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protoman21's review against another edition
3.0
I never really connected with this book or the characters like I have with other books by Picoult. She has a way of unearthing feelings and situations that challenge the way you think about things, but in this case I'm not sure it was anything I had any interest in digging up. Paige is damaged and we do get insight into how being abandoned by your mother can affect you the rest of your life, but her journey comes across as selfish much of the time and that keeps her from being a sympathetic character. You may understand her reasons for doing something, but it doesn't make you like her or care about what happens to her. Nicholas isn't without his own flaws. He is arrogant and self serving and never very appealing. Together you feel like they almost deserve each other, but you also see that they need to fix themselves before they can work as a couple. Maybe that is the point, but if so it sure is a painful journey getting there.
kellie_reads_and_journals's review against another edition
3.0
It was alright. Seeing as how this is Jodi’s second book she’s ever written, it was hard to get through and to me seemed awkward. She’s definitely grown as an author the more she’s written
kgentry4's review against another edition
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
The story was fine and it even had some relatable concepts. That said, the main characters were tolerable at best (and maddening at worst).
bethanyarriaga's review against another edition
Soft DNF, might try and pick up later. I’m just not vibing with it right now.
mcdubbs1188's review against another edition
4.0
First off, before starting the book, I noticed it was on a list of books not to read while pregnant and thought, interesting fact. I started reading the book and a few weeks later found out I was pregnant (surprise!). At one point, the book hit a bit too close to home which made me crabby and my husband banned me from continuing. Thankfully, I didn't share the main character's past, just caught myself sympathizing with the fear of being a new mother. After about a month off, I picked it up again. Halfway through the book, I was able to separate book from life (not always easy!) and was able to enjoy it more.
I love Picoult books, and recently decided to start from the beginning. The threads of her later writing style are clearly starting to be established with this book, but it is also a nice change from the pattern she gets into later on with a heavy focus on the courtroom. I found the story-line to be deep and thought provoking while still carrying the easy-to-read plot line.
Unlike many of Picoult's later books, I did not have any character I truly did not like. That was a nice change of pace. Sure, I disagreed with their thinking sometimes, but if I didn't, what would be the point of reading the book.
One note: I will say that starting this book, I knew it was one of her first books. I have also read two of her other books that were pre-law-focused novels/"hot topic" centered. I knew going into it that this would probably be more story-like and less dramatic plot-twists. I probably gave it more slack than some of the others to leave reviews because of that.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I would probably give it closer to 3.5 stars, but am feeling generous today.
I love Picoult books, and recently decided to start from the beginning. The threads of her later writing style are clearly starting to be established with this book, but it is also a nice change from the pattern she gets into later on with a heavy focus on the courtroom. I found the story-line to be deep and thought provoking while still carrying the easy-to-read plot line.
Unlike many of Picoult's later books, I did not have any character I truly did not like. That was a nice change of pace. Sure, I disagreed with their thinking sometimes, but if I didn't, what would be the point of reading the book.
One note: I will say that starting this book, I knew it was one of her first books. I have also read two of her other books that were pre-law-focused novels/"hot topic" centered. I knew going into it that this would probably be more story-like and less dramatic plot-twists. I probably gave it more slack than some of the others to leave reviews because of that.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. I would probably give it closer to 3.5 stars, but am feeling generous today.
alybre13's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 rounded up. You can definitely tell this is one of her earlier novels
gabmc's review against another edition
3.0
This book grew on me the more I read. One of my reading challenges this year was to read three books by one of my favourite authors. The first two I read by Jodi Picoult left me wondering about my decision to list her as one of my favourite authors. And this one took me a while to get into, mainly because the viewpoints from the different narrators seemed too similar. Paige's own mother left when she was just five years old. When she runs away from home at 18 and moves to Boston she meets Nicholas within days of arriving. Something about Paige sweeps Nicholas off his feet and he asks her to marry him after four dates. They come from very different worlds but that's one of the things Nicholas loves about Paige ... until he feels those differences are too great as he's trying to make his way up the hospital social scene. When Paige falls pregnant after eight years of marriage she is terrified - she doesn't know what it is to be a mother because she can't remember hers.
dacosta0931's review against another edition
4.0
I've loved Jodi since I was in high school and now reading her at an older age, wow her writing is amazing. I could relate to so many parts of the book it was scary. Between Paige's upbringing with Catholicism and an absent parent to new motherhood and being so scared that she needed a break.