What did you learn from this book?

[Yeny]

This book gave me a deeper understanding about acceptance. I have never been particularly homophobic, but I wasn't cheering for them to have some rights recognized. I never really understood how difficult they have it, and I now sympathize with them.

[Angela]

If nothing else it should be able to teach people that a family is what we make it and not what we are conditioned by society to believe. As the novel says, you can never have to many people to love a child. It reminded me that children are able to see through what society wants for them and grow in this love regardless of who is giving it.
It gave me a greater understanding of rhetoric is able to make people stop thinking for themselves especially when the person speaking can be seen as charming and persuasive. It reminded me to never take things at face value and always look underneath for what is not being said.
But more importantly it reminded me that sometimes what we are railing against is not some horrible thing but the thing we fear most in our closest circle, our family.

[Jamie]

My wife and I have been married 2 years and we are currently in the process of getting me dual guardianship of our son. It is against the law in the state in which i live to have two people of the same gender on a birth certificate, so therefore I am unable to adopt him legally in my state. At this point I am not even able to get him a library card... or legally show that he is my son when I have financially, emotionally and spiritually provided him with the love of any biological parent and some even more. We are also not good enough to be married in the eyes of the state in which we live but amazingly enough the gov't believes we are somehow good enough to pay taxes!

[SpritetheRight]

florida has the same laws also.

[Nita]

I found this book unrealistic. How can a woman be married to a man for years and then undergo such a dramatic change years later? It did not ring true for me.

[Sue]

I found the book quite predictable. Was disappointed, as I love Jodi's other books, and have read them all. This one was my lest favorite.

[Midge]

I too did not understand how a married woman can just become gay. But the book was an eye opener for me since I do not have any contact with gay people. I was not able to choose sides though and was glad to see a comprimise made.

[D]

Reply to Midge: she did not "become gay." She always was attracted to women, but due to the society in which she lives where gays are second-class citizens, she subverted her attraction to women. This is not uncommon, especially in a society that allows (and in some places, cheers) blatant homophobia and bullying/harrassing/etc. of gay people. Plus, in more than half of the states, it is legal to fire someone just for being gay. Considering all these difficulties, some bisexual women (Zoe is not a lesbian, she is bisexual--Picoult mislabeled her) bury their attraction to women.

[Joni]

Jamie wrote: "My wife and I have been married 2 years and we are currently in the process of getting me dual guardianship of our son. It is against the law in the state in which i live to have two people of the ..."

Jamie wrote: "My wife and I have been married 2 years and we are currently in the process of getting me dual guardianship of our son. It is against the law in the state in which i live to have two people of the ..."

I hope all goes well for you and your partner...

[Michelle]

Out of all of Jodi Picoult's books, this has been my least favourite so far. If I didn't know who the author was before I started reading, I would never have known it was Jodi Picoult. I struggled my way through this one, and I normally love her books.

[Katherine]

All I really learned from this book is that going through IVF is incredibly tough and to avoid it if you're likely to be the sort of person (like Zoe and, I fear, me) for whom having a baby this way risks becoming an obsession that is more important than maintaining the happiness of the two people involved. As for the gay-rights aspect, I thought it was a flimsy and very convoluted platform on which to discuss it, when the custody battle could have been far more interesting just from the point of view of conflicting opinions over what should happen to the embryos. In order to create an anti-gay attitude the author had to resort to putting Max in an extremist group, which is not necessarily typical of general public opinion (though I don't live in Rhode Island, or even in the US so I'm not sure). It was never asked whether Max would have given Zoe the embryos if she had married another (non-Christian) man or if she had wanted to be a single parent via a surrogate (also not a traditional family, in Max's view). Also, would Zoe have handed them over if Max had wanted to give them to his brother before she had a partner to use them with? I'm not sure, as she seemed to be strongly against their lifestyle too. But would that be any more right than them refusing her? We are also never given an answer as to what the likely legal outcome would have been if Zoe hadn't just given up, which is unsatisfying and doesn't tell us anything about what the real opinion of the law is towards these situations (and hence what sort of fight people might really face). Overall, I was disappointed with the transparency and simplicity of Jodie Picoult's agenda. Although she wrote from different character's perspectives, she didn't have any sympathy for Max's new beliefs, which makes talking from his point of view pointless. I am very much in favour of gay rights, but I don't think this book said very much other than that the author agrees with me.

