A Michigan bookstore, Brilliant Books, is offering disgruntled customers a full refund for Harper Lee’s new book Go Set A Watchman, the store claims the book’s marketing campaign was misleading and exploitative.
Go Set A Watchman was the highly anticipated second book from Harper Lee that was released 55 years after her Pulitzer Prize winning book To Kill A Mockingbird.
In a blog post, the independent bookstore said:
“We at Brilliant Books want to be sure that our customers are aware that Go Set A Watchman is not a sequel or prequel to To Kill A Mockingbird. Neither is it a new book. It is a first draft that was originally, and rightfully, rejected.
“It is disappointing and frankly shameful to see our noble industry parade and celebrate this as ‘Harper Lee’s New Novel’. This is pure exploitation of both literary fans and a beloved American classic (which we hope has not been irrevocably tainted).”
The bookstore’s owner, Peter Makin, told US publication Detroit Free Press why the company is offering refunds.
“We are not offering refunds based on the quality of the (Harper Lee) book or its content. We are offering refunds to those who bought the book based on marketing that led them to believe it was something other than what it actually was. If you find yourself complicit in misleading a customer, you should make amends. Again, this isn’t about whether they liked the book. Its about being misled by the marketing.”
