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4.09 AVERAGE
4.09 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was my first Jodi Picoult and I was genuinely impressed! Her writing style is beautiful without being too much, and the way she builds characters is such an art—they all felt distinct but familiar. Even though this book was long, I never found myself wanting to skip ahead; every word felt intentional and had its place.
The story itself is emotional from the start, and Picoult explores so many heavy themes (bullying, violence, justice) without it ever feeling forced.
The highlight of this book is the fully realized characters. There are quite a few to keep track of, but they all felt 3 dimensional and I could understand their psychologies and motivations very well. The best example of this is of course our main character Peter, who I found myself completely empathizing with despite his unforgivable actions. My one complaint is that it included random references to various hot-button social issues which were never explored in detail (e.g. women's reproductive rights, racism, homophobia, the impact of 9/11). I think if the book took a more focused approach to highlight just the main issues of gun violence, bullying, and homophobia (more in-depth), it would have overall felt tighter.
I liked this book. First Jodi Picoult read.
There were many, many points of view which had me bouncing around like a ping pong ball. I liked several of the characters, but would kind of groan when others would pop up.
I found it to be a bit outdated and cringey at times, like it clearly a product of the early 2000s which I don't really appreciate. I prefer when a books publication time doesn't stick out like a sore thumb.
I enjoyed the beginning and the climax of the story,but not so much the end....
I may give one of her other books a try. It was an interesting read..I am leaning to 3.5 stars.
There were many, many points of view which had me bouncing around like a ping pong ball. I liked several of the characters, but would kind of groan when others would pop up.
I found it to be a bit outdated and cringey at times, like it clearly a product of the early 2000s which I don't really appreciate. I prefer when a books publication time doesn't stick out like a sore thumb.
I enjoyed the beginning and the climax of the story,but not so much the end....
I may give one of her other books a try. It was an interesting read..I am leaning to 3.5 stars.
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
1. Writing style – 4
The book was well written and easy to follow.
2. Plot – 4
I thought the plot was solid. I liked going back and forth in the timeline. I just felt like the resolution of Josie’s storyline was kind of rushed and could have been nurtured a little bit better.
3. Characters – 4.5
The main characters had a lot of complexities to try to unpack. Their relationships with each other as the story progressed were interesting to watch unfold.
4. Pacing – 3.75
This seemed a little slow at times, especially in the beginning.
5. World Building – 4.5
I thought this was well done. She really created an environment that makes the reader almost want to empathize with Peter after all he’s been through.
6. Overall enjoyment – 4
I’m going to average this out to a 4. There wasn’t much that I didn’t like about it. I felt a little lost in the beginning when we were learning the background of Jordan and Patrick, only to learn later that these were characters in other books of hers that I hadn’t read. Other than that, and Josie’s ending, I don’t have much to complain about.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Gun violence, Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse
Minor: Miscarriage
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
dark
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes