Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult

Fiction

When Jack enters the small town of Salem Falls, he's just looking for a fresh start. Just released from jail for sexual assault on a minor, a crime he did not commit, he wants to be in a place where no one knows about him. Jack ends up finding a job as a dishwasher at the local diner, run by Addie. Addie herself has a pretty bleak past, with her daughter being the product of a rape and then dying at an early age. The two become friends quickly, then lovers, and they learn about each other's past.

Others in Salem Falls are not happy that a convicted rapist is in their town and set out to scare him away. Jack ends up in pretty much exactly the same situation he was when he was charged with sexual assault, in this story of what happens when you are wrongly accused and convicted of a crime you did not do.

Picoult's stories always have good character development and lots of drama. I hadn't read one of hers for a while, so it was a nice break from the other books I've been reading, but I find that I can never read too many of her novels close together because there is so much drama. This book, like all her others, was very easy to get in to and had me completely engaged. I was frustrated for Jack and the injustices he was experiencing. There was a good twist at the end that I didn't see coming, but that made complete sense.

First Line: "Several miles in to his journey, Jack St. Bride decided to give up his former life."

Rating:
(4/5)

Mercy by Jodi Picoult

Fiction

When the cousin of the police chief Cam McDonald drives in to town with his dead wife beside him, he confesses to murdering her. Jaime McDonald's wife had stage 4 breast cancer and was deteriorating every day. She asked Jamie to kill her and because of his deep love for her, he obliged. Some people are touched by what he did, others think he should go to jail. Cam's wife Allie is one that thinks Jamie did the right thing, but she too has a deep devotion for her husband. When Cam's attentions waiver as a new girl comes in to town, their relationship is put to test over the duration of the trial.

This book has two parts: the murder of a terminally ill wife and the affair of a somewhat distant husband. The first part is good but not very suspenseful although I'm sure it's supposed to be. The second part is awful. Cam doesn't treat his wife that well to start with, then starts a relationship with a new girl and within 3 days is in love with her. It's not that plausible and fairly annoying. I expected more from Picoult than this trashy book.

First Line: "When she had packed all the artifacts that made up their personal history into liquor store boxes, the house became strictly a feminine place."

Rating:
(2/5)

Change of Heart

Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult
Literature/Fiction

June Nealon's life has not been easy. Her first husband was killed by a drunken driver and she was left to raise their daughter. June marries the policeman who looked into the accident and is 7 months pregnant when a day labourer kills her husband and her daughter.

Now, twelve years later Shay Bourne is on his last days on the death row. Claire, June's daughter is at death's door because of a faulty heart. Shay wishes to donate his heart to Claire. Other characters include Father Michael a conflicted spiritual adviser and Maggie a competent lawyer and spinster.

This book has elements of other stories in it: The Green Mile by Stephen King and The Chamber by John Grisham. Does this constitute plagiarism? It is a story about religion, the death penalty, salvation, vengeance and regrets. This is a typical Jodi Picoult story even to the twist at the end. I found this story to be quite unbelievable. However, the concepts were interesting to read about and provoked a lot of thought about the issues

First Line: "In the beginning, I believed in second chances."

Rating:
(3.5/5)

Songs of the Humpback Whale

Songs of the Humpback Whale by Jodi Picoult
Fiction/Literature

Jane Jones is a speech pathologist living in California with her famous husband, Oliver. Oliver researches songs of the humpback whale and find repetitions and when they sing. He has become world renown. Oliver has become so immersed in his research, he has little time to devote to his family.

When Jane gets into another one of their arguments, she actually hits Oliver this time. Horrified because she had an abusive father, she runs away. Her daughter, Rebecca , age 15, accompanies her.

Jane contacts her brother, Joley and wants to visit him. He gives her directions day by day driving her across the country and making her see points of interest. One of the points of interest is in Iowa where Rebecca survived an airplane crash when Jane had left Oliver another time and put Rebecca on the plane to return to Oliver alone.

Finally Jane and Rebecca arrive at the apple orchard in Massachusetts. Joley is working there alongside the owner, Sam and his assistant, Hadley, both 25. Jane falls in love with Sam and Rebecca with Hadley.

This novel was written in 5 voices. But the time frames are different as some are forwards and Rebecca is backwards. Although I did enjoy the book, it was not as good as some of Picoult's other books. There were some glaring problems. Hadley being so much older than Rebecca puts his actions in the realm of statutory rape, yet no one seems to worry about this aspect. The trip across the country is the most chaotic trip ever, with backtracking and sometimes it felt like it was the most indirect route available that was taken. The ending was hurried and as far as I was concerned not at all either satisfying or explained.

