Review – Nineteen Minutes
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
From amazon.com -
Best known for tackling controversial issues through richly told fictional accounts, Jodi Picoult’s 14th novel, Nineteen Minutes, deals with the truth and consequences of a smalltown high-school shooting. Set in Sterling, New Hampshire, Picoult offers reads a glimpse of what would cause a 17-year-old to wake up one day, load his backpack with four guns, and kill nine students and one teacher in the span of nineteen minutes. As with any Picoult novel, the answers are never black and white, and it is her exceptional ability to blur the lines between right and wrong that make this author such a captivating storyteller.
On Peter Houghton’s first day of kindergarten, he watched helplessly as an older boy ripped his lunch box out of his hands and threw it out the window. From that day on, his life was a series of humiliations, from having his pants pulled down in the cafeteria, to being called a freak at every turn. But can endless bullying justify murder? As Picoult attempts to answer this question, she shows us all sides of the equation, from the ruthless jock who loses his ability to speak after being shot in the head, to the mother who both blames and pities herself for producing what most would call a monster. Surrounding Peter’s story is that of Josie Cornier, a former friend whose acceptance into the popular crowd hangs on a string that makes it impossible for her to reconcile her beliefs with her actions.
At times, Nineteen Minutes can seem tediously stereotypical– jocks versus nerds, parent versus child, teacher versus student. Part of Picoult’s gift is showing us the subtleties of these common dynamics, and the startling effects they often have on the moral landscape. As Peter’s mother says at the end of this spellbinding novel, “Everyone would remember Peter for nineteen minutes of his life, but what about the other nine million?”
My thoughts -
As per the usual with Picoult, I loved this novel and couldn’t put it down. I was completely sucked in from page 1 and finished it in two days (pretty quick even for me). Picoult just does such a darn good job of making you feel for every one of the characters, and of making you examine things from every possible angle. I mean, Peter is a mass murderer and Picoult somehow still makes it SO easy to sympathize with him, almost to the point where you understand why he did what he did…. not that you’d AGREE with it, but that at least personally I found myself feeling very sorry for him, and feeling like he was just a sad and messed up kid. I think Picoult does a really good job with her research too, because I think a lot of the characterizations of Peter would ring true for other teenagers who had been bullied their entire lives. From what I know about school shootings, the situation with the shooter is typically similar to how Picoult described Peter’s life, thoughts, and feelings. I can’t recommend this novel enough, I liked it almost as much as My Sister’s Keeper (maybe as much… I don’t know, I can’t decide which one I liked more actually), and if you have read anything of Picoult’s in the past and enjoyed it, this book is definitely for you.
Rating: 9.5 out of 10
Nice review! I’ll have to bump it up on my list.
I read this one about this time last year, I think. I got on the list at the library to check it out, and there was a waiting list a mile long! I really enjoyed this one too. My Sister’s Keeper was my first JP book, so it’s kinda special to me, but Plain Truth is actually my favorite.
Nineteen Minutes was my very first Picoult book, which I just read last month. I was mesmerized with this story. I was sucked in! I have since read The Tenth Circle which I enjoyed but not as much as Nineteen Minutes. I have My Sister’s Keeper on my bookshelf and I’ve heard people rave about this book so I hope to read it soon. From the two books I’ve read, Picoult already seems formulaic. I hope they are not all that way.
I usually like Picoult’s novels until the end, which usually feel a little “made for t.v. movie” to me — except for Nineteen Minutes. Finally an ending worthy of her page-turning/churning talent!!
I really like Jodi Picoult too and enjoyed reading your review. My fav of her bks is “My Sister’s Keeper” since I am a leukemia survivor.
Elle
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She sure hits hard.
I have linked your review to my review!
I got this book for christmas a few years ago and started reading it the next day. This book has to be one of my all time favorites. I couldnt put it down and was compleatly amazed by JP’s writing skill. Me and all of my friends passed this book between us for months. I would recomend this book to pretty much anyone that is looking for a good read. I do not think this book is for anyone under the age of 15. In some parts the book gets pretty graphic, which you shoulc know if you have read any of JP’s other books.