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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
Poignant, bittersweet, emotional, and tragic.
All of these words come to mind to describe House Rules, Jodi Picoult's newest novel. The story follows Jacob, a young man with Asperger's Syndrome, an affliction classified as high-functioning autism. While all teens suffer growing pains, and while most parents at times do not understand their children, Jacob, literally, does not understand the rest of the world.
Jacob is a forensic science buff who routinely shows up at crime scenes to "help" the local police force. Figuring out whodunnit fascinates him, but when his social skills tutor is murdered, everyone who does not understand Jacob's condition is horrified when he seemingly cannot even express grief at Jess's death. Jacob injects himself into the investigation but soon finds himself playing a far greater role than onlooker: suspect.
This book explores how the legal system works...and how it doesn't, for someone who does not know how to communicate, and does not understand social cues. It is the story of a male who longs to fit in, but does not know how to begin to try...a mother who loves her son fervently, but cannot comprehend his life.
This book asks: define normal.
Who really can?
All of these words come to mind to describe House Rules, Jodi Picoult's newest novel. The story follows Jacob, a young man with Asperger's Syndrome, an affliction classified as high-functioning autism. While all teens suffer growing pains, and while most parents at times do not understand their children, Jacob, literally, does not understand the rest of the world.
Jacob is a forensic science buff who routinely shows up at crime scenes to "help" the local police force. Figuring out whodunnit fascinates him, but when his social skills tutor is murdered, everyone who does not understand Jacob's condition is horrified when he seemingly cannot even express grief at Jess's death. Jacob injects himself into the investigation but soon finds himself playing a far greater role than onlooker: suspect.
This book explores how the legal system works...and how it doesn't, for someone who does not know how to communicate, and does not understand social cues. It is the story of a male who longs to fit in, but does not know how to begin to try...a mother who loves her son fervently, but cannot comprehend his life.
This book asks: define normal.
Who really can?
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
2.5 ⭐️
This book was meh. Dragged out to be 500 pages and it could have ended halfway. I became frustrated with it as I felt there were some holes in the characters.
I do like the take on viewing it from a person with Asperger’s as well as the family of someone with Asperger’s. A good little insight on What it looks like having Asperger’s or caring for someone with Asperger’s in a world in which society labels them as different.
This book was meh. Dragged out to be 500 pages and it could have ended halfway. I became frustrated with it as I felt there were some holes in the characters.
I do like the take on viewing it from a person with Asperger’s as well as the family of someone with Asperger’s. A good little insight on What it looks like having Asperger’s or caring for someone with Asperger’s in a world in which society labels them as different.
My review is biased based on the fact that I am a mother of a daughter with Aspergers. The facts and insight were great. The mystery… not really. The whole tome I wondered WHY the lawyer snd mother would not question Jacob more. The ending was wrapped up in 10 MINUTES after 17 hours of audio. I gave it a 4 for Aspie facts and a 3 for mystery.
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Difficult read if you love someone who happens to have autism. Does offer a glimpse into their world. Intriguing.
I have mixed feelings about this book. The synopsis sounded really good and interesting, but for some reason I couldn’t get fully hooked into it. I took pauses and read other books. However I did like the book. I just didn’t love it as much as I was expecting. The ending was frustrating because it’s open to what the reader thinks and I just want an answer!
Honestly, the further I got into the book, the angrier I got. This books is a testament to the trials and tribulations of having Asperger's, but by the time it gets to the legal issues, I was shouting at it and complaining to my husband, who is a recovering lawyer.
Seems Picoult did not ask any lawyers if her depiction of court was believable. It was not. His lawyer would have been disbarred for the incompetence he presented.
I found the characters a bit too pat. She made them do things I didn't think they would do, case in point, the mother just let's the world pass by while her son is accused of murder. Oh sure, she tries to bring his medication to jail and explain Asperger's to people so they will understand her son. BUT... she trusted an outside person before her son, which led to his getting incarcerated. I did not believe that for a minute! This woman would have sequestered her son and gotten the truth out of him before ever contacting the authorities.
Oh, yeah, by the way, I figured it all out before all that happened, and I was really annoyed that Picoult did not give either brother a friend. A true friend. I don't believe for a moment that they would not have made at least one friend. Sorry. I found that too unbelievable. People are cruel and bullies, sure, but a whole lot of people are not.
I can't give this four stars. I felt she was on a band wagon to teach us about Asperger's and I learned a lot about that, but the story, the court room, the ending, all left me unfulfilled. I struggled to finish it because I KNEW what the ending was going to be...and still she left out the most important part... which I won't reveal here.
Sorry. This book was so annoying, I'm off Picoult for a good bit of time.
Seems Picoult did not ask any lawyers if her depiction of court was believable. It was not. His lawyer would have been disbarred for the incompetence he presented.
I found the characters a bit too pat. She made them do things I didn't think they would do, case in point, the mother just let's the world pass by while her son is accused of murder. Oh sure, she tries to bring his medication to jail and explain Asperger's to people so they will understand her son. BUT... she trusted an outside person before her son, which led to his getting incarcerated. I did not believe that for a minute! This woman would have sequestered her son and gotten the truth out of him before ever contacting the authorities.
Oh, yeah, by the way, I figured it all out before all that happened, and I was really annoyed that Picoult did not give either brother a friend. A true friend. I don't believe for a moment that they would not have made at least one friend. Sorry. I found that too unbelievable. People are cruel and bullies, sure, but a whole lot of people are not.
I can't give this four stars. I felt she was on a band wagon to teach us about Asperger's and I learned a lot about that, but the story, the court room, the ending, all left me unfulfilled. I struggled to finish it because I KNEW what the ending was going to be...and still she left out the most important part... which I won't reveal here.
Sorry. This book was so annoying, I'm off Picoult for a good bit of time.
Enjoyed the story..mostly being in the mind of a person with asperger's syndrome. Thought it was a bit redundant at times and it was rather predictable
As usual, Jodi Picoult brings the best in mindless stories...great summer reading, just ashame it's too heavy to carry to the beach!