First Line: "In the upper right hand corner of the photo is a miniature airplane that looks as if it is flying right into my forehead."

Rating:
(3.5/5)

Songs of the Humpback Whale by Jodi Picoult

Songs of the Humpback Whale by Jodi Picoult
Literature/Fiction

Jane Jones grew up with an abusive father. Her dad would hit and verbally abuse both her and her mother. Jane managed to protect her younger brother, Joley, from the abuse which made Joley have a very deep and strong love for his sister.

Jane falls in love with and marries Oliver, a well-recognized expert on humpback whales, her life changes. She has to move to the other side of the country and finds herself at home alone more and more because Oliver leaves on expeditions to watch the whales. She soon has a daughter Rebecca and when she turns three, Oliver and Jane get into such a fight that Oliver slaps Jane and she takes off to Boston with Rebecca. When Oliver threatens to send the FBI to get back his daughter, she sends Rebecca back on a plane that ends up crashing and killing everyone but Rebecca and a couple of other people. Jane goes back to Oliver.

It's now 12 years later and the two get in another fight that results in Jane hitting Oliver. Afraid that she's going to become like her father, Jane sets out again on a cross country trip to see Joley. This time, with Rebecca and in the car because she's too afraid to fly. Joley gives them directions day by day, taking them on an odd route to see places he thinks would be therapeutic. We learn that the relationship between Jane and Rebecca is a bit strained. Layers to their relationship are peeled away as they get closer and closer to their destination.

This story is told from the perspective of five different people. Rebecca tells the story from the end to the beginning, which is interesting, however I feel that it detracts a bit from the story because there isn't much of a climax at the end. Infact, the overall tone of this book is rather flat. Everything goes in a circle and there isn't much resolution at the end. This is my least favourite Jodi Picoult book.

First Line: "In the upper right hand corner of the photo is a miniature airplane that looks as if it is flying right into my forehead."

Rating:
(3/5)

Handle with Care

Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult
Fiction/Literature

Charlotte and Sean O'Keefe with their two children, Amelia and Willow, plan a very longed-for vacation to Disneyworld. They have not been on vacation in ages because Willow has OI, a disease of brittle bones. Willow has broken numerous bones in her 5 years and spent countless hours in ERs and in casts.

Willow slips on a napkin and ends up in the ER. Abuse is suspected and Amelia goes to foster care and Charlotte and Sean go to the police station. Once home Sean is so upset he consults a lawyer to find out there is nothing he can do but there is a potential lawsuit of wrongful birth.

When Charlotte was pregnant and had an initial ultrasound the brain showed up as being very clear, a possible harbinger of the disease. Instead a secondary ultrasound found the problem when it was too late to do anything. Charlotte's best friend and OB should have found the problem or at the very least monitored the situation. Charlotte and Sean are very strapped for cash to handle Willow's medical expenses.

Charlotte decides to proceed with the lawsuit. She feels that she is doing this for the best of her child. In the meantime, poor neglected Amelia starts throwing up (bulimia) and cutting.

I absolutely hated Charlotte and felt there was no redeeming qualities about the character. What mother tells her child she loves her and then turns around and says to the court she wishes she aborted her and does this just for the money. Sean is the worst kind of wimp. He doesn't agree with Charlotte and starts divorce proceedings and then turns around and comes back to her. I have not had such a negative feeling about two characters in a long time.

The story is an interesting take on What if? and is very similiar to My Sister's Keeper.

First Line: "Things break all the time."

Rating:
(4.0/5)

Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult

Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult
Fiction/Literature

The O'Keefe's try to be a normal family with their children Amelia and Willow. Amelia is the older of the children and when her mom Charolette met her step-dad Sean, the two got married and eventually had Willow. Willow is an incredibly smart and whity five year old who has OI, a disease that causes her bones to break with as little as a sneeze. Everyone has to be very careful around her to make sure that she doesn't break another bone.

The family decides to take a carefully-planned trip to Disneyworld since they don't manage to go on vacation much. Willow ends up in the hospital with a break, Amelia in a foster home because they suspect abuse, and the O'Keefe adults in jail. When everything is finally sorted out, Sean wants to sue everyone possible for the embarrassment and inconvenience. His lawyer doesn't think much will come of that, but when he learns that Willow wasn't diagnosed in womb until past the 18th week, he thinks there might be a case there. Unfortunately this means that they will be suing Charlotte's best friend, who was also her ob-gyn.

The family is put under a lot of strain during the lawsuit. Sean doesn't know if he agrees with the lawsuit, Amelia feels invisible, and Willow thinks that her parents wished she wasn't born.

