hometown. It means going head on against a huge corporation who only cares about the money, and it also means going head on against the man who got her pregnant, and is the father of her son...
Yet as people start to die during her investigation AJ realizes the situation is far more complicated and dire than she could have imagined...
Will AJ be able to save the jobs of those in her hometown? Will she be able to save the natural beauty of the place as well? Will she be able to reconnect with her parents and begin a relationship between them and her son?
Read Rock Bottom to find out!
I have to admit, this book was not my favorite. Maybe it is partially that this is a genre of books I generally do not read.
While I absolutely am all for caring for the environment, and being aware of the effect that we can have on the environment, the message in this book was almost overbearing for me.
The characters are not my favorite either. I found AJ to be a bit off-putting. She just had so little femininity to her. While I love a strong female character who stands on her own and takes care of herself, AJ easily could have just been a male by switching the pronouns, and the book would have been pretty darn similar. I guess I just like my female characters strong, but feminine. I like my female leads to not have to become male-like in order to be a strong lead, and it just irritated me about her.
The mystery also felt a bit too convoluted for my taste. I couldn't easily guess the 'whodunnit' portion, but it was all a bit much for me.
I give this book 2 out of 5 stars. If this is your favorite type of book, read it. If not, I would recommend choosing another book instead.
I received an advance review copy of Rock Bottom from FSB Media. I am under no obligation to write a positive review, just an honest one.
Rock Bottom is the debut thriller by the renowned Erin Brockovich. It is the story of Angela "AJ" Palladino and her son who is handicapped.
AJ left her hometown when she was 17 and pregnant, to avoid disgrace. Since then she has tried to care for her son, but due to unfortunate happenings she is forced to return home to her parents, who she hasn't seen in a very long time.
AJ's parents are not particularly happy to see her, her mother never having been the same since her brother passed away some years ago.
While visiting home, AJ gets caught up in the environmental disaster that is about to destroy her hometown. It means going head on against a huge corporation who only cares about the money, and it also means going head on against the man who got her pregnant, and is the father of her son...
Yet as people start to die during her investigation AJ realizes the situation is far more complicated and dire than she could have imagined...
Will AJ be able to save the jobs of those in her hometown? Will she be able to save the natural beauty of the place as well? Will she be able to reconnect with her parents and begin a relationship between them and her son?
Read Rock Bottom to find out!
I have to admit, this book was not my favorite. Maybe it is partially that this is a genre of books I generally do not read.
While I absolutely am all for caring for the environment, and being aware of the effect that we can have on the environment, the message in this book was almost overbearing for me.
The characters are not my favorite either. I found AJ to be a bit off-putting. She just had so little femininity to her. While I love a strong female character who stands on her own and takes care of herself, AJ easily could have just been a male by switching the pronouns, and the book would have been pretty darn similar. I guess I just like my female characters strong, but feminine. I like my female leads to not have to become male-like in order to be a strong lead, and it just irritated me about her.
The mystery also felt a bit too convoluted for my taste. I couldn't easily guess the 'whodunnit' portion, but it was all a bit much for me.
I give this book 2 out of 5 stars. If this is your favorite type of book, read it. If not, I would recommend choosing another book instead.
Read
May 29, 2015I went into this book not expecting much and got what I expected. I found this to be a hot mess. You can't just slap the word "environmentalism" on a book and assume that wipes out all its flaws. It just isn't a good book. It didn't bore me but it wasn't good and I just about rolled my eyes out of my head at the absurdity of it.
The premise is that A.J. Palladino left her home in West Virginia, the coal-mining community of Scotia, years ago when she was 17 under a cloud of disgrace. She has since then become an environmental activist with a disabled son. She had some successes but is now out of work and a lawyer in Scotia offers her a job to help with his case against the big coal mining company in the area which is removing the tops of mountains to get at coal more cheaply. It just so happens, of course, that the son of the owner of this mining company is also the father of her son. She comes back to town, has run-ins with everyone including her parents and finds the lawyer who hired her has been murdered. Fortunately, the lawyer's daughter, who is also a lawyer, is in town and decides to stay and finish the case her father started.
