Nineteen Minutes: A Novel

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It's a hit!

I really enjoyed this book. After this book I seeked out more of her books, hoping to find them as gripping as this one. (So far, not really had an... (show more)

I really enjoyed this book. After this book I seeked out more of her books, hoping to find them as gripping as this one. (So far, not really had any luck!) Anyways, I loved how this book took two sides to this story, the school shooter and the students themselves. I would NEVER in a million years have thought I would have felt bad for a school shooter, having always believed that the poor students of Colombine and V-Tech and such never deserved what happened to them and that the kilers themselves were deranged. And, I know that not ever school shooter has been horribly bullied their whole lives either, but, this book has really helped to put school shootings into perspective to me. I have always seen this topic as black and white, no gray, and this book has helped me see the gray this topic has. (show less)

 

 

by Facebook User

No, it's a flop!

This book was okay. It is actually the second book I have read in the last six months that revolves around a school shooting (The Hour I First Bel... (show more)

This book was okay. It is actually the second book I have read in the last six months that revolves around a school shooting (The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb was the other one). While Lamb's book focused on victims suffering Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after being in the Columbine Shooting, this one is a brand new fictional school shooting and Picoult goes more in depth as to why the shooter did what he did.

The people in the book were not that likable to me, except for the police officer and I guess he can't be that memorable if I can't remember his name after finishing reading the book 4 hours ago. Otherwise, I didn't care for Peter or his parents, or Josie or her mom. Some of the things that happened to Peter at school, I just could not believe, even if this is a work of fiction. Maybe I have been out of school too long, but I just didn't buy it. I don't think anyone should be bullied but I think Picoult went way overboard in describing and creating how much Peter was bullied.

Plus the parents were so NOT there for their kids until something big happened and then it seemed as if they were there more to make themselves feel better than to make their kids feel better.

The ending was such a disappointment because it came out of right field. What was that?!

The book overall was an easy read and did keep my attention. (show less)

 

 

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  I liked this book a lot more than My Sister's Keeper. I could not put it down, especially towards the end, during trial. The ending was fantastic and appropriate to the story--very important to me. I feel so let down when I am carried along by a great story only to be let down at the end.

  Some parts of the book were hard for me to read, as I was the victim of brutal bullying as a child--some of the things that happen to Peter in the book actually happened to me too. It stirred up some ... (show more)

  I liked this book a lot more than My Sister's Keeper. I could not put it down, especially towards the end, during trial. The ending was fantastic and appropriate to the story--very important to me. I feel so let down when I am carried along by a great story only to be let down at the end.

  Some parts of the book were hard for me to read, as I was the victim of brutal bullying as a child--some of the things that happen to Peter in the book actually happened to me too. It stirred up some bad memories and feelings. I am so glad I stuck with it. My heart went out to him and everything his family went through.

  The characters were all interesting and fun to get to know. I really liked the relationship Peter's defense lawyer had with his wife.

  This is definitely a book I will recommend to friends. (show less)

   

   

  by Facebook User on Aug 29, 2009 at 11:52PM

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  I thought this was a good, easy read. Overall, Jodi Piccoult is a good storyteller. However, my point of contention with this author continues to be her structure. As with many of her books, the middle is long and drawn out with the ending seemingly quick once the "twist" has been revealed. But the familiarity of this structure makes her books an easy summer read for me.

  The author does all of the heavy thinking for you through the characters. While I do not need this so m... (show more)

  I thought this was a good, easy read. Overall, Jodi Piccoult is a good storyteller. However, my point of contention with this author continues to be her structure. As with many of her books, the middle is long and drawn out with the ending seemingly quick once the "twist" has been revealed. But the familiarity of this structure makes her books an easy summer read for me.

  The author does all of the heavy thinking for you through the characters. While I do not need this so much, I can appreciate this tactic--she wants all readers to see both viewpoints to decide for themselves. In most books I like to read, I prefer to do my own thinking, but when I want to read just to read a good controversial story, Jodi Piccoult books do the trick. Also, most of her novels have references to current pop culture. This drives me crazy because while this may add to immediate reading of the story, this runs the risk of making the story seem dated years from now.

  As always, Jodi Piccoult chooses hot topics to write about. School shootings are of course very topical. I found the whole story very predictable, even the "twist" because she spends half of the book setting this up. However, I found comfort in the predictability. I empathized with some of the characters and their situations but not others. I did not have as much of a strong reaction to her characters as I have in her other books, but she tries hard to have the reader sympathize with every character. I tend to be more empathetic, which may be my own limitation in reading Piccoult's novel's. (show less)

   

   

  by Facebook User on Aug 30, 2009 at 03:09AM

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