[Jennifer]

Sue wrote: "I found the book quite predictable. Was disappointed, as I love Jodi's other books, and have read them all. This one was my lest favorite."



I also found the book predictable. It didn't quite pull at my heart strings as much has her other novels.

[Michael]

Sue wrote: "I found the book quite predictable. Was disappointed, as I love Jodi's other books, and have read them all. This one was my lest favorite."

I agree completely, this was my least favorite book. I felt that the author got preachy towards the end and the singing that accompanied the book was a bad idea.

[Katherine]

has anyone read Lone Wolf yet? This ties in because I didn't much care for this book, and I don't like the description for Lone Wolf - I might not even bother to read it. These two seem a far cry from her usual.

[Nattaporn]

Acception is very important in our life. When we learn to accept one other, our life could be easier to live. And more happiness and peaceful will come.

[Stacey]

I didn't learn anything new which was disappointing, but it was interesting enough that I had no problem finishing. I think Max's character kept me turning the pages...what a goofball, lol. I'm dumbfounded that some states still don't recognize same sex marriage. It doesn't change the quality of my life or my kids' life one bit. My daughter was best friends with a girl who had 2 moms. Everyone was very accepting and that girl was very well adjusted and quite popular.

[Tina]

Kat wrote: "has anyone read Lone Wolf yet? This ties in because I didn't much care for this book, and I don't like the description for Lone Wolf - I might not even bother to read it. These two seem a far cry f..."

Reading it now... or trying to. Not one of her best.

[Louise]

This was my first Jodi Picoult book and was looking forward to reading it when my book club picked it. I had a very hard time finishing it and didn't like it at all. Did not learn anything and don't think I will read anymore of her books.

[Jon]

Nita wrote: "I found this book unrealistic. How can a woman be married to a man for years and then undergo such a dramatic change years later? It did not ring true for me."

I know several men and women who married because it was either expected of them, or because they were unaware that they were attracted to members of the same sex. I faced the possibility of marriage in my late teens, knowing it was what was expected of me. However, I chose to do what was right - to admit (to myself) that I was gay and to spare my intended wife, future children, and myself from any heartache that could have resulted from a poor decision.

[Briana]

I learnt Im extremely intolerant of intolerant people, I found myself wanting to slam the book shut and not read any more or getting so angry at the characters who were just so blindly full of hate.I loved this book, as I do all of her books but I personally found it hard to read in some parts, unlike a rude person you cant just turn your back on a character in a book you have to sit there and stare them down and follow it through to the end

[Michelle]

Kat wrote: "has anyone read Lone Wolf yet? This ties in because I didn't much care for this book, and I don't like the description for Lone Wolf - I might not even bother to read it. These two seem a far cry f..."

I have read Lone Wolf and I didn't enjoy it. I have been a huge Jodi Picoult fan and read many of her books, but maybe I am just tiring of them as I find everything quite predictable.

[Reilly]

From this book I learned that sometimes Jodi Picoult books aren't all amazing. I am an IVF baby, I know what my parents went through to have me. It felt like one of those 'grasping at straws' stories. All of a sudden the baby dies, he divorces her, she's a lesbian, she's remarried, he's a drunk, nope nevermind he's obsessed with God, now he's sleeping with his borther's wife, now there's a court case.

Exhausting.

[Driftwood]

As a follower of Jesus Christ, I gained a new perspective on some of the issues. I enjoyed the book. I thought it gave good views from both sides of a complicated topic.

[Kirby]

Reilly wrote: "From this book I learned that sometimes Jodi Picoult books aren't all amazing. I am an IVF baby, I know what my parents went through to have me. It felt like one of those 'grasping at straws' sto..."

I agree that everything was just stacked up a little too neatly and there were too many coincidences, but I still liked it. and I did like learning about the "custody" issues with embryos- I had never considered that before.

[Susan]

Midge wrote: "I too did not understand how a married woman can just become gay. But the book was an eye opener for me since I do not have any contact with gay people. I was not able to choose sides though and wa..."

I didn't see Zoe as turning gay. I think even she says in the book she saw herself as "Vanessa's spouse, but if I have to live with someone else's label in order to be with her forever, then I will" (call herself a lesbian)

[Stage]

Kat wrote: "has anyone read Lone Wolf yet? This ties in because I didn't much care for this book, and I don't like the description for Lone Wolf - I might not even bother to read it. These two seem a far cry f..."

