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My Sister's Keeper
by Jodi Picoult (Goodreads Author)
by Jodi Picoult (Goodreads Author)
As I said before: I'm still reading this book but I'm not sure why. My mom lent me the book and she loved it, everyone tells me they loved it and I'm sort of hating it while I read. I just want to finish it and move on. Maybe I'll change my tune when it's over.
Well... I hate it less, but I'm still not in love with it. I think I know the problem, though. It's Jodi Picoult. My mom loves her, my sister loves her, everyone I know loves her and I can't stand her. She just writes in this odd way that gets on my nerves. What drove me nuts reading this one was the way that every chapter, almost every paragraph either ended with some sort of cliché or some profound statement that was supposed to be so meaningful.
She made not so subtle comparisons to the stars and the lonely people on earth, to a fire and a disease, a firefighter and a mother who wants to save her dying daughter. Gag. I couldn't take it. But I know it's just me and that other people are going to love this story.
I thought I knew how it was going to end but when it ended differently that I expected, my thought was "Oh yeah, I should have figured that one out. Much sappier than my prediction."
It's terrible, my Picoult-aversion. I have the same feelings toward Alice Hoffman and Anita Shreve. I once found an Anita Shreve book in the basement of the house I moved into, crammed under the oil tank. Never one to pass up a book, I gave it a read, got two chapters in and wanted to throw it back under the oil tank myself. I think these authors try too hard and that's what irritates me.
But don't let me stop you. Go ahead, swallow your sentimental nausea, put on your cliché repellant and I'm sure you'll enjoy the story of a family in turmoil, told in the fashion I usually enjoy where each chapter is from a different character's perspective. Just don't say I didn't warn you.
Well... I hate it less, but I'm still not in love with it. I think I know the problem, though. It's Jodi Picoult. My mom loves her, my sister loves her, everyone I know loves her and I can't stand her. She just writes in this odd way that gets on my nerves. What drove me nuts reading this one was the way that every chapter, almost every paragraph either ended with some sort of cliché or some profound statement that was supposed to be so meaningful.
She made not so subtle comparisons to the stars and the lonely people on earth, to a fire and a disease, a firefighter and a mother who wants to save her dying daughter. Gag. I couldn't take it. But I know it's just me and that other people are going to love this story.
I thought I knew how it was going to end but when it ended differently that I expected, my thought was "Oh yeah, I should have figured that one out. Much sappier than my prediction."
It's terrible, my Picoult-aversion. I have the same feelings toward Alice Hoffman and Anita Shreve. I once found an Anita Shreve book in the basement of the house I moved into, crammed under the oil tank. Never one to pass up a book, I gave it a read, got two chapters in and wanted to throw it back under the oil tank myself. I think these authors try too hard and that's what irritates me.
But don't let me stop you. Go ahead, swallow your sentimental nausea, put on your cliché repellant and I'm sure you'll enjoy the story of a family in turmoil, told in the fashion I usually enjoy where each chapter is from a different character's perspective. Just don't say I didn't warn you.
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Comments (showing 1-34 of 34) (34 new)
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It was just before the layoffs at the Bush because Matthew picked that (horrible awful terrible) book. April 2005 maybe?Yes, Eden Close, that was the oil tank book for sure.
Oh good heavens, yes. I just finished this book and thought it was so overwrought in so many places, and yet half-baked in others. All the fire stuff was so overdone, and why? WHY? The star stuff seemed like an afterthought in an attempt to make the book seem "literary." And the big thunking cliches at the end of every break and/or chapter bugged the hell out of me too.
Really klutzy, imprecise writing. The only reason why I kept reading it was out of a soap-opera-y interest in how everything was going to end up. And then there was that repulsive twist ending!
Just awful.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who hated this book. My whole book club is crying over it. I couldn't get over the lack of editing, the unbelievable characters and the terrible, sappy clichés and disjoint segments about astronomy and whatnot. Also, did she really need to go so far as to change the typeface when a new character is speaking? It was pretty obvious that Kate was mute during most of the book which gave away a lot right there. The whole lawyer subplot was annoying. This book really could have been half as long without losing anything. I'm giving it away as fast as I can!
Lisa, You're not the only one and your review is dead on. It was a quick read (all 432 pages) and had the potential for a great moral dilemma but the cliches, stereotypes and blatant symbolism got old. Quickly.
Everyone kept telling me to read Jodi Picoult. Smart people! Literature people! I figured if my writer friends and my book-snob friends loved her, that she'd have to be incredible. She is awful. You're so right.
thank you thank you thank you. Picoult has some kind of brain squease on otherwise well-read people. She's not greatm, she's barely even goo.
Oh and please, couldn't she have kept the font consistent - what is the point of having each character in their own font - seems so amateurish. I can't wait to finish this book so I can get to "World Without End" - a real read.
The plug-in-the-cliches writing style drove me nuts too! I hated this book so much, and I hate that so many people flail ridiculously over it.
Keep trusting your instincts & you're well on your way to a degree in English Lit. This is a dreadful book...
I agree. Your review hit it dead on.I decided to go and buy the book because the moral dilemma was fascinating. I honestly thought that this was going to be a superb read. Wow, was I wrong. And wow, how I regret buying the book when I should have borrowed it. In fact, I'm going to try and see if I can return it.
I absolutely hate the way she changes perspectives with each character. I understand that writers will write a couple perspectives to give the storyline or situation more depth, but SIX perspectives--and all in first-person--is overkill. The fact that she uses first person throughout AND has a font for each perspective is both distracting and annoying.
It really gets under my skin when I'm reading a book and am forced to stop and think, "Who is this? I'm really confused. What is happening?"
