Reviews
tw: racism, fat shaming, sexual assault Would you give up your vengeance against someone you hate if it meant saving someone you love? One of the best things about Jodi Picoult and why I fell in love with her books is because of her ability to write about topics that are morally grey. I live for the books that people shy away from. When The Da Vinci Code was released and it caused issues, I hopped aboard that hype train and haven't looked back. Jodi Picoult makes you think about your feelings on topics that you normally wouldn't think about. One of her books is about an Amish woman that is going to be convicted of murder. I mean, when was the last time you read a book about something like that? This particular book is about the death penalty. For the record: I am neither for nor against the death penalty. I have not researched enough about it to form an educated opinion. This may come off as ignorant but I don't ever make judgements on things I don't know enough about. The quote about encompasses what the entire book is about and it leaves you thinking. Shay is convicted of killing June's husband and daughter and is set to die. With his death, June's other daughter, Claire, gets another shot at life. But it is so much more complex than what I am making it to be. Of course, I don't know of a book about the death penalty that isn't complex. One of the strongest things about this book and about Jodi Picoult's writing is the multiple POVs that come together to tell the story of Shay. The four POVs are in no way overwhelming and offer multiple insights to the story. Many authors struggle with two POVs but Picoult can balance upwards of six with ease. One of the things she does that I think all authors should do if they have different POVs, is change the font type. That helps loads and gives the characters a more personal feel. For me anyway. This book also talks a lot about religion, as one of the POVs is a Catholic priest and the lawyer is Jewish but not practicing. I am not religious, not in the "normal" sense anway. Because of that, I tend to judge books with religion more than if they didn't have that element with the exception of historical fiction. It's a personal flaw that I am working on overcoming. For those that aren't religious like me, this book might come off as preachy at times, especially with Michael's POV (the Catholic priest). But it also gives insight to how some religious officials feel about the death penalty. Overall, this book is amazing. It's an excellent reason why Jodi Picoult is so good at what she does. Her topics, often controversial and morally grey, make you think about things in an entirely different light. I am seriously tempted to go and do research on the death penalty and how it came to be. I highly suggest this to anyone looking into a read that isn't your typical book.
The book was different than what I usually read but a bit disappointing overall.
I don't know if it's because of my poor English or not, but I really don't think this is a good book. Judging from the synopsis I thought it would be an interesting story, but the story itself doesn't really focus on it. It talks about whatsoever that I don't want to remember anymore.. Finishing this book is difficult for me. I have to force myself to pick it up and continue to read it. But still, I respect Jodi Picoult as a talented writer. :)
Although people criticize Jodi Picoult for writing the same book different ways, I think that she's good at writing what she knows. I enjoyed this book, and like always, found myself emotionally involved in the story.
I felt like I was reading the Da Vinci Code without the action. Picoult researched the topic to death and felt she had to report on everything she learned. I will admit, however, I did get a little teary-eyed at the end.
