Will I love Nineteen Minutes?

A prolific author, Picoult is particularly good at highlighting contemporary issues which defy easy answers. Nineteen Minutes describes a school shooting in a small New Hampshire town. The teenager who committed the crime began as a young boy who wanted only to fit in. When that proved impossible, he endeavored not to stand out. Finally he could not accept a life where he was not seen. However, no one – not his classmates, his parents, the police, or the members of the legal system – has a pure motive in the actions which follow.  

I’m a huge Jodi Picoult fan. When I’m hungry for a good read, I grab one of her books because I know a juicy story and flawlessly sweet writing await me. But Nineteen Minutes? It’s like a forbidden dessert, my favorite of all her novels. The opening grabs you and won’t let go. There’s a school shooting, lots of kids, parents, and an investigator who allows his niece to paint his toenails. (Picoult creates characters who quietly charm you.) The most thought-provoking suspense novel I’ve ever read, Nineteen Minutes describes the multi-faceted inner workings of teenagers’ minds and the… show more.