How can you possibly describe the novel that has molded you into the person you are today? Are there even enough words in the English language to even attempt it? 
 The typical synopsis of "To Kill a Mockingbird" states that it takes place in Maycomb, Alabama in the 1930s. Told from the point of view of Jean Louise "Scout" Finch as an adult, it follows the story of Scout, her older brother Jem, and their father Atticus. Atticus is a defense attorney, and is assigned to the case of Tom Robinson, who has been falsely accused of raping a white woman. 
 This story, however, is so much more than that. It has so many important themes: particularly racism, socioeconomic prejudice, and, perhaps most importantly, childhood and the subsequent loss of childhood. "To Kill a Mockingbird" is truly the story of Jem: a young boy who grows up in an area full of racism, whose childhood beliefs about the goodness of his town and its residents are demolished by a 'simple' court decision. What makes this character development interestingly spectacular and heart-wrenching is the fact that the novel isn't even told from Jem's point of view, but rather from his younger sister's. 
 I could literally write papers and essays about how life-changing and thought-provoking this novel is (and I have done just that); however, no words could truthfully capture my love for "To Kill a Mockingbird." It's simply perfection.