There's been a lot of media and controversy over this book. I read it on release day and am just jotting down some quick thoughts. A more collected review may or may not follow at a later date. 
 More than anything, this novel demonstrated the strength of refocusing. Lee's voice is still very much evident here, but not as clear as in To Kill a Mockingbird. For instance, there are shifts between third person and first person that can be confusing in how it worked for the narrative. And as it slipped back and forth within same paragraphs it didn't always work for me. Additionally, the novel felt very heavy on exposition and prone to didactic speeches. This combined with a lack of external action and conflict could make it somewhat tedious. The parts of the novel I enjoyed the most, where Lee painted the most vivid images, were the flashbacks stories. So I can see why she was refocused to that world. 
 There wasn't much here to grab onto the characters. The major conflict of the novel is internal for Scout, now going by Jean Louise. But all of my attachment to her comes residual from To Kill a Mockingbird. Watchman doesn't really give me a reason to root for her, nothing in particular to latch onto. I do not really feel I know the woman she became. 
 While the thought of Atticus as a potential racist troubled me, I enjoyed the idea of problematizing our idols too. Lee seemed to be playing with that notion of growing up, and realizing the adult world looks different than the way we saw it as children. 
 Lee reworked this novel into to Kill a Mockingbird. So there are some pieces that don't fit completely together as she reworked it. I definitely think it's worth the read, whether as a further insight into how we got one of our most beloved novels or conversation started for some of the bigger ideas Lee is still playing with here. Watchman was just like a weird parallel universe.