The book is full of stereotypical characters and shallow plot lines. A.J. brings her son, who is twelve or so, to her hometown and immediately introduces him to his father who is married to someone else. No build up, just bam, instant love between father and son. The people that run the coal mine are evil to the core with no redeeming qualities and the good guys are shining lights of humanity. The handicapped son is smarter and more heroic than all the adults put together. The coal miners come across as terrible people just for needing to put food on the table for their children. There's no depth or subtlety. There are black and white cardboard figures and through all of it, you are being pounded on the head with the hammer of "environmentalism." I don't read mysteries to have my head bashed in.
I read this because our library discussion group is going to discuss this next month. I'm very interested to hear what the other readers thought of it.
The premise is that A.J. Palladino left her home in West Virginia, the coal-mining community of Scotia, years ago when she was 17 under a cloud of disgrace. She has since then become an environmental activist with a disabled son. She had some successes but is now out of work and a lawyer in Scotia offers her a job to help with his case against the big coal mining company in the area which is removing the tops of mountains to get at coal more cheaply. It just so happens, of course, that the son of the owner of this mining company is also the father of her son. She comes back to town, has run-ins with everyone including her parents and finds the lawyer who hired her has been murdered. Fortunately, the lawyer's daughter, who is also a lawyer, is in town and decides to stay and finish the case her father started.
The book is full of stereotypical characters and shallow plot lines. A.J. brings her son, who is twelve or so, to her hometown and immediately introduces him to his father who is married to someone else. No build up, just bam, instant love between father and son. The people that run the coal mine are evil to the core with no redeeming qualities and the good guys are shining lights of humanity. The handicapped son is smarter and more heroic than all the adults put together. The coal miners come across as terrible people just for needing to put food on the table for their children. There's no depth or subtlety. There are black and white cardboard figures and through all of it, you are being pounded on the head with the hammer of "environmentalism." I don't read mysteries to have my head bashed in.
I read this because our library discussion group is going to discuss this next month. I'm very interested to hear what the other readers thought of it.
February 11, 2012
Ordinarily, I might have passed up this book, as legal thrillers aren't usually interesting to me, but knowing a little about Erin Brockovich from the Julia Roberts movie and having read many of C.J. Lyons' books inspired me to give it a shot. I'm glad I did, because they kept me hooked until the very end.
The main character, A.J., is clearly inspired by Erin, a strong-willed woman working as an advocate for the people. A streak of bad-luck on the job has left A.J. and her son without any prospect of a future until a lawyer from her hometown of Scotia, WV, offers her a job as his legal assistant in his fight against Masterson Coal, the main industry in town whose mining efforts are destroying the environment. Having been run out of town by Masterson ten years ago, A.J. accepts the job as a last resort, but a tragedy as soon as she comes home leaves her without one of her few allies in town and pondering whether to leave again as fast as she came back. A.J.'s devotion to her son, David, forces her to stay and try to mend relations with her parents and David's father, during which time, she sees the effect Masterson is having on Scotia, which re-ignites the passion within her to be an advocate for the people.
Brockovich and Lyons provide a compelling plot, as a victory against Masterson could preserve the environment of Scotia and the health of its residents, but as the major employer in town, Masterson losing any of its main projects could cost many of those residents their jobs, jobs that have for generations kept families fed and roofs over their heads. Throw in A.J.'s efforts to rebuild her life and the role of newcomers Elizabeth and Yancey, a big city lawyer and an environmental zealot respectively, and this book became a can't-put-down read.
An interview with Brockovich at the end of the book on her inspiration for Rock Bottom indicates this is not the last time we'll be hearing from A.J., so I eagerly anticipate a sequel.
