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Change of Heart
by Jodi Picoult (Goodreads Author), Nicole Poole , Stafford Clark-Price , James Frangione , Danielle Ferland , Jennifer Ikeda
by Jodi Picoult (Goodreads Author), Nicole Poole , Stafford Clark-Price , James Frangione , Danielle Ferland , Jennifer Ikeda
This reminded me a lot of another Picoult book, "Keeping Faith," the ending of which disappointed me. So I was wary as I listened, wondering where the author would take this. I saw the plot twist coming long before it happened. Although the USA Today reviewer called it contrived, the twist did not bother me, probably because of the way it was handled. (It's hard to write about this without spoilers!) Meaning that I thought this end was more as it should have been than "Keeping Faith"'s ending had been, and I even smiled at the end of the epilogue. (I appreciated the narrator switch there.)
As usual, Picoult raises lots of socially charged issues, including questions about the death penalty, organ donation, and religion. The parts about the gnostic gospels felt a little bandwagonish, following a couple years after the hype over The Da Vinci Code and then last year's books about the Gospel of Judas, but she does tend to write about what's in the public eye. And it was interesting that she brought back Ian Fletcher (and, for a few minutes, Mariah and Faith) from "Keeping Faith"--almost like she knew those characters weren't finished in the previous book.
Maggie annoyed me at the beginning, with her self-deprecation and obsession over her weight (size 14 is not that big and is very common for American women). As she became more involved with the trial, she annoyed me less because she seemed to find herself despite herself. I almost liked her by the end. I kept picturing Hugh Grant as Dr. Gallagher, and I think he was good for Maggie as well.
Michael's choice of profession after the trial surprised me and never quite convinced me. That seemed a little too convenient. So he came off as wishy-washy.
Lucius was probably my favorite character throughout the story. He was the most honest of the narrators, I thought-- Which was interesting since he was the convicted murderer.
Like Maggie, June grew as a character through the story as well. Her righteous anger was almost stifling in the beginning, but by the time she declares herself the mother and starts acting decisively, I liked her.
So, I would say this is my second favorite Picoult book, after "My Sister's Keeper."
As usual, Picoult raises lots of socially charged issues, including questions about the death penalty, organ donation, and religion. The parts about the gnostic gospels felt a little bandwagonish, following a couple years after the hype over The Da Vinci Code and then last year's books about the Gospel of Judas, but she does tend to write about what's in the public eye. And it was interesting that she brought back Ian Fletcher (and, for a few minutes, Mariah and Faith) from "Keeping Faith"--almost like she knew those characters weren't finished in the previous book.
Maggie annoyed me at the beginning, with her self-deprecation and obsession over her weight (size 14 is not that big and is very common for American women). As she became more involved with the trial, she annoyed me less because she seemed to find herself despite herself. I almost liked her by the end. I kept picturing Hugh Grant as Dr. Gallagher, and I think he was good for Maggie as well.
Michael's choice of profession after the trial surprised me and never quite convinced me. That seemed a little too convenient. So he came off as wishy-washy.
Lucius was probably my favorite character throughout the story. He was the most honest of the narrators, I thought-- Which was interesting since he was the convicted murderer.
Like Maggie, June grew as a character through the story as well. Her righteous anger was almost stifling in the beginning, but by the time she declares herself the mother and starts acting decisively, I liked her.
So, I would say this is my second favorite Picoult book, after "My Sister's Keeper."
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