19 Minutes

19 Minutes


By: Jodi Picoult
Reviewed by: Kait, 14
Rating: Really liked it


Jodi Picoult (again) wrote an twin novel to all of her previous works. *It's a boy!* Yet, (again) she managed to make the novel its own, unique individual (perhaps this one is a fraternal twin?) without sacrificing her style as a writer, which I completely respect - who does that nowadays? It seems as though every author out there either a. makes every novel they have seem like a Xerox copy of their other, successful novels, especially in a series (thank you, Stephenie Meyer) or b. completely sells out and loses their voice in a desperate attempt to give the publishers what they want so they don't get sent back into the unknown, suburban oblivion filled with two kids, a low-paying job, and an unattentive spouse (Sorry J.K., you take the hit on this one after *7 BOOKS*. Overkill much? Not to say I don't love your work...)

But I digress.

Ignoring my earlier rant, I should probably get on to describing "19 Minutes" (For the record, "19" is NOT spelled out on the cover, so to those of you attempting to get on me for poor conventions in my writing - HA. HA.). Again, I will fruitlessly attempt to divulge little more than can be inferred by the teaser on the back cover. But, when I fail, don't hate me, please!

Picoult, again, could not keep away from the court case scenario (Who can blame her? She does it so well!) but this, for me, was an entirely new scene. Picoult spins a tale of a school shooting 19 minutes long (She is rather unoriginal in her titles - most are directly linked to her text. Anyways...) where the shooter is being accused of (if my memory does not fail me now!) 13 counts of Murder One.

Picoult, as per her usual style, shows you the direct time/scene of the shooting in little detail, then goes back to show the student's pasts, then goes to after the shooting, then goes back, and forth, and back, and forth, and back, and forth. While your head DOES admittedly do a couple 360's, I think it provides an interesting look at the scene. It will MAKE (total command here!) you try to figure out what exactly happened. It's literally a compulsion. And then the end shocks you until your mother/roommate/significant other comes by with a AED unit resuscitates you.

The novel, admittedly, IS a tear-jerker. But what else would you expect when reading about a school shooting? It's classic Jodi Picoult in the best of ways. :]


Recommended to: Teenagers and young adults. Anyone looking for a good cry.