wanderaven's review against another edition
3.0
This was my second Picoult. For the writing and her trademark illumination of the relationships between people, I probably would have given this four stars. But because she writes about emotions so well I was very disappointed by the protagonist's mother and the protagonist's final thoughts about her. Page's mother is one of the most selfish characters I have ever read about. This would be perfectly fine if there has been a valid explanation for her behavior and enough regret or guilt on her part to make up for some of what she did. But there wasn't. And I started to dislike Page as she started to go down the same path her mother did. Sure, you're husband's overworked and hasn't helped you at all, so a new mom has the perfect right to be upset about this. You have postpartum depression and you freak out and leave your three month old with your husband and go to find the mother who left you when you were five?... um, okay. You find your mother, living in her very selfish world and she tells you to join her there, forever abandoning your new baby and you consider it?.... um, not so much okay. You STAY WITH HER FOR THREE MONTHS and ride horses and camp out like it's a cool summer camp while your highly stressed husband and baby who desperately need you wait for you to return??? Not acceptable. I know she screwed up and that's the whole point of the book but Picoult didn't balance out her leaving with actions (like rushing to get back) that would have made it more understandable. Then, in the end, Page just loves and respects her mother with no reason given to do so.
The only character that I can think of in my recent reading history that was more selfish than Page's mother was the protagonist in Patrick Susskind's Perfume -- and he was a narcissistic, psychopathic serial killer. My favorite character in book was Page's loving father but after Page found her mother, I found myself fantasizing that the book had taken a different turn and that Page had actually discovered that her father had killed the damn woman!
Just very frustrating. I wonder if Picoult rewrote it (I think this is one of her earlier books), if she would change some things, given her better skill. The ending was just as frustrating as the relationship between Page and her mother - you are presented on the first page of the book with a couple (Page and Nicholas) who are estranged. Most of the book is told in the passive tense and what pulls you through to the end is the implicit promise that you're going to discover how these two people work out the relationship. There's the stereotypical catastrophe at the end which brings them together physically and emotionally but she still ends the book without any sort of certain resolution and, rather than one of those books where it is (acceptably) left up to the reader to sort of decide how they think it will work out, I felt that this was a cop out. Nicholas was so angry throughout the whole book (and never emotionally identified with any of Page's motivations - even in the end) that it seemed impossible that they would actually "get back together" and it felt like, because of this and other things, Picoult couldn't logically just resolve all the issues but didn't want to make you believe they couldn't be resolved.... so she just left it.
I will read more Picoult and I don't regret reading this one but I think I will veer more towards her newer books just because otherwise what seems like a lack of skill in her early characterizations could very well turn me away from wanting to read more.
The only character that I can think of in my recent reading history that was more selfish than Page's mother was the protagonist in Patrick Susskind's Perfume -- and he was a narcissistic, psychopathic serial killer. My favorite character in book was Page's loving father but after Page found her mother, I found myself fantasizing that the book had taken a different turn and that Page had actually discovered that her father had killed the damn woman!
Just very frustrating. I wonder if Picoult rewrote it (I think this is one of her earlier books), if she would change some things, given her better skill. The ending was just as frustrating as the relationship between Page and her mother - you are presented on the first page of the book with a couple (Page and Nicholas) who are estranged. Most of the book is told in the passive tense and what pulls you through to the end is the implicit promise that you're going to discover how these two people work out the relationship. There's the stereotypical catastrophe at the end which brings them together physically and emotionally but she still ends the book without any sort of certain resolution and, rather than one of those books where it is (acceptably) left up to the reader to sort of decide how they think it will work out, I felt that this was a cop out. Nicholas was so angry throughout the whole book (and never emotionally identified with any of Page's motivations - even in the end) that it seemed impossible that they would actually "get back together" and it felt like, because of this and other things, Picoult couldn't logically just resolve all the issues but didn't want to make you believe they couldn't be resolved.... so she just left it.
I will read more Picoult and I don't regret reading this one but I think I will veer more towards her newer books just because otherwise what seems like a lack of skill in her early characterizations could very well turn me away from wanting to read more.
macneill___rae's review against another edition
3.0
I found this one to be a little all over the place. Sometimes slow, sometimes hard to follow.
Didn't love it. Didn't hate it.
Not my fave Jodi Picoult book but glad I gave it a try.
Didn't love it. Didn't hate it.
Not my fave Jodi Picoult book but glad I gave it a try.
evaelyn's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
+ character development includes concepts of self-worth and growth with hard past
+ coming to terms with motherhood
+ aspects of realism from the medical profession standpoint (one of main characters is a heart surgeon)
- disappointing ending
+ coming to terms with motherhood
+ aspects of realism from the medical profession standpoint (one of main characters is a heart surgeon)
- disappointing ending
mfabiano726's review against another edition
This book was most definitely not awesome! I disliked each of the characters, who each had no redeeming qualities and yet, I could not put it down. It's one of those books that you hate reading, but that you must see through to the end. In short, this is a story about a woman (Paige) who was abandoned by her mother at the age of 5. When Paige turns 18, she has an abortion and runs away from home. Her new home becomes Boston and in just a few short days of living there, Paige meets Nicholas, an up and coming cardiothorasic surgeon. The two fall in love and marry, against Nicholas's parents wishes. Years later, Paige becomes pregnant and when her baby turns three months old, she runs away, again! This time, in search of her mother. The story goes on, Paige finds her mother, lives with her for several months and then decides she ought to go back to her life in Boston. The ending is very ambiguous and we are left to never know if Paige and Nicholas reconcile or not. I HATE endings like that and I HATE women like Paige, who are never really happy in their lives. A terrible book!
mskanyegenya's review against another edition
3.0
The end sounded somewhat hurried. Like the author was rushing to tie up the story. Otherwise great book. Classic Picoult. Makes you think about those uncomfortable issues.
girrllie's review against another edition
Not into it. Characters not very likable. Story was dragging. Made it about 30%.
andersonh92's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I kept waiting for the classic JP twist at the end. If never came, and I was disappointed.
The characters were super believable, but honestly, the whole book was just one big lack of communication between Nicholas and Paige. I guess that’s what made it feel real. Nicholas was one of my most hated characters ever, though.
The characters were super believable, but honestly, the whole book was just one big lack of communication between Nicholas and Paige. I guess that’s what made it feel real. Nicholas was one of my most hated characters ever, though.
theotheleo's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
agustinap's review against another edition
3.0
At the beginning, it was a little slow but then I found myself unable to put it down. I liked it but not as much as other Jodi Picoult books.