It’s been a while since I review a book, eh? Here’s another review about a novel that I’ve managed to complete last two weeks – Jodi Picoult’s Plain Truth. I’ve bought it online last two months if I’m not mistaken, and only managed to complete it quite recently.
The story begins with a scene describing an eighteen years old Amish girl delivering a baby by her own self in a barnyard at two o’clock in the morning. She managed to deliver the baby, cut the cords, and cuddling her baby; and then she felt asleep due to exhaustion. She prayed that the baby would be gone since it is conceived out of wedlock, and nobody knew that she’s been pregnant. When she woke up some hours later, the baby is gone.
It seems that her prayers have been answered. Or did they?
A few hours later, when the morning sun has beautifully shine the farm, the child’s body is found – lying dead covered in hay — and of course, Katie Fisher is the prime suspect in murdering her own child.
Or did she?
This novel has beautifully described the Amish community; a group of devoted Christian that lived in a traditional way without technology and even electricity. The mindfuck factor in this novel is: how can a devoted Christian girl be willingly having sex and be pregnant out of wedlock, and even goes further by murdering her own child? It reveals the most misguided emotions of human and how does a mother would react in protecting her child, maternal issues, and it also goes beyond that – it argues about neonaticide instinct in a mother.
Somehow, someway, I would recommend this book to those kids who have been throwing away their babies on the street. It reflects how a religious community can still be misguided and how love can be misinterpreted into something physical act that leds to another. Not only that, it also describes how certain mothers would do anything just to get a baby – which is being portrayed by the character Ellie, Katie’s defense attorney.
Jodi Picoult as usual makes her novels to be gripping at the start, slowing down in the middle, add more conflicts while nearing the end, and ended it with a bang and twisted closing. If you have been enjoying “Keeping Faith”, or “Nineteen Minutes”, then this book follows that kinda trend of writing. The advantage of this book is that the ending is so unexpected 
It’s not so depressing, but it can give you mindfuck momentarily. Suitable to be read while in stress (since the issue of maternity can be quite soothing and it is slow), and it is not so stressing compared to other book like Sister Keeper’s. Yeah, it’s introduction is gripping that you will not let go in the first five to six chapters, but then the middle is quite slow you can break the reading into multiple days. But again, the ending might make you goes WTF! 
So, mommy, mommy-to-be: this can be a good read for you too. Jamie, maybe this book will give you a different perspective on parenting. Dils, wanna try? Disclaimer: Not suitable for those pregnant woman. Nad, tunggu kau bersalin boleh la baca kot. Kang anak kau mengikut ke terkenan ke aku tak bertanggungjawab!
