hmmmmmm

Jodi Picoult is a very popular author with my teens. They love her stories. So I thought I would review one of her novels.

Chris Harte and Em Gold are two teens who have never been apart. They are neighbors and their parents encourage them to date. Em isn't convinced this is the relationship for her and is sickened by it. Chris is so close to her it's like having sex with her brother. To make matters worse she ends up pregnant and falls deeper into depression.

Em tells Chris that if he loves her he will kill her.

What develops next are the parents talking about their story, a court case, and the normal Picoult formula. Yawn.

First off, I'm not sure why this book is "a love story" because nothing about this book screams love story. Also, why didn't she just say no to her relationship with Chris? And why didn't she stand up to her parents? And why would Chris(a well rounded, smart teen) decide "yeah I'll agree to the pact." The characters were all weak and uninteresting. Nothing in this story worked for me.

Will teens enjoy it? Some may, but the idea that this is "a love story" is misleading. However, teens who enjoy her other novels may want to give this oldie a go.

Movie News: My Sister's Keeper

For those of you who do not know Jodi Picoult's book My Sister's Keeper has been made into a movie. I mention this becuase my students love Jodi Picoult. The book, and movie, deals with a very sensitive issue.

The movie will be released on June 26, 2009. So you still have time to read the book before the movie comes out.

Amazon Summary:
Anna was genetically engineered to be a perfect match for her cancer-ridden older sister. Since birth, the 13-year-old has donated platelets, blood, her umbilical cord, and bone marrow as part of her family's struggle to lengthen Kate's life. Anna is now being considered as a kidney donor in a last-ditch attempt to save her 16-year-old sister. As this compelling story opens, Anna has hired a lawyer to represent her in a medical emancipation suit to allow her to have control over her own body. Picoult skillfully relates the ensuing drama from the points of view of the parents; Anna; Cambell, the self-absorbed lawyer; Julia, the court-appointed guardian ad litem; and Jesse, the troubled oldest child in the family. Everyone's quandary is explicated and each of the characters is fully developed. There seems to be no easy answer, and readers are likely to be sympathetic to all sides of the case.