“The Final Case” is an eye-opening book that reveals the hidden evil of international adoption through the story of a corrupt white fundamentalist family.
The author, David Guterson, found his inspiration for the book by attending the trial of Hana Alemu Williams in 2011. The book’s trial has several parallels to the real case, but it is still a work of fiction.

The story is told by the narrator who is unnamed and talks in first person limited. He has an interesting perspective on the trial because his father, Royal, is the defense attorney of Betsy Harvey. Royal is 83 years old and recently had a car accident, thus the narrator helps his father by driving him around and helping with the case. Throughout the book, it is recognizable to see the growing bond between the narrator and his father.
The book isn’t separated into chapters, but rather structured with a prologue on Royal’s first case, the pre-trial, then the trial, and post-trial. This sequential pattern allows the reader to get the same interactive feeling that Royal and the narrator had amidst the case and trial.

There are a lot of rising themes that Guterson expresses throughout his novel. The ones that stood out to me the most were oppression, parenthood, religion, education, abandonment, and parenthood. What I love the most about these themes is that these problems are relatable and relevant to today’s modern societal issues.
I would say that the case is extremely tragic and emotional. It is difficult to read about a young innocent girl who dies at the hands of pure evil, but Guterson extraordinarily presents the case with description, facts, and details.
I highly encourage you to pick up “The Final Case” because it is a great way to learn about today’s human rights issues through a sequential trial. It is an eye-opening book, but I believe that is the best part about it.