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Monday, May 16, 2011

Book of the day: Nineteen Minutes

In honor of International Chick Lit Month and our one year blogoversary, we're bringing you a book a day (and then some). If you've read the book and want to comment on this post with your thoughts, please do. If you haven't read it yet, we hope you'll take interest in it after hearing our thoughts. To make this fun, anyone who comments on any of these posts has a chance to be entered in a drawing for a special prize. The more posts you comment on, the more chances to win! (See here for contest details.)

"Nineteen Minutes" by Jodi Picoult:
In Sterling, New Hampshire, 17-year-old high school student Peter Houghton has endured years of verbal and physical abuse at the hands of classmates. His best friend, Josie Cormier, succumbed to peer pressure and now hangs out with the popular crowd that often instigates the harassment. One final incident of bullying sends Peter over the edge and leads him to commit an act of violence that forever changes the lives of Sterling’s residents.

Even those who were not inside the school that morning find their lives in an upheaval, including Alex Cormier. The superior court judge assigned to the Houghton case, Alex—whose daughter, Josie, witnessed the events that unfolded—must decide whether or not to step down. She’s torn between presiding over the biggest case of her career and knowing that doing so will cause an even wider chasm in her relationship with her emotionally fragile daughter. Josie, meanwhile, claims she can’t remember what happened in the last fatal minutes of Peter’s rampage. Or can she? And Peter’s parents, Lacy and Lewis Houghton, ceaselessly examine the past to see what they might have said or done to compel their son to such extremes. Nineteen Minutes also features the return of two of Jodi Picoult’s characters—defense attorney Jordan McAfee from The Pact and Salem Falls, and Patrick DuCharme, the intrepid detective introduced in Perfect Match.

Rich with psychological and social insight, Nineteen Minutes is a riveting, poignant, and thought-provoking novel that has at its center a haunting question. Do we ever really know someone? (Summary courtesy of Jodi Picoult's website.)

Melissa P:
Jodi always pulls me in, but I loved the twists and turns of Nineteen Minutes. The teenage high school saga is always interesting to me.

Melissa A:
This was an intense story that covers a topic that is a current issue in a lot of peoples' lives. It handles the topic tactfully and also gives two sides of the story, making you feel sorry for the perpetrators and the victims. As far as it being related to chick lit, it shows a woman in a high position of power, which makes her very admirable and easily relatable at the same time.

More by Jodi Picoult:





More with a similar theme/plot:



19 comments:

  1. Wow. I normally wouldn't gravitate toward this type of book but I really feel like I need to go out and read this right away!

    miss_kris_11 AT yahoo DOT com

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  2. I enjoy this type of book that explores the 'darker' side of life. Hadn't seen Nineteen Minutes before, another one for the list! So glad you don't do this every day of the year :)

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  3. Never read her books before. But I know a lot of people who love them

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  4. Wow, what an intense summary! I can only imagine what the full book is like!!
    nina565(at)aol(dot)com

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  5. I read this book, and I liked it but it just shows that sometimes even if you do what you think is best for your kids and you try to raise them right, you can't necessarily bad things from happening. The thought of that scares me every day.

    jeryl.marcus@gmail.com

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  6. I haven't read this one yet but it is on my to-read list!
    sfsabiaATverizonDOTnet

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  7. I have only read on of Jodi's books so far, but I have quite a few in my TBR pile. I like that each of her books takes on a difficult topic. I think I will move this one towards the top of the stack :)

    jaidahsmommy(at)comcast(dot)net

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  8. I have read a couple of Jodi's books. I don't know what I think of her though.

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  9. I have to read everything by Jodi Picoult and this did not disappoint. Love her writing style!

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  10. I don't think I've read any of her books, but this sounds really interesting.

    lana.baker at gmail.com

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  11. Wow! This sounds intense.

    lkish77123 at gmail dot com

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  12. I love her books!! I haven't read this one because I don't know if I can handle the subject matter.

    schlarmette[at]gmail[dot]com

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  13. I've read My sister's Keeper and now am a fan of Jodi's.

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  14. oops forgot my email here

    singitm@hotmail.com

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  15. Jodi's books are always ones i love once i start but don't necessarily readily gravitate to if i have other options..thoroughly recommend her work though

    be204ever AT hotmail.com

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  16. I have read a couple of hers but not this one.

    jenceyg@msn.com

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  17. I have read two of Ms. Picoult's books and have been so captivated by her writing style. I enjoy the law aspect of her books and she always seems to have that "gut wrenching" emotional aspect too.

    ladykathryn@rogers.com

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  18. I have read alot of her books, but not this one.

    foxchick0323@live.com

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  19. Nineteen MInutes by Jodi Picoult is one of best books I think I've ever read. She has a style of writing that is encapsulating and frustrating at the same time. While reading this book, I've wanted her to quit jumping back and forth between characters because I want to find out what happens next right away.

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