Just Mercy: A True Story of the Fight for Justice (adapted for young adults)
by Bryan Stevenson
Autobiography
Criminal Justice
Equal Rights
LawNonfiction
Thriller
Review #1
* * * * * Stars (Amazing!)
A lawyer and social justice advocate Bryan Stevenson tells us the stories and experiences he goes through raising awareness to the social injustices of many he had as clients. I was absolutely devastated by the stories of the imprisoned who Bryan fought for. For older teens + adults.
Review #2
* * * * Stars (Great!)
“Just Mercy” is a non-fiction book that is narrated as a memoir in the eys of criminal justice lawyer, Bryan Stevenson. Through all the cases he has defended, he stood up for wrongly or unfairly convicted convicts on death row who are discriminated against by the systematic racism and prejudice in the US justice system. From his point of view, Stevenson encourages us to empathize with many minorities in our society, such as people of color, women, and children. The story mainly focuses on the case of Walter McMillian, a young black man accused of murder by a white man, Ralph Myers. Follow Stevenson along on his journey to get people the justice and mercy they deserve.
This book is perfect for teens and adults who aren’t very captivated by non-fiction, but want to get into it to learn more about our world. Stevenson did a great job of teaching us the realities of the society that we live in today and allowed the reader to see our country from a whole different perspective. He tells it like a story filled with suspense by focusing on Walter’s story, keeping the reader captivated until the very end. Is he innocent? Will he be exonerated? Read to find out! For high school teens + adults.
Review #3
* * * * * Stars (Amazing!)
“Just Mercy” was written by Bryan Stevenson, a lawyer. He was a young lawyer when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a nonprofit law office in Montgomery, Alabama, dedicated to defending the poor, incarcerated, and the wrongly condemned. “Just Mercy” tells the story of the people the EJI defended and poses lingering questions for the reader on incarceration. “Just Mercy” follows a few stories, but mainly follows the story of Walter McMillian, a young Black man who was sentenced to die for the murder of a young white woman that he didn’t commit. Bryan defends Walter and tries to help him piece his life back together.
This book is one of the best books I have read in my lifetime. My values about incarceration changed from listening to Bryan’s POV and the incarcerated individuals’ perspectives. Walter McMillian’s story is incredibly sad and it moved me to tears. It was tough to accept that this book was nonfiction, because the stories that were being written about were actual stories from individuals who were incarcerated. There is an adult version of “Just Mercy,” and a version that is adapted for young adults. The adult version carries more heavy topics, so I recommend reading the YA adaptation if you are in middle or high school. There is also a movie for “Just Mercy,” starring Michael B. Jordan as Bryan Stevenson, and Jamie Foxx as Walter McMillian. The movie is incredible, so if you finish reading “Just Mercy,” watch the movie! For these reasons, I give “Just Mercy” a five-star review, and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a book that will stay with them long after the final page is turned.
For middle and high school students + adults.
