Jodi Picoult's newest novel, Change of Heart, has topped both the New York Times hardcover and paperback best-seller lists for weeks, and received rave reviews. Change of Heart is being dubbed one of Picoult's best books yet, but I disagree.
While I am a die-hard fan, I feel that Change of Heart is extremely dragged out. Like most of her novels, it is narrated by a number of characters, each personally connecting with the reader in a way that forces you to empathize.
Eleven years earlier, Shay Bourne murdered June Nealon's husband and daughter and is sentenced to death. Fast-forward to the present, and June's other daughter is growing up with severe heart problems. The story focuses on Shay's decision to donate his heart to June's daughter after he's put to death. The only problem: lethal injection stops the heart.
Change of Heart follows a series of events surrounding June and Shay that focus on religion and the law. While the plot is exciting and intense, 464 pages are far too many to tell this story. Picoult includes an enormous amount of detail, but unfortunately I feel this leaves the reader uninterested.
In conclusion, this book might be better for a first-time Picoult reader. The story is decent but follows the same route as all her other books: you think you have it all figured out but then there's a twist at the end. I give it two and a half out of five stars.
While I am a die-hard fan, I feel that Change of Heart is extremely dragged out. Like most of her novels, it is narrated by a number of characters, each personally connecting with the reader in a way that forces you to empathize.
Eleven years earlier, Shay Bourne murdered June Nealon's husband and daughter and is sentenced to death. Fast-forward to the present, and June's other daughter is growing up with severe heart problems. The story focuses on Shay's decision to donate his heart to June's daughter after he's put to death. The only problem: lethal injection stops the heart.
Change of Heart follows a series of events surrounding June and Shay that focus on religion and the law. While the plot is exciting and intense, 464 pages are far too many to tell this story. Picoult includes an enormous amount of detail, but unfortunately I feel this leaves the reader uninterested.
In conclusion, this book might be better for a first-time Picoult reader. The story is decent but follows the same route as all her other books: you think you have it all figured out but then there's a twist at the end. I give it two and a half out of five stars.
This piece has been published in Teen Ink’s monthly print magazine.
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