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| Name : | Julie S. |
My Reviews
Everyone in our book club enjoyed the book, and most said it was one of those books that you just cannot put down.
In the opening pages, the reader is witness to the tragic accident that permanently severs the spinal cord of a young man and the nature of the relationship between him and his longterm girlfriend, Carrie Bell. Carrie is torn as she makes decisions about what she should do and what she must do. The characters in this book are developed to the point that you feel you know them as intimately as your own friends. The book is never obvious or predictable. The decisions that Carrie makes should lead to interesting discussions and disagreements in any book club!
I found the premise of this story interesting and promising. That is, a young Amish woman gives birth (or did she?) and kills her newborn (or did she?) We read about the contrast between the government court system and the justice of the Amish people as we learn the truth of the incident. The story is told from the first person accounts of many of the characters, including the conveniently placed high powered attorney, Ellie. Ellie just happens to be going through a personal identity crisis and quits her job so she can move in with the Amish family for the months it takes the case to go to court.
This is the first book I have read by Jodi Picoult, and I don't know if this is typical of all of her novels. However, I hesitate to read another by her, because I didn't find it to be "real". I think some would call this contrived or formulaic. The author seems to be very well researched on the lifestyle of the Amish. But the coincidences and actions of the characters do not ring true in my opinion.
I won't blow the ending for you, but let's just say it is disturbing, out of place and out of character...
This book may generate a good discussion for your book club, but I personally would not recommend it.
I highly recommend listening to an audio edition of this book! The author reads it herself. Through her tone of voice, you can feel her emotions both high and low as she travels the globe. I was sad when the book was over because it was like a friend confiding the intimacies of her soul as she had these unique experiences. Yes, she may be a little self absorbed and yes there are times when I thought "too much information." But this is the truth of Elizabeth Gilbert and I find her interesting and delightful!
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