The similarities between this book and My Sister's Keeper are striking. A family with 2 children, one very sick. A lawsuit is involved and there's a similar twist at the end. Despite the fact that I felt like I had read this book before, I still couldn't put it down. If you were not a big fan of My Sister's Keeper, you probably won't enjoy this one either.

First Line: "Things break all the time."

Rating:
(4/5)

Picture Perfect

Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult
Fiction/Literature

Cassie is found with no memory in a graveyard by Will, a half breed. As she slowly recovers her memory Cassie discovers she is a physical anthropologist and married to Alex Rivers, the movie star every female is in love with. Her life is not picture perfect, Cassie and Alex love each other but Alex is filled with rage and frequently it is directed towards her.

Their life from initial meeting to present day is told. Cassie has been suffering abuse a long time. Will she have the strength to leave a man she loves?

Picoult focuses on the abuse and tells it from the point of view of the abused woman. A woman who loves a man who hurts her, who believes it is her own fault and knows if she leaves it could be the death of her as well as if she stays. This book made me understand a little why the abused often stay.

Where I felt the book was missing was in the establishment of the story. What intelligent cop would have put her back into the abuse without more investigation into the cause of the amnesia. Also when she was checked out why was she not told she was pregnant. The book was written and the story was made to fit. This causes holes which disturb the reader.

Definitely not one of my fav Picoult books

First Line: "Long ago on the shores of the Atlantic there lived a great Indian warrior called Strong Wind"

Rating:

(3.5/5)

Mercy

Mercy by Jodi Picoult
Literature

Police chief and clan chieftain Cameron McDonald arrests his cousin Jamie when he confesses to killing his wife, Maggie. Maggie had asked Jamie to kill her after a prolonged and painful illness from cancer. Jamie is so in love with his wife that he does as she asks.

Cameron is married to Allie. Allie supports Jamie and helps him in his defense. This book questions the right to kill someone (euthanasia). Whatever side of the controversy it is an inflamatory subject.

Allie owns a local flower shop and employs a new person to the town, Mia. Cameron is instantly attracted to Mia. This supplies more discord to Allie and Cameron's marriage.

I did not enjoy this book as much as some of Picoult's other books but it was still a great read. Maggie was selfish not committing suicide instead of insisting on Jamie's involvement. Picoult did not explain this very well.

First Line: "When she had packed all the artifacts that made up their personal history into liquor boxes, the house became strictly a feminine place."

Rating:

(4.0/5)

Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult

Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult
Fiction/Literature

Cassie wakes up in a graveyard and she can't remember her name or anything about herself. A man named Will helps her out, telling her that he is about to start on the LAPD after having moved to California from an Indian reserve in South Dakota. He doesn't seem to quite fit in anywhere, being half Indian, half white, but he enjoys Cassie's company; until she finds out who she is.

Cassie is an anthropologist and wife of the most famous actor in Hollywood, Alex Rivers. Slowly she starts to piece together what life was like before she forgot everything, and it's not picture perfect. What results, is a story of domestic abuse and fitting in.

As always, Picoult writes these novels perfectly. The characters are so dynamic and raw. The storyline is dramatic. I kept waiting for the Picoult twist, trying to figure out all the ways that the book could end. Picoult doesn't disappoint, however this isn't her best book. I grew to dispise Alex and despite the explanations, I don't understand how anyone could stay with someone who physically abuses them. There was one loose end though, and that is how Cassie ended up in a graveyard with no memory. Did I miss this in the book? It seems too big of a loose end for Picoult to miss. Overall a great book!

First Line: "Long ago on the shores of the Atlantic there lived a great Indian warrior called Strong Wind."

Rating:

(4/5)

The Pact

The Pact by Jodi Picoult
Literature

This is a typical Jodi Picoult book. A controversial subject is explored and a twist is introduced at the end.

The Golds and Hartes have lived side by side for years and their children have grown up together. Chris and Emily were destined to be soul mates. When a call from the hospital comes in the middle of the night, everyone is surprised. Emily is dead from a gunshot wound and Chris says they had a suicide pact. But the gun is from Chris' father's gun collection and forensics points to something other than suicide.

The book alternately portrays Chris and Emily growing up with scenes of the present. The idyllic past is interlaced with the anguish of the present. Picoult shows how each family member copes with the other family and the grief shared by all.

This book explores the idea of how well we know our children and how strong the bonds of friendship are. Picoult has once again written a book which had me reading well after the lights should have been out

First Line: "There was nothing left to say"

Rating:

(4.0/5)