Believe it or not, I have never actually read one of Jodi Piccoult's books before. I'm not really sure why, but I haven't. This particular book has really stayed with me as I finished it, and I think Piccoult makes a few very important points/observations.1. Sometimes the perpetrator of a heinous crime is the biggest victim of them all. Reading the things that Peter went through sometimes brought me to tears. I have never understood how people can treat others so badly, and the behavior of the bullies in this story was beyond the pale. It was easy to see how he could have been driven to do what he did, even though it was absolutely horrific.2. High school is hard. I think most of us can look back on our high school days and remember struggling to fit in, remember the cruelty of some kids, and remember thinking that being "popular" meant you'd made it in life. Now, with my adult perspective, I can see how silly much of it was, but I remember that it was very real to me. I wasn't popular, but I did find my niche. I went through my share of teasing, and in the end I think it made me a stronger person, however I never endured anything like what Peter had to endure and I wonder how I would have gotten through something like that.3. Nobody can judge a situation perfectly equitably. Not even a superior court judge. The storyline of Alex and her daughter showed that quite well, but so did the stories of most of the characters. You can't judge only on face value, or even on actions only. Piccoult did an excellent job of playing Devil's advocate for every single character...so much so, that it is difficult to make up your mind one way or the other.4. Schools may have a zero tolerance policy for bullying, but in reality, they turn a blind eye to much of it. I have experienced this a bit with Bria's schools. I think it is impossible for the teachers and administration to really see what is going on all the time, but I do think that they need to be more aware of who is the bully and who is the victim. It was very sad and even gut wrenching to see how the teachers either didn't want to deal with Peter's situation, half heartedly dealt with it, encouraged it, or punished him right along with the bully. I don't really know what the answer is, but it seems to me there's got to be something better.5. Peter's crime shouldn't be blamed on his parents, but they aren't guilt free, either. We can see that Peter's parents did what they thought was best, and they loved him. However, from the time he was born, they constantly compared him to his older brother, who was seemingly perfect. It got to a point that Peter couldn't confide in them about the hurt he was experiencing, because they always asked why he couldn't just be like Joey. And then to have Joey killed tragically a year before Peter's shooting spree didn't help. Both parents eventually admitted to themselves that they would have rather had Peter been killed in the car accident instead of Joey. Wow. I am pretty sure that kind of an attitude is evident to children, no matter how hard you try to hide it. Other mistakes these parents made were writing off Peter's anti social behaviors for normal teenage boy actions, and not really trying to have a relationship with him. Allowing him his privacy, instead of finding out what he was up to and what was going on in his life in a way that showed they truly were interested about him and truly cared. They seemed to be the poster children for loving, but lazy, parenting. (Which really isn't loving, actually).Likewise, Alex had issues being a mother, and it took a tragic event to help her to reevaluate her priorities and her actions as Josie's mother. I was happy she recognized her mistakes and worked to be better, but still, much of the damage had already been done. At least it wasn't as bad of a situation as Peter's parents were in, where the damage had all been done and there was no repairing any of it.6. Ultimately, it doesn't matter what the mitigating circumstances are. The law is still the law. Alex dealt with this early in her career as a judge...not agreeing with some laws but still having to uphold them legally (gun control). And of course, Peter and Josie needed to pay for their actions. That is the law. I don't think it could be any different, and of course, I don't excuse Peter for what he did. As the trial showed, there were other kids who were bullied just as much who didn't decide to shoot up the school. There are so many other things I could say about this book. Piccoult is obviously very good at bringing up hot button societal issues and presenting them in a way that makes you really think. I am excited to read more of her novels.A few silly annoyances (because I always have them):1. One of the first times we meet Judge Alex Cormier is when she is pregnant with Josie and she fills out a form with her name: Alexandra Cormier. Later in the book it talks about how her name isn't short for Alexandra like people assume. Well then, why would she fill out paperwork like that? 2. People are constantly "pinching the bridge of their noses" in exasperation. I swear I read that phrase more than 5 times. 3. I didn't feel the twist at the end was sufficiently explained. Maybe the abusive relationship she sort of showed between Matt and Josie explains it. She foreshadowed a bit that something big was up, but I didn't feel that what Josie ultimately did made a ton of sense in the situation. Perhaps a bit more backstory on the relationship, or at the very least, on Josie's feelings about the relationship, would have made more sense to me. As it was, I felt it was a bit out of place. Definitely twisty, though. So if that's what Piccoult was going for, then great.
