Jodi Picoult

[LCW]

I've seen this author all over the place and know of few of you on here read her sometimes. Today I bought Harvesting the Heart: A Novel and was wondering if any of you have read it and what you think of the author.

[diamondlil]

I've only read one Jodi Picoult book and that was My Sister's Keeper. I spoiled myself for the ending, and found it a bit of a cop out in a way, but it was certainly an emotional read. One day I will read more. One day.

[Vanessa]

I've read a few by this author - Salem Falls, Keeping Faith, Second Glance and The Pact spring to mind. My favourite is Second Glance - it seemed a little different to the others, quite a ghost story! I think they're all very readable books.

[EC2]

I've read Salem Falls, The Pact, Keeping Faith, Plain Truth, Vanishing Acts and Mercy.
They are addictive. She writes very well. However, somewhat like Janet Evanovich with Stephanie Plum, be prepared for more of the same. Several novels that I've read are exactly the same story told over with different characters. I'd give them all high marks for the strength of the writing, but the development of the novel structure is samey. And yes, I'll still read more of them!

[EC2]

P.s. Anyone know if Jodie Picoult is psychic? A lot of her novels have other worldly twists.

[Vanessa]

I'd forgotten Plain Truth, that would be my second favourite. I felt I learnt quite a bit about the Amish way of life through reading this. I didn't know much about it all before.

[Judith]

I've seen this author all over the place and know of few of you on here read her sometimes. Today I bought Harvesting the Heart: A Novel and was wondering if any of you have read it and what you think of the author.

I've read that one, quite a while ago. But what I remember it was good. Some of her early books are better than some of her recent ones. But most of them are a good read. Hope you enjoy it. :)

[Divia]

I read the Pact. It was eh. I wanted to read Plain truth only cause I find the Amish so interesting. Mostly all of her novels follow the same formula and people who have read them all are getting a little sick of em.

something happens. Court case. Twist at the end. Thats how they all are.

[Ash]

. Mostly all of her novels follow the same formula and people who have read them all are getting a little sick of em. something happens. Court case. Twist at the end. Thats how they all are.

Yep. I read one of her books, the one about the archaelogist who falls in love with a Hollywood star. Oh please. Aside from the writing being horrible, the plot was ridiculous and yes, very formulic (sp) . She also has 'issues' and likes to hit the reader over the hammer about them many times in the book. I know many people like her, but she's just so not for me.

She doesn't write HF, does she?

[Vanessa]

The book which irritated me was The Pact. I thought the plot was a little unreal. I do enjoy JP's books, but if I read them one after the other, they would start to feel slightly 'samey'. I feel it's best to leave a big gap between reading them.

[tsjmom]

I know she's hugely popular, but I can't read her books. The topics are too depressing. As a mother, do I really want to read about a family getting that knock on the door from the cops in the middle of the night? Heck no!

I read for pleasure, to escape my stress. The last thing I need is to cry over a book.

[Divia]

The book which irritated me was The Pact. I thought the plot was a little unreal. I do enjoy JP's books, but if I read them one after the other, they would start to feel slightly 'samey'. I feel it's best to leave a big gap between reading them.


I never got the whole Pact plot. I thought it was just too weird and too damn stupid. My students love her books though. Why, I'm not so sure.

[Virgulina]

I do enjoy her books, they're a bit formulaic yes but addictive, just be sure to not read too many of them at once, it tends to get a bit tiresome.
I've read The Pact, Mercy, Keeping Faith, Plain Truth, Perfect Match, My Sister's Keeper and Vanishing Acts. My favourite one is Plain Truth, followed closely by The Pact and Mercy, Vanishing Acts was just awful and I'm glad I borrowed it and not spent any money on it! :p

Ana

[Bobbi]

I've only read My Sister's Keeper and I cried myself to sleep after reading it. What an emotional journey. I will read her other books, but I will be leaving big gaps between them, so they don't wear me down.

