I usually really like Jodi Picoult books. She has a great, easy readable style that still leaves you really pondering the circumstances and her character's choices. However, this was not one of her best.

One of the characters really bugged me, it was the boyfriend Eric. He did too many things that didn't make sense, and left me thinking "nobody would've done that", and that can really ruin a book. Why did he agree to defend the dad? He shouldn't have done it. It didn't make any sense.

Also, all those prison scenes...ugh. I just saw "American History X" two weeks ago, and between that and this I've had enough education about prison life for the year. Maybe for the decade.

I did like the way the book got me thinking about ways that people outgrow their origins and current circumstances and reinvent themselves throughout their lives.