Jodi Picoult Books Reading Group. discussion
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i love the court stuff! i was just thinking about that today because im getting to the end of 19 Min. I'm a Court TV nerd.
Could it mean that the hardest decisions in life have to involve court?
maybe it's to illustrate how there is always two sides to every story. always two ways to look at things...
As I may have posted here in days past, I was lucky enough to hear Jodi Piccoult speak in Sandwich, MA and she explained how when she decides to write a book she does an enormous amount of research. She mentioned that she spent over two years doing the research for Nineteen Minutes. I think that may in part explain why she has court hearings in a lot of her books since court is often the place where major decisions about current events are decided. I have noticed in Piccoult's books that she often writes about situations that are or have been recently in the news. These situations (like the one in Nineteen Minutes which is incredibly timely)do involve legal matters. I am currently listening to one of her books on CD about an Amish girl accused of murdering her newborn and it also will involve court. I have to say that I really enjoy each of the books since it presents a situation that makes me think. I also admire the fact that she does so much research and I like the books too because I know what she presents has a basis in truth.
I think Jodi Picoult often writes about controversial issues, and things that may already be in the news (school shootings, stem cell research, etc.) - hence court hearings are often involved.
I'm dying to know what you think of the ending, Lauren!
I've noticed that the books and the characters are related to each other in some way.They are connected in some way. For example on Page 60 of "Nineteen Minutes" she mentions that Selena and Jordan(one of the attorneys)used to live in Salem Falls which is the title of one of her books. You think she did this on purpose?
I totally agree with you, Lauren, that the main theme in all of her books is that there is always another way of seeing the same story, and that it's really important to acknowledge that you could be the one in the shoes of the person who you would tend to judge had you not been in that position yourself. Her books also always take something that's out there, but not necessarily talked enough about, and she puts it in the light for us all to ponder about and make up our minds over. She makes taboo topics talked about, which I really like about her writing style.
The topic is usually something straight out of news headlines, and sometimes the court business is drawn out, but it adds to the drama. I hear some of the earlier books have no court talk. Harvesting the Heart is her second novel- which I am finishing now- and has a totally different feel. I really like it, though.
The Pact and Nineteen Minutes both have narration that goes back and forth in time, which i LOVE because things that seemed pretty insignificant at one point then sometimes turn out to have a whole new and bigger meaning later on.Does anyone know which one came out first, The Pact or Nineteen Minutes? Because certain parts and descriptions seemed kind of similar to me...
Christina- The Pact came before Nineteen Minutes. I think NM was released in 2007.
The Perfect Match also involved a trial and Change of Heart also involved legal preceedings. I forgot so did My Sister's Keeper.
Many of her books involve teenagers-I have noticed many HS girls reading JP books.
Yeah... i heard my English teacher talking about adding Ninteen Minutes to the Sophmore required reading list. I am SO for that - it was one of my favorite books. :)
The Pact, My Sister's Keeper, and Nineteen Minutes are my main favorites. Those books really play with the emotions.
I agree with you, Ashley. The Pact and My Sister's Keeper really play with emotions. But I haven't read Ninteen Minutes yet.
I agree with Ashley too - I definitely loved all 3 of those the most!
And I also noticed that all three books that I read for her had to do with teenagers. I read My Sister's Keeper, The Pact, and Salem Falls. They all involved teenagers. My sister is currently reading Plain Truth, and she also says it had to do with a teenager. In My Sister's Keeper, the teenagers were Kate and Anna were the teenagers. In The Pact, it is actually about teenagers. loool! And in Salem Falls, Gillian and her three or four friends were the teenagers. Also Cathrine was a teenager in that novel.
Also, the three books I mentioned really make the reader sit back and think how they would handle a particular situation and makes the readers question their morals and values.
I love the court scenes in almost Jodi's books. Not to mention the issues brought up in the books too
All her books I've read involve a trial or a possible one, it's just her writing style. I love it! :) The suspense make it all the more interesting.
One thing I notice so far of the two J.P. Books I have read involve court hearings. And it seems its the same with Nineteen Minutes and Mercy.