This is the fourth Jodi Picoult novel I've read and they all follow pretty much the same formula : A vunerable child/teenager. Loving parents/parent. Concerned professionals i.e. cops, doctors, lawyer,and or teachers. And a kind stranger.
And while Jodi uses a basic formula, her novels are anything but simple or predictable. The other novels I've read have covered stem cell research, teenage date rape, and school shootings.
What makes me such a fan of Jodi's novels is that rather than use an omnipotent narrator, her stories are told from the point of view of the various characters. There's always two sides to any given story, and by using this method of story telling, the reader receives compelling and personal arguments from both sides of an issue. Most people would never think of taking the side of an accused rapist, a school shooter, or a cop killer, but Jodi's characters are so fairly drawn, that's exactly what happens.
Change of Heart involves many current and important issues. It's core issue is the validity of religion in modern day society. Another theme is the use of capital punishment. And in that vein, the rights of prison inmates are also thoroughly discussed.
Some of the main characters includes Maggie an atheist lawyer who begins to find God. Mike a priest who begins to question his faith. And June who goes through quite a number of Changes of Heart.
Because Shay, a man on trial for his life, is a keeper of many secrets, and as these secrets are slowly revealed, June and the other characters, are taken on many emmmotional roller coaster rides. As a consequence, we the reader get taken along on that same ride. What more could a reader ask for ?
Oh yeah, we can ask a novelist to make as laugh. And boy did I laugh, while reading the passage where a prison inmate named his pet robin, get this, Batman the Robin !
Funny, informative, and emmotional. Just a few of the reason why I love Jodi Piccoult.