Stephen Dau's The Book of Jonas is a marvelous, lyrical debut that examines the effects of war on everyone involved. Dau weaves together the stories...
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I credit Picoult for her human and humane examination of a difficult, complex topic. There is much to admire in the writing, as well. What I found troubling were, first, the too-precocious voice of 13-yr. old Anna: "I wasn't the result of a cheap bottle of wine or a full moon or the heat of the moment." Show me a 13-yr. old who's so clear on how accidental pregnancies occur. Always I was aware that she was an authorial concoction--an engaging one, yes, but inauthentic to this reader. Second, the novel's focus is on Anna's right to choose, and builds toward the moment when that privilege is about to be exercised--only to shortchange the reader with a too-neat swerve that prevents Anna from choosing anything at all.
Since the story is about nothing if not facing the hard choices in life as a parent, as a child who's well, as a child who's not, Picoult's decision to spring a "surprise" and melodramatic ending on the reader caused me to drop the novel in irritation. The narrative builds to a conclusion that never arrives, leaving this reader feeling annoyed and wary of reading Picoult's other works. The very same ending could easily have been achieved without any loss of life, with the family having all taken needed lessons from the situation; therefore, Picoult's swerve comes across as manipulative.
The bottom line: it's easy to see why teenage girls are enraptured by this author, but more demanding readers beware.
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My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Treeflower, May 10, 2006
I credit Picoult for her human and humane examination of a difficult, complex topic. There is much to admire in the writing, as well. What I found troubling were, first, the too-precocious voice of 13-yr. old Anna: "I wasn't the result of a cheap bottle of wine or a full moon or the heat of the moment." Show me a 13-yr. old who's so clear on how accidental pregnancies occur. Always I was aware that she was an authorial concoction--an engaging one, yes, but inauthentic to this reader. Second, the novel's focus is on Anna's right to choose, and builds toward the moment when that privilege is about to be exercised--only to shortchange the reader with a too-neat swerve that prevents Anna from choosing anything at all.Since the story is about nothing if not facing the hard choices in life as a parent, as a child who's well, as a child who's not, Picoult's decision to spring a "surprise" and melodramatic ending on the reader caused me to drop the novel in irritation. The narrative builds to a conclusion that never arrives, leaving this reader feeling annoyed and wary of reading Picoult's other works. The very same ending could easily have been achieved without any loss of life, with the family having all taken needed lessons from the situation; therefore, Picoult's swerve comes across as manipulative.
The bottom line: it's easy to see why teenage girls are enraptured by this author, but more demanding readers beware.
(16 of 22 readers found this comment helpful)