I feel the need to write an apology letter to Jodi Picoult because after reading "Nineteen Minutes." I was wrong for calling her New England's answer to Nicholas Sparks.
This book not only stirred my thoughts, but left me so emotional that the moment I finisheded the book I said, "Oh, my god!" aloud. And if that wasn't enough, I was sitting in the waiting room at the doctor's office, and you don't know true embarrassment when you have everyone in the room staring at you with puzzlement and possibly fear, but that's another story.
Jodi Picoult has made a much deserved name for herself in the book community, with books like "My Sister's Keeper" and "The Pact" under her belt. "Nineteen Minutes" was the second book I've ever read by her -- the first being, "The Pact" when I was fifteen.The book begins one morning, when Peter Houghton enters his high school with a gun, killing 10 people, and injuring 19 others. His motive: bullying.
One of the main focuses of the book is the bullying Peter endures and his inability to cope with the anger and frustration that leads to his decision. The story jumps into a non-linear narrative, taking place during the events of the trial, and flashing back to events leading up to the shooting. Like most Jodi Picoult novels, the story follows many characters, who deal with the events of the shooting but cross paths throughout.
Other than Peter, the book is from the perspectives of his parents, his ex-friend and crush, Josie, her mother, Detective Patrick Durham, and Jordan -- the lawyer hired to defend Peter. They all contribute to the story, as well as fighting their own conflicts. Jordan has to deal with defending a killer despite his own personal feelings on it. Josie reflects on her efforts to fit in with the popular crowd, abandoning Peter in the process, and her attempts to come to terms with the shooting.
Peter's parents attempt to come to terms with their own mistake of not being their for their son and the possibility that contributed to their son's actions. And Alex, Josie's mother, attempts to come to terms with the fact she almost lost her daughter, while building a romantic relationship with Patrick.
Realism is a major element in this story. The feeling of shock and awe echo throughout the book. The recurring feeling to run away constantly plays against everyone, and the understanding that something terrible happened and it can't be ignored. All play as a factor in each of the character's stories, because that's what real life is like. Terrible things happen and we would like to believe it can't, and when it does all we want to do is get past it, and for those affected by the tragedy, time seems to stand still while life around them goes on. That is life, and Jodi Picoult clearly understood this.
I also loved how relatable the characters are. You really get a good feeling of what they are going through. You can relate to almost all the characters, from Alex becoming protective of her daughter, to Josie's self-conscious attitude about fitting in with the popular crowd.
Peter's character was certainly relatable for me, having been bullied all my life. The feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and worthlessness are feelings bullying victims have, and I found myself feeling more and more sorry for him as the novel progressed. Its sad when you know what he's going to do, and I found myself not wanting him to do it, but you understood why he did it.
Finally, there is one question that is constantly asked throughout the book: Who do we blame?
