Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult Paperback Book

Details

Rent Nineteen Minutes

Author: Jodi Picoult

Format: Quality Paperback, Unabridged-CD

Publisher: Washington Square Press

Published: Feb 2008

Genre: Fiction - Literary

Retail Price: $18.99

Pages: 480

Synopsis

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?' --Gisele Toueg

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Reviews

BookLender review by Fredric O. Duffey on 2007-07-02 17:18:29

This is a book you don't want to put down. No dead spots.

BookLender review by Alexandria on 2010-01-04 15:21:13

At first I was a little skeptical of how I was going to like this book. In the end I was amazed and thrilled with the twist. I am usually good to choose the end before it happens but this book kept me in the dark and running to finish it.

BookLender review by Debbie on 2009-07-20 23:45:52

Tragic story told without resorting to cliche, multi dementional characters, twist at the end most won't see coming...

BookLender review by Wendy on 2009-04-06 16:26:32

This book draws you in from the very beginning. Unlike most books where you side with one character, this one leaves you siding with a different character from page to page. It is truly thought provoking and I think that it should be required reading in our high schools. Maybe children will see that their idea of fun is another childs hell.

BookLender review by Stacey on 2008-09-27 21:49:19

One of the best novels I have ever read. Definitely the best in a very long time. I spent every free minute engrossed in this book and finished it in under 2 days. So heartbreakingly true.