The main character, A.J., is clearly inspired by Erin, a strong-willed woman working as an advocate for the people. A streak of bad-luck on the job has left A.J. and her son without any prospect of a future until a lawyer from her hometown of Scotia, WV, offers her a job as his legal assistant in his fight against Masterson Coal, the main industry in town whose mining efforts are destroying the environment. Having been run out of town by Masterson ten years ago, A.J. accepts the job as a last resort, but a tragedy as soon as she comes home leaves her without one of her few allies in town and pondering whether to leave again as fast as she came back. A.J.'s devotion to her son, David, forces her to stay and try to mend relations with her parents and David's father, during which time, she sees the effect Masterson is having on Scotia, which re-ignites the passion within her to be an advocate for the people.
Brockovich and Lyons provide a compelling plot, as a victory against Masterson could preserve the environment of Scotia and the health of its residents, but as the major employer in town, Masterson losing any of its main projects could cost many of those residents their jobs, jobs that have for generations kept families fed and roofs over their heads. Throw in A.J.'s efforts to rebuild her life and the role of newcomers Elizabeth and Yancey, a big city lawyer and an environmental zealot respectively, and this book became a can't-put-down read.
An interview with Brockovich at the end of the book on her inspiration for Rock Bottom indicates this is not the last time we'll be hearing from A.J., so I eagerly anticipate a sequel.
August 25, 2011
Ten years ago, Erin Brockovich’s story hit the silver screen, touching hearts and bringing environmental causes front and center in most households. Erin’s strength and passion for doing the right thing only added to my need to read this amazing debut thriller. My main concern was, “Will this book be as powerful as her life story was in theaters?” The answer is, YES!
Angela Joy Palladino, environmental activist, comes home to Scotia, West Virginia, with her tail between her legs, hoping for a fresh start and a good life for her beloved son, David. What awaits her is an environmental catastrophe that is closer to home than any case she’s handled before. With a job lined up, A.J. a.k.a. “The People’s Champion,” is ready to dive back into the legal world with the town’s local attorney. Before she knows it, her boss is dead. David’s dad is still in Scotia, and trouble is brewing on the mountaintops. Will “The People’s Champion” settle the score in Scotia or will Scotia send her packing?
Brockovich’s debut novel was absolutely astonishing. It was more than I could have ever imagined possible. The characters and plot were larger than life and insanely realistic. The level of detail and care put into not only the characters but the environmental issues made “Rock Bottom” a thrilling read. A.J.’s character does seem a bit familiar. Erin Brockovich emanates from the main character as if they are one person. This made A.J. more realistic and easier to connect with.
Overall, this is a powerful story that blends family, the environmental and the legal world together. In the beginning, I was sure I knew who the guilty party was, but I was dead wrong. The pace of the novel was great, keeping me engaged in the plot and characters to the very last page. I highly recommend this amazingly passionate debut novel to all readers.
Angela Joy Palladino, environmental activist, comes home to Scotia, West Virginia, with her tail between her legs, hoping for a fresh start and a good life for her beloved son, David. What awaits her is an environmental catastrophe that is closer to home than any case she’s handled before. With a job lined up, A.J. a.k.a. “The People’s Champion,” is ready to dive back into the legal world with the town’s local attorney. Before she knows it, her boss is dead. David’s dad is still in Scotia, and trouble is brewing on the mountaintops. Will “The People’s Champion” settle the score in Scotia or will Scotia send her packing?
Brockovich’s debut novel was absolutely astonishing. It was more than I could have ever imagined possible. The characters and plot were larger than life and insanely realistic. The level of detail and care put into not only the characters but the environmental issues made “Rock Bottom” a thrilling read. A.J.’s character does seem a bit familiar. Erin Brockovich emanates from the main character as if they are one person. This made A.J. more realistic and easier to connect with.
Overall, this is a powerful story that blends family, the environmental and the legal world together. In the beginning, I was sure I knew who the guilty party was, but I was dead wrong. The pace of the novel was great, keeping me engaged in the plot and characters to the very last page. I highly recommend this amazingly passionate debut novel to all readers.
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