Helpful Score: 3
I am a huge Jodi Picoult fan having read most of her books. While I think this was a very good book, it was very uncomfortable reading because the subject matter is so difficult and I was disappointed with the ending.
Peter Houghton is the kid probably all of us can remember from our school days. He doesn't quite fit in, he's always trying but somehow he is always an outsider. While small children Peter and Josie were the best of friends, but as the years go on Josie becomes one of the popular kids while Peter becomes the perennial âloser'. One beautiful spring morning Peter finally snaps and in nineteen minutes destroys the lives of almost everyone in his town when he takes revenge by shooting ten students and teachers dead and wounding scores of others.
The book opens with the shooting and then tells the story in alternating chapters, from what happened before the shooting and what happened after. The chapters are seen from many view points, but most often that of Peter, Josie and their mothers. It is an often harrowing tale of what happens when a child endures years of bullying, teasing and never quite living up to expectations. It is also a view of what lengths kids will go to become, and stay, one of the âcool' kids. Having a child still in high school and one who just left I was very saddened by this book and the behavior of the kids, the adults, the teachers who let this torment continue. It was at times so difficult to read I had to put the book down and walk away from it, in order to empty my mind of the sadness.
The ending is one of Picoult's typical twists, although this time I suspected what would happen almost from the start, and there were little clues scattered throughout the story. I was however disappointed with the ending, it seemed wrong or out of tune with the rest of the book, it does give you much to think about however.
Kudos to Picoult for writing a book that hopefully gets some dialogue started, and brings a spotlight to a very difficult topic.
Peter Houghton is the kid probably all of us can remember from our school days. He doesn't quite fit in, he's always trying but somehow he is always an outsider. While small children Peter and Josie were the best of friends, but as the years go on Josie becomes one of the popular kids while Peter becomes the perennial âloser'. One beautiful spring morning Peter finally snaps and in nineteen minutes destroys the lives of almost everyone in his town when he takes revenge by shooting ten students and teachers dead and wounding scores of others.
The book opens with the shooting and then tells the story in alternating chapters, from what happened before the shooting and what happened after. The chapters are seen from many view points, but most often that of Peter, Josie and their mothers. It is an often harrowing tale of what happens when a child endures years of bullying, teasing and never quite living up to expectations. It is also a view of what lengths kids will go to become, and stay, one of the âcool' kids. Having a child still in high school and one who just left I was very saddened by this book and the behavior of the kids, the adults, the teachers who let this torment continue. It was at times so difficult to read I had to put the book down and walk away from it, in order to empty my mind of the sadness.
The ending is one of Picoult's typical twists, although this time I suspected what would happen almost from the start, and there were little clues scattered throughout the story. I was however disappointed with the ending, it seemed wrong or out of tune with the rest of the book, it does give you much to think about however.
Kudos to Picoult for writing a book that hopefully gets some dialogue started, and brings a spotlight to a very difficult topic.
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