Posts Tagged ‘book’

Review: Jodi Picoult – Plain Truth

September 2nd, 2010

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 winking

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! laughing

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! laughing

Review: Jodi Picoult – The Pact

August 31st, 2009

the-pact-06-med I am currently in the office while others are happily lazing around in their own comfort of home. It’s not like I’m workaholic or whatnot, its just – the management need at least a person or two to be on site, every time. Every time, and that includes any public holiday that Malaysia had. It’s just my turn.

It’s not like there’s any work to do either. *sigh* (yeah yeah.. I always argue with my boss, why can’t we just work from home for the same thing..)

So I’m deadly bored. Luckily I bring this novel; managed to finish it and I still have like.. 4 hours to spend?? :’( So here goes some review about the finished book.

If previously I was obsessed with books from Dean Koontz, Dan Brown, or Agatha Christie, I’ve found another good author to be read. This is not the first Jodi Picoult books that I’ve read, in fact, this one is her fourth novels that I’ve devoured. I’ve read Mercy, Nineteen Minutes and Change of Hearts.

Bought this one online from TheBooksLover, courtesy of Dils promotion for the online bookshop (ye dils, aku click dari banner kau. Leh claim kat kau tak? HA HA). The blogshop owner is nice, packaging is good (siap dia balut macam hantar hadiah lagi!), book looks new, price is low. So oklah! No further comment required.

Thing that I like about Jodi Picoult’s novel is her mind-provoking statement. In The Pact, the questions rings something like this..

Do you really know your children?

The Harte and the Golds are neighbours; both have children – a boy and a girl, who grew up together, a long life friend, and in their teenage time, they becomes lover. Everything looks fine. She’s happy, he’s happy, everyone’s happy. Until one night, both families got a phone call from hospital.

The daughter of Golds, named Emily – shot dead. By his boyfriend, Chris Harte.

He claims it was a suicide pact between both of them. He claims Emily is suicidal, and ask for his help. He claims, he’s going to kill himself too, only that the police arrive first and he’s fainted when Emily was killed.

So the question struck both families. Why? What happened? Is it Chris who killed Emily? Or did Emily killed herself?

And that’s when everything is being revealed.. slowly.. twisted.. and gripping.

Jodi Picoult is known to start her novels quite slow, and too much attention in details for description. But once the storyline getting hotter, you can’t just let the books go. In The Pact, she touched primarily on:

  • Parental issue – do we really pay attention to the child / teen? Or are we assuming that they’re fine? Or.. are we assuming they’re just going a phase?
  • Incestuous relationships – when a girl and a boy have been close since they’re small, does it feels like a brother and sister, and the relationship can turn like.. incest? (Is that why Emily killed herself? hee hee)
  • Suicidal tendencies – how can we identify whether a teen is suicidal? Why do they want to kill themselves? What is the psychology behind these kids head?
  • Freedom of life – when your life turns 360 degree upside-down, e.g you’re suddenly in jail. What happened? Is jail the worst place ever?

Its ending is twisted, albeit guessable. This book is suitable for light reading, or when you’re boring and don’t want to think too much, but at the same time it can touch your emotions deeply.

(lagi2 kalau tengah jiwa kacau. peh sentapp!! hee hee)

But.

Readers need to be old enough to understand about the parental parts.Even though the words are simple and not too bombastic, the explanation and the moods between adults and teens – and a little sex scene, might be a bit confusing (and not suitable for underage children).

Shit. Does that mean I’m too old now?

The Harte and the Golds are neighbours; both have children – a boy and a girl, who grew up together, a long life friend, and in their teenage time, they becomes lover. Everything looks fine. She’s happy, he’s happy, everyone’s happy. Until one night, both families got a phone call from hospital.

The daughter of Golds, named Emily – shot dead