I read both of those books. They truly were not her greatest. Lone Wolf had poor character development--something Picoult is praised for. I was more frustrated than anything else.

[K.B.]

I offered the book to a good friend whose daughter had been in a lesbian relationship before moving in and having a child with a man. She found it challenging but helpful. I liked the idea that people are more than their gender and you fall in love with a person. As a Christian, I found the portrayal of the church fascinating. I like the way Jodi Picoult shows positives and negatives, it makes it more realistic and challenging.

[Erin]

Jamie wrote: "My wife and I have been married 2 years and we are currently in the process of getting me dual guardianship of our son. It is against the law in the state in which i live to have two people of the ..."

My heart goes out to you in your struggle to get the rights you deserve. I'm glad to say I live in Canada where those rights are given to all people regardless of sexual orientation.

[Adrian]

From this book I learned that I'm not really a Piccoult fan. I thought I was.

I think the whole "I woke up this morning and now I'm gay" premise is sad. There was no early indication that she was interested in women and then suddenly she is a gay rights activist?! Oh please. Ten seconds before she decided that she was gay, she was as straight as a line drawn with a T-square.

If this book had been about a married couple going through a breakup, it might have been a good one. If it had been about a lesbian couple and their right to be a family, it might have been a good book. The resulting mash-up was terrible.

I think this literary trope of "I think I'll be gay today" is a poor representation of the lives of real people seeking acceptance in an overly homophobic country.

[Nancy]

I liked this book. I read it last month. I found the story very believable. I've read a couple of her books and this one is completely different. I learner a lot. I like a book that can teach a lesson.

[Lex]

That Picoult, whilst having good intentions, has little understanding of queer issues.

I loved the basic premise as it was pitched; in reality- meh.

[Ab]

Kat wrote: "has anyone read Lone Wolf yet? This ties in because I didn't much care for this book, and I don't like the description for Lone Wolf - I might not even bother to read it. These two seem a far cry f..."

Kat wrote: "has anyone read Lone Wolf yet? This ties in because I didn't much care for this book, and I don't like the description for Lone Wolf - I might not even bother to read it. These two seem a far cry f..."<

I read Lone Wolf, not one of her best. But I did like it better than this book. She writes very good controversial story lines. In her previous books, it seems to me all sides are equally represented. I feel the characters in Sing You Home were not equally represented.

[Emily]

This was by far my favorite book by her!! I read it in one sitting, literally could not put it down! I am straight but have always been for equal rights for gays (not to mention I am VERY excited that it has FINALLY passed!!) I just don't understand how some people have to be so close minded. All because you're not gay doesn't mean it's nasty, or not right!

[Kelly]

I loved this book, not so much the supplementary CD that came with it.

[Joclyn]

I thought "Sing You Home" was a good story, that's what it is, a story. I couldn't stop reading it, the subject matter may not be comfortable for some people, but isn't that why we read books? New ideas, opinions, insights...

[Sandra]

The only thing I've learned something new about was music therapy.
About acceptance and equal right issues I didn't learn much new, but that might be because I'm biseual and have a few gay friends myself.
Well, and the book taught me that all Christians - or at least all Evangelical Christians - are bigoted idiots. To be honest, I have no idea about this part of Christendom because here in Germany, there are mostly Catholics and Protestants. But surely, they can't be all bad? There have to be some decent people, too?

By the way: Did anyone else feel like the relationship between Vanessa and Zoe was rushed? I felt like the timeline was a bit off here, because: married and planning a kid after only 5 months of being together? And that's so short after a divorce? Huh... If I was Max' attorney, I'd have played this card out a LOT more during the trial!

[Erin]

I really enjoyed this book. I picked it up at one of those discount stores, and so glad I did, as I couldn't put it down.

It did bring up some really tough issues about same sex marriage and child birth options, which gives you something to think about.

I consider myself to be a pretty liberal person, so I definitely enjoyed this book.

However, I thought it was totally unrealistic for the main character's brother and sister in law to even be considered given the frozen embryos. They are not even the parents, so how could they possibly have a chance?

[Rachel]

I really hated this book. It is very one-sided and it paints all Christians as the "bad guys" for having values. Not all Christians are like the ones in this book. Just because we have values and morals, doesn't mean we HATE people who disagree with us, or live in different lifestyles. We just disagree with those choices, we don't hate the people who make the bad choices.