If you ever read a Jodi Picoult novel, you know the drill. Multiple perspectives, courtroom tension, controversial topic, a little twist, insightful little quotes here and there. Lately, though, I haven't really liked her novels, the more of them I read, the less I like them. However, this one wasn't too bad. It wasn't my favorite by any means, but it wasn't her worse either. It divulged into corniness sometimes, but there were some humorous moments that, in retrospect, I really wish I had written them down.

My main complaint of this book is Picoult's one-sidedness about the topic at hand. Usually she is very good at maintaining a sympathetic POV on either side of the case, but in this book it is clear she favored one side. On one hand, we have the religious zealots who will do anything to prevent gay marriage, and on the other hand, we have a lesbian couple just trying to get a baby. Just from that description, you can probably tell what side I favor, and it was just as obvious in Picoult's novel. Her treatment of the Christians in this novel was just so harsh. She portrayed all of them as obnoxious, oppressive fanatics, who hide their fear and hate behind the Bible. There was no one in the book that was mildly religious, just obsessively so. Even though I have been confirmed as a Catholic, I don't really practice any faith, but I still felt kind of offended bythe stance Picoult took. I know she was being sympathetic to the defense of gay marriage, a cause I am all for, but she risked being offensive towards religious people, which I did not like.

A minor complaint, but I also felt the timeline of the story was bit rushed. So all in a period of around six months, the principle character, Zoe, has a miscarriage, gets a divorce, has a new best friend, falls in love with the best friend, embraces lesbianism, gets married, decides to have baby, and gets taken to court............gah. Know what I have accomplished in six months? Poo. All that has changed is that my Senioritis is reaching its boiling point.

Overall, I liked it. Even though my review is mostly criticism, I really liked the book. Enough to give it four stars immediately after reading. In retrospect, perhaps it deserves less, but I will leave it as is. A solid Jodi Picoult. A good transitory novel for readers looking to get into Picoult, as well as a solid read for fans.

Thanks, SImon & Schuster for letting me read an advanced copy.