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3.91 AVERAGE
3.91 AVERAGE
This is the first Picoult Book I have read. I couldn't put it down, although I did feel like it was a bit long and went over some of the same things twice. It did make me interested to know more about Aspergers and what it must feel like. I did feel the ending was a bit abrupt winding it up very quickly. I couldn't help wondering why they didn't ask some obvious questions but of course that would have finished the story pretty quickly!
Recenze na blogu
Na to, jak to celé bylo, jsem přišla velmi brzy. Taky mě tam několik málo věcí rozčilovalo. Proto 4*... Celkově se ale jedná o skvěle napsanou knížku se zajímavým námětem a propracovanými charaktery. Rozhodně doporučuji:)
Na to, jak to celé bylo, jsem přišla velmi brzy. Taky mě tam několik málo věcí rozčilovalo. Proto 4*... Celkově se ale jedná o skvěle napsanou knížku se zajímavým námětem a propracovanými charaktery. Rozhodně doporučuji:)
Some reviews say that this is a good little window into what it is like living with someone with Autism, but it is not. Autism is a spectrum and not one size fits all. The representation of Autism in this book is bad (I would go as far to say harmful)
The Mother jokes about vaccines causing her son to have Autism and another character recommends diets and tricks to "cure" Autism and none of this behavior is challenged by any of the characters in the book. At one point there's a joking reference to Josef Mengele that is so ick. When the absent Father is brought up the reason given for him not being a great guy/dad is because he probably had undiagnosed Autism. A character who supposedly wants nothing more than to be a special needs educator allows her boyfriend to constantly call her clients the R slur, allowing him to say it in one particular instance saying it multiple times directly to her Autistic mentees face!
(Autism is referred to in the book as Aspergers which was admittedly accepted at the time, but is not great)
Could've made a good point about how neurodivergent people are treated in the justice system but the representation is so questionable that it all falls flat. Also the ending itself was just kind of Meh to me.Finding out it was an accident the whole time but, oops miscommunication I thought my brother did it so I covered it up and I watch a lot of crime shows so I framed someone else. It feels like someone saying they could get away with murder because they watch Investigation Discovery
The Mother jokes about vaccines causing her son to have Autism and another character recommends diets and tricks to "cure" Autism and none of this behavior is challenged by any of the characters in the book. At one point there's a joking reference to Josef Mengele that is so ick. When the absent Father is brought up the reason given for him not being a great guy/dad is because he probably had undiagnosed Autism. A character who supposedly wants nothing more than to be a special needs educator allows her boyfriend to constantly call her clients the R slur, allowing him to say it in one particular instance saying it multiple times directly to her Autistic mentees face!
(Autism is referred to in the book as Aspergers which was admittedly accepted at the time, but is not great)
Could've made a good point about how neurodivergent people are treated in the justice system but the representation is so questionable that it all falls flat. Also the ending itself was just kind of Meh to me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism
challenging
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Jacob Hunt, a brilliant teen with Asperger’s syndrome, becomes a key figure in a murder investigation. As his family faces community suspicion, they struggle with the challenges of acceptance and the impact of Jacob’s condition on their lives.
*spoilers*
When reading this, I had to remind myself that it was written and published almost 15 years ago, and a lot of these terms and information for and about autism are different. I really struggled with this aspect of the book but I persevered. Ultimately, I was disappointed with the latter half of the book itself. It was incredibly long and it felt like the last half, where it should have ramped up, was a slog to get through.
I will say, this book did keep me turning the pages up to a point because it felt like almost every chapter had a cliffhanger because you were reading so many viewpoints. I loved that it was first person for whoever’s viewpoint we were in. But it still felt very long once you got to 40-50%. It just didn’t need to be that long. I finished it because it was a book club book.
I will also say, I solved the ‘crime’ really early in the book and was just waiting for everyone else to figure it out which they do in the last 30 pages or so. Obviously I wanted to know how and why Jacob did what he did, but I knew what happened to Jess immediately.
My favorite perspective was Theo’s, I didn’t like that Oliver and Emma hooked up, it felt really icky and super out of place in the novel. The end felt abrupt after taking so long to get there.
Curious to see how others feel about this book though! It just wasn’t for me and that’s okay. I might have enjoyed it more 15 years ago.
*spoilers*
When reading this, I had to remind myself that it was written and published almost 15 years ago, and a lot of these terms and information for and about autism are different. I really struggled with this aspect of the book but I persevered. Ultimately, I was disappointed with the latter half of the book itself. It was incredibly long and it felt like the last half, where it should have ramped up, was a slog to get through.
I will say, this book did keep me turning the pages up to a point because it felt like almost every chapter had a cliffhanger because you were reading so many viewpoints. I loved that it was first person for whoever’s viewpoint we were in. But it still felt very long once you got to 40-50%. It just didn’t need to be that long. I finished it because it was a book club book.
I will also say, I solved the ‘crime’ really early in the book and was just waiting for everyone else to figure it out which they do in the last 30 pages or so. Obviously I wanted to know how and why Jacob did what he did, but I knew what happened to Jess immediately.
My favorite perspective was Theo’s, I didn’t like that Oliver and Emma hooked up, it felt really icky and super out of place in the novel. The end felt abrupt after taking so long to get there.
Curious to see how others feel about this book though! It just wasn’t for me and that’s okay. I might have enjoyed it more 15 years ago.
This is a hard review for me given my background. It was well written hence the star rating. Also, as a mother of two Autistic kids, I empathized with Emma so much, because every single day I live in fear that something like that happens to my kids.
