2009
Entertainm ent
14
Jodi Picoult tests morals, makes readers think
J ennifer S itton
Have you ever sat, staring
and thought WOW after
finishing a book? When was
the last time you read a book
that actually made you think?
Jodi Picoult's books which
incorporate drama, romance,
legal trials and moral
dilemmas will make you do
so every time. The research
is in-depth, the writing is
immaculate and the many
layers that exist in each story
make each book unforgettable.
I believe Picoult is undeniably
the best writer of our time.
Picoult has written 16
novels, producing one nearly
every year since 1992. While
each book is its own story,
some of the books have
repeating characters that play
a major role in one book and
a minor role in another. While
it's impossible to cover every
one of Picoult's novels, you
can learn about a few of them
from the following reviews.
In my opinion, Picoult's
finest work is "Nineteen
J aime L orenzini
Minutes". Published in 2007,
light.
and her daughter, Faith. Faith,
the book follows the story of
"The Pact" was one of
having no religious learning
a high school shooting. By
Picoult's earlier books,
or knowledge, suddenly
rotating perspectives from
published in 1998. It is the
begins hearing voices, healing
the shooter, his childhood
story of the Hartes and the
the sick and reciting biblical
friend, the judge in his
Golds, two families who lived
passages. "Keeping Faith"
next door to one another,
case, a detective and the
requires you to question
shooter's mother, the book
but were so much more than
your belief in God. It causes
has unbelievable dimension.
neighbors. When their teenage a conflict between logic and
"Nineteen Minutes" is riveting
son and daughter, Emily and
faith, with a touch of romance
and will
thrown in on
grab your
the side.
attention
"Perfect
from the first
Match",
page until the
published in
2002, has one
last. It's 455
of the most
pages and I
finished in
gruesome,
three days!
horrific plots,
but makes you
If you're
think about
thinking
yourself and
about
what you
reading a
would do to
Picoult book,
protect those
definitely
Chris, begin dating, the two
you love. Nina Frost, the
grab this off the shelf first.
families imagine marriage
main character, is an attorney
"Vanishing Acts" has
and children and a perfect
who works to keep child
one of the most shocking
future, but their lives change
molesters and rapists behind
plots of all Picoult's books.
Photo By
Lorenzini .
forever when they receive a
bars, but when she learns of
The main character, Delia
phone call one night, learning
her five year old son's own
Hopkins is engaged, the
IN GREDIEN TS
that Emily is dead and Chris
sexual assault, she tosses
mother to a young daughter
is injured in what appears to
aside all of her knowledge of
and lives with her father in
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be a suicide pact gone astray.
and faith in the legal system
New Hampshire. She had
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When Chris is named as a
and takes things into her
the perfect childhood with
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suspect in Emily's murder,
own hands. Heartbreaking
her single father and her life
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the two families diverge and
and contemplative, "Perfect
seems to be headed in the
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the reader is left struggling to
Match" is definitely a
right direction. That is, until a
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learn why Emily is dead and
worthwhile read.
policeman knocks on the door
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if her beloved Chris could
Her books may make you
one day and arrests her father
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really have committed such a , laugh, cry or yell out in anger,
for kidnapping a girl named
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crime.
but all of them will make you
Bethany Matthews. When .
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"Keeping Faith" is
think about life differently.
Delia inquires as to whom
probably my second favorite
They will change the way you
Bethany Mathews is, he looks
Picoult book. It involves a
DIRECTIONS
look at yourself. After reading
at her and says, "You were."
bit more mystery than law,
one, it's hard to read anything
"Vanishing Acts" is chilling
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characters are Mariah White
bookstore and pick one up!
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Efa SanlQiQ
November is the Oregon equivalent of "It’s raining
cats and dogs". Don't be deceived folks, the rain is here
to stay, regardless of the hopeful optimism we hold for
warmer days.
However, before you cave into the pre-winter blues,
try this recipe. The simple taste of these ginger snaps
will awaken your taste buds, and will leave you craving
more. The first bite captures your attention. The second
indelibly changes you.
These cookies embrace the essence of home; they invoke
memories of baking with Grandma. Somehow, it is like the
sun emerged from clouds in a moment of divine revelation.
MC*
Photo by Libby Kara
"The right idea (for a book) is
the one you can't stop think
ing about, thè one that's in your
head first thing in the morning.
The ideas choose me, not the
other way around. "
—Jodi Picoult, author