And the cliche, "meaningful" statements before each paragraph break or chapter makes me want to hurl. The only way Picoult's book has made it to where it is now is because of the controversial storyline. The storyline at least has the potential of being great. Picoult's execution and her writing style has made it a horrible, horrible read.
Yeah, I didn't write a review because yours pretty much summed my feelings up on it. I finished it and wanted to love it, but absolutely couldn't. It was the shifting perspectives and the attempts at being deep, far too often. Kind of a waste of time. Looking for something seriously GOOD to read next.
some people like the "different perspectives" way of writing. just shows that there are really no absolute truths. This includes me. I loved her work.
azurerocket wrote: "Also, did she really need to go so far as to change the typeface when a new character is speaking?"Oh yeah! I hated that when I noticed it. Took a lot of getting used to.
I'm so glad to see that I'm not the only one who is not enamored of Ms. Picoult. I read the school shooting book (19 minutes? 12 minutes? whatever) about a year and a half ago at the urging of our school librarian...and found it lacking and utterly predictable. In fact, I really annoyed the librarian when I told her it was obvious what was going to happen and where the author was going...Anyway - I promised a student I'd give this one a try, because it was "so much better" than the school shooting one. Well, so far, I'm not impressed. I guess I just don't like her writing style.
I personaly think she is a good author and this book was very well writen. She has her own style so if you don't like it thats your opinion you don't have to read it...not liking her personally doesn't make her a bad writer. I hate it when people trash talk a book, sure you don't like it but that doesn't mean other people don't.
You are so right. Jodi Picoult tried way to hard to sound knowledgeable about everything (astronomy, fire fighting, cancer, etc) and she wanted so bad for her book to be meaningful and emotional. The characterisation was so cliché, each line had to be so amazing and metaphorical. This is just my opinion, I respect other people's, I just really thought this book was lame.
Hey, I completely agree about the review in this particular book, but not about Jodi Picoult in general. She's an amazing author, and personally i don't think her writing styles are especially captivating in Sister's Keeper. Sister's Keeper is the only book by Jodi Picoult i didn't like. My favorites? The Pact, Salem Falls, and Handle With Care. You should try another book written by her; don't let this book keep you from reading other incredibly written Jodi Picoult books.
I agree with your review. You shouldn't have to rely on a change of font to signal a different character's point of view. The content of their speech should be enough to distinguish who's speaking. I also didn't like the fact that every character in the book, including one 13 year old girl and a 18 year old juvenile delinquent, had the vocabulary of a scholar. Give me a break. The Campbell/Julia subplot was a major waste of paper, and the profound statements at the end of every section made me want to hurl, too. All that said... I still give it 3 out of 5, just because I liked Kate and Anna.
I agree with you! The lawsuit and the tragic ending of the story just didn't make sense! However I found the first part entertaining. =p
Also, Alice Hoffman.. lol I quite resented her Practical Magic. The Lovely Bones, Practical Magic and My Sister's Keeper ought to have been written by just one lousy author.
Kendra wrote: "I personaly think she is a good author and this book was very well writen. She has her own style so if you don't like it thats your opinion you don't have to read it...not liking her personally doe..."Carefully read her review again. She said it was recommended by her mother and sister and that they liked it. She just gave in to the urges of her family.
Hahaha, I love that you hated the same things I did. Author tries too hard, and falls somewhere short of thought provokin into pretentious.
I think you nailed it with your description of this book. I had to force myself to finish it. I actually saw the end coming from near the beginning, though.
hhahahhahahahahhahaha. iI eeenjoyed this book, and have read others and am now Jodi jaded and actually ccompletey agree with you. Give me ebook with real people dealing with everyday stuff and not all this drama!
I don't love her. Schlock writing by an author who has convinced too many people that she is a serious writer. You read one or two Jodi books, and you figure out the formula. Dull and boring.
I agree with whoever said the font should be consistent, I completely understand that writers can paint their words however they choose, but the font changes were just a little annoying and didn't add much to the story, in my opinion.
Kendra wrote: "I personaly think she is a good author and this book was very well writen. She has her own style so if you don't like it thats your opinion you don't have to read it...not liking her personally doe..."Yes, but this review was LISA's. She can say whatever she likes, including trash talking; it's HER REVIEW. I would turn your comment around and say if you don't like her review, don't read it and certainly don't comment on it in a snarky manner. What was she supposed to do? She didn't like the book; she doesn't like Jodi P... was she supposed to say that it was great writing so as not to offend the legion of Jodi P. fans that are apparently out there? Are people only supposed to write reviews about books that they like, so they don't offend someone?
Hi Lisa, I haven't eve read a Picoult book, but generally don't like the type of writing you are describing. So I'm wondering what writers would you recommend? Thanks. P.S. Also like your cute doggie picture. Reminds me of my beloved Maid Marion. She had freckles on her nose. :)
Gag, you couldn't take it- possibly because you've never had to. How insensitive your review is to so many parents out there that DO have to take it every day. Sounds like you should stick to reading The Babysitter' s Club.
i get what you mean, i'm a sentimental type, and i love reading books, my older sister who loves books too, suggest me this book, so i bought it, and i wished not, cause of the abnormal mother she practically gave birth to her daughter to kill her later,it's an abomination!!! this book it's sick .....never again read a book from jodi piccoult
To the person saying that she "gave in" to her family, she didn't have to! I thought this was a brilliant book, actually. Maybe the reason some of you are criticising it so badly is because you wouldn't think it would happen to you. What if it did? What would you do? This is what the book is asking.
I'm in the "can't stand overly flowery prose and cliches" club.
Alice Hoffman! Ah, memories. I should add that to my list of books I've read. Do you remember when we read it? I have no idea.