Book review: 'Calico Joe'

Once upon a time, John Grisham novels were a study in how to write a gripping story, even on a subject as dry as law. Growing up, Grisham was one of the authors who initiated me into the world of good, simple fiction writing. The Pelican Brief is still one of my favourite books. I adored John Grisham.

Then I read Calico Joe.

In his latest bestseller, Grisham writes about one of the loves of his life: baseball. In 1973, rookie Joe Castle becomes the boy wonder of baseball, smashing home runs and records from his first game. Paul, the son of the mean-tempered Mets pitcher Warren Tracy, idolises him. When Warren and Joe finally face off, Warren throws a fastball that ends both their careers.

The story is told through Paul’s perspective in a dual childhood/adult narrative. Three decades later, on receiving the news that his father is dying, Paul decides it’s time his father made amends.

Though there are three central characters in Calico Joe, one stands out — Warren Tracy. He is a self-absorbed, philandering drunk. He is mean and hurts his children. He is a man in the fading prime of his baseball career and in denial of that fact. Joe is his opposite — a talented, nice guy and a family man. Besides sympathy, neither of Joe nor Paul evoke any other strong emotions. Warren, on the other hand infuriates, angers and exasperates in equal measure.

Grisham’s love for the game shines through in the narrative — folk of a small town rooting for their star, and the adulation among young fans collecting cards, newspaper cut outs and sitting glued to the radio during matches, the team rivalry, and the detailed commentary in the matches. Despite my lack of knowledge of the game (a basic introduction to baseball is provided in the beginning), those parts read the best.

Baseball is a good takeaway from the book even though it is no World Series thriller. While the flashbacks are gripping, the present day narrative is languorous. Unlike other Grisham novels where you can’t tell how the story will end, Calico Joe is predictable.

Grisham’s writing doesn’t hold that same appeal anymore. Maybe I was expecting more than just a story on relationships or a family drama. Or maybe, like Paul in the book, I too have moved on.