The Pact by Jodi Picoult

[realiz]

Reading the posts about My Sister's Keeper reminded me of The Pact which I read this summer.

Picoult likes to explore human rights issues and this one centers around assisted suicide. Though in the beginning it appears to be a suicide pact, an idea which the reader is gradually lead to believe just does not make sense with the behavior of the main character. Picoult's books seem a little too simplistic in some ways, and the characters not well enough developed.

In the end, I still could not feel the intensity of emotion from these two characters that would lead to the death of the girl. I also felt that as the reader we would agree with the not quilty verdict, because we knew, but in real life I doubt very much that it would have ended this way. Perhaps the book would have had more impact had the verdict been guilty?

[Esoldra]

I do have this one on my shelf and aim to read it soon. It is a difficult issue and I do appreciate how Picoult is not afraid to shy away from topics that often evade discussion as of their difficult nature. I shall return to this thread after reading it.

[sherri]

I love Jodi Picoult! She is one of my favorite authors. I love how she tackles such controversial topics. I do agree however that sometimes her characters are emotionless and especially in "The Pact".

[tcbooth]

I love her books, too. I am reading Vanishing Acts right now. I like how she weaves each character's past events into the plot to show the bearing it has on their current situations and actions.