Mercy in Jodi Picoult Books Reading Group.

Mar 04, 2009 Tracey rated it liked it

OK first let me say that I am a HUGE Jodi fan. Having said that this was NOT my favorite book of hers. I found the characters deplorable, the ending dissapointing and the entire storyline repetative and pedantic. If they had half stars I would have rated this 2.5 stars. I didn't hate it, in true Jodi style it had a good premise, I just don't think she did enouph with it to satisfy my taste. I would have liked more complex characters (these seemed 2 dimentional). Also, good heavens, I thought at ...more

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Jun 19, 2008 Sheryl rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed-by-me

3 words: Remember the prologue. This is how I will start this.... and how I will finish.

I honestly don't even know how to review this one. First let me say that I LOVE Jodi Picoult. I have loved every book that I have read of hers so far, up until now. I have devoured her books like there was no tomorrow. I have wept, laughed, got angry.....shoot, she even has you siding with the criminals most of the time. But this book.... infuriated me!!!

There were basically two story lines going on here... 3 words: Remember the prologue. This is how I will start this.... and how I will finish.

I honestly don't even know how to review this one. First let me say that I LOVE Jodi Picoult. I have loved every book that I have read of hers so far, up until now. I have devoured her books like there was no tomorrow. I have wept, laughed, got angry.....shoot, she even has you siding with the criminals most of the time. But this book.... infuriated me!!!

There were basically two story lines going on here.... and the one that the title of the book suggests, "Mercy", I was in love with. I would have, hands down, rated this part of the book 5 (plus) stars all day long. It involved all of the details of a "mercy killing".....the relationship (before, during and after) that takes place between this couple (Jamie and Maggie), so very much in love, and (what I love most about Jodi's books)....the courtroom drama aspect of the story. Amazing....loved every second of it. 5 * * * * * stars...there ya go....

Now the second little story line that Jodi focused on, and I still have no idea why it was probably the larger story line,....made.me.mad! Jodi touched on infidelity at it's finest! Let me just say that the protagonist of this side story.... is an ARSE! Cam... he is the town police chief, and a cheatin' SOB! I wanted to kick him in the family jewels.....and kick him and kick him!! There was soooo much sneaking around and betrayal going on right under the nose of his wife, Allie...it made me angry! Allie had even hired the "other woman", Mia, to be her assistant at the flower shop she owns..... So what do Cam and Mia do? They do IT in the flower shop, do it in Cam and Allie's home.....do it in the local hotel EVERY day!!! Mia actually spends the night in Allie's bed! WTF.

I just don't know what Jodi was going for here.... did she actually think that we would find this romantic? Well, I didn't! Did she think that we, readers, would sympathize with Cam and his struggles between teeter tottering between the two women?? ~Oh my...poor Cam, he loves both women and they are both likeable women....what's a boy to do??~ Well....sorry Jodi....but Cam will never be liked by me...and I will never sympathize with the likes of infidelity! That is one thing I could not and would not EVER tolerate. Sure....he tries to suck up to Allie at the end and make things right. Pfftt... The one thing that Jodi does (that I did like)....was she sort of left it open ended at the end....so she kind of leaves it up to you to decide what happens with Allie and Cam.... I say: kick his sorry A$$ to the curb, Allie, and don't look back!!! 2 * * stars....for that lying, cheating, cold dead beating, two timing, double dealing, mean mistreating, loving heart.... as Patty Loveless would say!

All of this being said..... I was ready to put it down, however just when I was about to....the best thing happened.... I remembered the prologue. If you just HAVE to read this book, just one piece of advice I can give you is, remember the prologue!! You will actually really start liking the book if you "just remember the prologue!!" And you're welcome! :o) ...more

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Feb 04, 2009 Ebby Wilhelm rated it it was amazing

Shelves: couldn-t-put-it-down, tear-jerker

I may be biased to the topic of this novel. As a nurse, I see the quality of life people have and sometimes I wonder it would be bette for them not to have to go through the painful experiences of certain disease. This one had me crying like a two year-old. Again, it may have hit closer to home because I see the struggle people go through with keeping family members comfortable through a horrendous disease process, and this book just broke my heart.

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Jan 03, 2009 Julia rated it liked it

This is not one of my favorite books of hers. I didn't agree with the decision that the main heroin makes in the end. I guess I don't really believe in 2nd chances in relationships. I think cheating shows a person's true personality and that they will just do again and again. If I was ever cheated on, that would be the end of that relationship, because otherwise I would always wonder and never be able to truly trust and open my heart up to that person again. But that's just me! ...more

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Jun 26, 2008 Rene Glendening rated it really liked it

Another great book by Picoult! It's another one of those, "What would you do?" types of books. Picoult has a way of creating characters whom we can relate to or despise. That's one of the reasons why I love her books because you don't always have to agree with or love each character. Her characters portray real people in real life situations. ...more

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Mar 07, 2009 nina rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: own

I'm a big fan of Jodi Picoult, but didn't enjoy Mercy as I usually do her other novels.
I thought that at times it was very similar to The Pact - just not as good. I Can't say I really felt very much for any of the characters either.
I'm getting a little tired of the completley unrealistic verdicts in her court cases too. ...more

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Sep 05, 2008 Hillary rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I like all of Picoult's books, but this one stands out because of the unique setting - a Massachussets town where everyone is a descendant of one particular Scottish clan. True to form, the book focused around a daunting moral decision... this time it's euthanasia. ...more

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