[MrsMorland]

I have read them all. I think a few of her books are pretty bad, including Harvesting the Heart, sorry! But some are really very well done. Like My Sister's Keeper, Nineteen Minutes and Plain Truth. I also liked Salem Falls.

[Bobbi]

Thanks Mrs Morland, I'll keep those titles in mind when I pick up the next one.

[Madeleine]

I've read Salem Falls, The Pact, My Sister's Keeper and most recently when it was finally re-issued over here in pb, Second Glance.

SG is probably my least favourite, MSK was very good but agree it is a bit of a cop-out ending, The Pact was readable but not very believable, and my fave is SF. Have several others in various tbr piles!

[Tinuviel]

I really adore her books, and I've read all of them now. I think that certain books of hers are a little similar, but a lot of them (and my personal favorites) really stand out: in particular I liked My Sister's Keeper, Nineteen Minutes, Salem Falls, Keeping Faith, and Plain Truth. But I honestly think all of hers are worth a read (with the possible exception of Songs of the Humpback Whale, Mercy, and Harvesting the Heart - in general I'm not really as much a fan of her earlier stuff, but I still think it's good).

[tsjmom]

I'll say up front that I know she's very successful and recommended a lot. HOWEVER, I have zero interest in reading any of her books. *hides behind couch*

Her topics are morose and disturbing. What parent wants to read a book about getting the dreaded 3 am knock on the door from the police? I read to escape, and I certainly don't need anymore help in the crying dept. For the life of me I don't understand why people enjoy her books :S *still hiding behind couch*

[love_uk]

I've seen this author all over the place and know of few of you on here read her sometimes. Today I bought Harvesting the Heart: A Novel and was wondering if any of you have read it and what you think of the author.

OK - I know it's been a year since this was originally posted but I'm new & have an opinion, so here I am:

I feel the quality of her writing is excellent. I've read about 6 of her books over the last 2 years & without exception, they've made me weep. Therefore, I pace myself by leaving long periods between reading her stuff. I love a good cathartic cry but not every month!

[Miss Moppet]

I know she's hugely popular, but I can't read her books. The topics are too depressing.

That's exactly why I've never read any of them - I always pick them up, look at the blurb and think "no" even though a friend of mine raves about them and is always trying to persuade me to give them a try. I might if she ever does one about an issue I want to read about.

[Vanessa]

I've just finished My Sister's Keeper and it was very sad. I very much enjoyed it but JP's books do tend to get very 'samey'. I'm sure I've read the storyline before about the two attorneys having had an affair years before, being left broken-hearted and then meeting up again in a court case. I definitely had a sense of deja vu. Anyway, it will probably be another year until I read another of JP's books. Famous last words!

[EC2]

I've just finished My Sister's Keeper and it was very sad. I very much enjoyed it but JP's books do tend to get very 'samey'. I'm sure I've read the storyline before about the two attorneys having had an affair years before, being left broken-hearted and then meeting up again in a court case. I definitely had a sense of deja vu. Anyway, it will probably be another year until I read another of JP's books. Famous last words!

I have exactly the same reaction as you Vanessa. I do enjoy her books but they are very samey and some have almost exactly the same plots. Looking at my review of Salem Falls I wrote: 'This is the third Jodie Picoult that I've read. Like the other two it was a satisfying page turner. Like the other two it follows the same plot. Man done wrong gets jailed. His experiences and survival in jail. The love of a redeeming woman. The court case plus cliffhanger. Amibiguities.'

I can't remember what the others were, but I suspect The Pact and Vanishing Acts. I recently read Perfect Match, which was enjoyable in an adequate if not stellar way.

I'm reading my first Peter James novel at the moment - Dead Simple, and really enjoying it as the element of gritty crime fiction in my reading spectrum.

[Madeleine]

I haven't bought any of JP's last books as I think her topics are beginning to sound like a bit like the Jerry Springer show eg the one where someone needs a heart transplant, and the only suitable donor is the guy who's on Death Row for killing one of her relatives (was it her mother?). They're becoming a bit too sensationalist for me, although I have some of her older books on mount tbr.