However, I believe that most people who read this assumes everything written about Jacob (AUTISM) is facts and it is simply untrue.
If you’re wanting to read this in hopes you could learn about Autism better, this book is NOT for you! If anyone wants to learn more about Autism, either read books written by Autistic authors OR ask questions to someone who is Autistic.
However, I believe that most people who read this assumes everything written about Jacob (AUTISM) is facts and it is simply untrue.
If you’re wanting to read this in hopes you could learn about Autism better, this book is NOT for you! If anyone wants to learn more about Autism, either read books written by Autistic authors OR ask questions to someone who is Autistic.
This is one of many Jodi Picoult books I have read, and there are many more on my shelf because she is without a doubt my favorite author. This book was no exception.
The book follows the life of the Hunt family as they go through trying times trying to accommodate and help the son, Jacob's, Asperger's syndrome. Jacob's life with Asperger's has set the lives of both his mother, Emma, and younger brother, Theo, on a tough course for most of his whole life, and when a murder of a close friend comes to, the course becomes one even tougher.
Through Picoult's use of different characters and their perspectives, we are able to see the story unfold in a way that is specific, skillful, and filled with different sparks of charisma beneath each character.
I really enjoyed this book, although I wish we could give partial stars. I flew through this book pretty quickly for it's length, however at the end I wasn't 100% satisfied. I wanted a little more, and felt as though a little bit of something was missing for me. I really love how there is closure at the end of Picoult's books and this one made it hard for me to feel that since the ending left me so many questions about the characters and their fates. (It did help that they printed a Q&A in the back which answered a few, but not as many as I would have liked!)
All this aside though, I love her work and the extensive amount of research Picoult does (with real people in similar situations or experiences) really shines through in each of her books, especially this one. She covers all of her tracks and really lets her readers see through the eyes of someone we may not be able to understand otherwise. And for that, I am grateful. Enlightened, stimulated both intellectually and emotionally, and grateful.
The book follows the life of the Hunt family as they go through trying times trying to accommodate and help the son, Jacob's, Asperger's syndrome. Jacob's life with Asperger's has set the lives of both his mother, Emma, and younger brother, Theo, on a tough course for most of his whole life, and when a murder of a close friend comes to, the course becomes one even tougher.
Through Picoult's use of different characters and their perspectives, we are able to see the story unfold in a way that is specific, skillful, and filled with different sparks of charisma beneath each character.
I really enjoyed this book, although I wish we could give partial stars. I flew through this book pretty quickly for it's length, however at the end I wasn't 100% satisfied. I wanted a little more, and felt as though a little bit of something was missing for me. I really love how there is closure at the end of Picoult's books and this one made it hard for me to feel that since the ending left me so many questions about the characters and their fates. (It did help that they printed a Q&A in the back which answered a few, but not as many as I would have liked!)
All this aside though, I love her work and the extensive amount of research Picoult does (with real people in similar situations or experiences) really shines through in each of her books, especially this one. She covers all of her tracks and really lets her readers see through the eyes of someone we may not be able to understand otherwise. And for that, I am grateful. Enlightened, stimulated both intellectually and emotionally, and grateful.
In general, I thought "House Rules" was a decent read for those who are looking for a book with an engaging plot and relatable characters. As a huge fan of Jodi Picoult, I was super excited to pick up this book at my local Barnes & Noble. Up until this point, every Jodi Picoult book I've read usually comes with a huge twist or thought-provoking moment that leaves me wanting more. So I was extremely disappointed when the conclusion of "House Rules" fell flat. When the end was revealed, I realized I had predicted the outcome at least 100 pages ago! Also, I found Emma Hunt (Jacob's mom and one of the main characters) to be quite unrealistic. In the book, Emma goes out of her way to bend every rule and situation to revolve around Jacob (her son and main character with Asperger's). Based on my experience with the disability community (which is a tad bit more than your average joe's), parents attempt to challenge and push their children in order for them to be successful in the real world. But Emma doesn't do this at all! This made it hard for me to empathize with her struggles and even read from her perspective in the story. While I don't think this book would be at the top of my recommendation list, it's not entirely awful. Jodi Picoult was still able to create some suspense and edge which made me want to read more and I ultimately did finish the book. Word of the wise: if you want to find Jodi Picoult's best piece of work, don't pick up this book.
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I've sworn off Jodi at least twice now, but she keeps sucking me back in. Here's the problem I had with this book...
All of her books are essentially the same (or at least, the six or seven I've read), and sometimes she does it really well - Plain Truth or My Sister's Keeper - and sometimes she just falls flat - Tenth Circle and this one. You go into a Jodi book knowing the ending is going to be shocking, and you spend the book trying to anticipate what will happen. With House Rules, not only did I figure out what had really happened to Jess pretty much right away, and was thus spoiled, but the shocking ending wasn't that shocking (even if I hadn't already guessed it). It was contrived and disappointing. A little too much melodrama in this one.
All of her books are essentially the same (or at least, the six or seven I've read), and sometimes she does it really well - Plain Truth or My Sister's Keeper - and sometimes she just falls flat - Tenth Circle and this one. You go into a Jodi book knowing the ending is going to be shocking, and you spend the book trying to anticipate what will happen. With House Rules, not only did I figure out what had really happened to Jess pretty much right away, and was thus spoiled, but the shocking ending wasn't that shocking (even if I hadn't already guessed it). It was contrived and disappointing. A little too much melodrama in this one.