With Nineteen Minutes, Jodi Picoult has another masterpiece in her hands. It is poignant and intense and the last 100 pages were absolutely unputdownable. It is a story of great taboo with two sides, and you find yourself switching sides every chapter. Typical Picoult.In Nineteen Minutes, teenage boy Peter Houghton brings four guns to his high school and goes on a shooting rampage. Many students were murdered; even more were injured. Thus begins the most important trial their little town has ever known. Why did Peter do it?The story starts off with this magnificent quote: In nineteen minutes, you can mow the front lawn, color your hair, watch a third of a hockey game. In nineteen minutes, you can bake scones or get a tooth filled by a dentist; you can fold laundry for a family of five.[…]In nineteen minutes, you can order a pizza and get it delivered. You can read a story to a child or have your oil changed. You can walk a mile. You can sew a hem.In nineteen minutes, you can stop the world, or you can jump off it.In nineteen minutes, you can get revenge.And you know you’re in for a good one.We follow around Patrick Ducharme, the cop who entered Sterling High during the shooting and arrested Peter Houghton. We meet Alex Cormier, trial judge, and her daughter Josie, who was present at the shooting and used to be best friends with Peter. There’s Jordan McAfee, Peter’s defence attorney, and Peter himself. The story switches from the day of the shooting, to the months following the trial, to Peter’s childhood and teenage years, and the trial itself.Turns out, Peter is not just a sick, twisted boy. From the day he went to kindergarten, he has been bullied every day in his life. He had his property stolen and broken, he has been shoved in lockers, he’s had his head pushed in toilets, and he’s been publicly humiliated so many times that you wouldn’t be able to count it on all your fingers and all your toes. He also lost his best and only friend, Josie Cormier, when she decided to ditch him for the popular crowd. When he confessed his feelings for her in an e-mail, they sent the e-mail out to the entire school and pantsed him in front of Josie. This is a hurt and traumatised boy who, one day, decided to put an end to it.There was this one scene where Peter's mother tried to comfort him and said, "One day, Peter, everyone's going to know your name." It’s a strange feeling to root for the shooter, but that’s the magic of Picoult’s books. She takes a taboo subject, like school shooting, and manages to twist the story so that you’re actually feeling sympathetic towards the guy who’s killed a bunch of teenagers and a teacher. Peter’s story is a horrible one and I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him throughout the entire book.I didn’t like Josie very much. She dumps her best friend to become popular, and then she starts dating Matt Royston just because he’s popular. She stays with him even though he’s a total douche. He’s manipulative and controlling. He threatens to commit suicide when Josie breaks up with him. He puts a hand over her mouth and continues when they have sex without a condom and Josie protests. He calls her a whore when she talks to other guys. And then he has the gall to tell her he loves her. I don’t understand how Josie could put up with him, even for popularity. There is not enough money in the world to make me go out with a guy like Matt. What a dingus.One of my favourite subplots was the romance between Patrick Ducharme and Alex Courmier. It didn’t take up a lot of space, but it was really cute. Alex was struggling between being a good judge and being a good mother to Josie, and Patrick was there to comfort her. See for yourself: ‘Since we’re not in court,’ she said hesitantly, ‘I’d like it if you called me Alex.’Patrick smiled. ‘And I’d like it if you called me Your Majesty King Kamehameha.’Alex couldn’t help herself; she laughed.‘But it that’s too hard to remember, Patrick would be fine.’If that’s not a keeper, I don’t know what is.I couldn’t put the book down for the last 100 pages or so. Before that, we went over the lives of everyone, including their backstories. It was interesting and I love Picoult’s attention to detail, but sometimes it was a bit much. I thought it took away from the pace and wanted it to move along. However, when the trial finally happened, things got exciting again. I love the back-and-forth and the cross-examinations. I love the secrets they hold back until the very end. And I especially loved this scene, when Jordan McAfee cross-examines Drew, a guy who used to bully Peter alongside Matt: ‘Ever shove Peter into a locker?’‘Maybe.’‘Just joking around?’ McAfee said.‘Yeah.’‘Okay,’ he continued. ‘Did you ever trip him?’‘I guess.’‘Wait . . . let me guess . . . joke, right?’Drew glowered. ‘Yes.’[…]Jordan McAfee slapped the email down on the railing in front of him. ‘Well, Drew?’ he said. ‘Was it a good joke?’I cut it down a fair bit because it was about two pages long, but you get the gist. It was powerful and intense and I was totally cheering for McAfee. Amazing scene.If you’re not familiar with Picoult’s work or you want to read something else by her, pick up Nineteen Minutes. It deals with school shooting in such an amazing and realistic way. It could happen to anyone, really. Kids get bullied every day, and one day, they’ll decide enough is enough. Definitely one of her better works, if not her best.She did it again, guys.
What do You think about Nineteen Minutes (2007)?
I really feel this book well haunt me. It left a strong impression on my heart. I loved the writing style which gave me a window into all sides of the story from parents of the students, victims, lawyers, judge, shooter, shooter's parents and so on. Was a mystery that made me continue to figure out what all went down. I would recommend this to anyone, it opened my eyes. If my kids were older teens I'd like them to read this as well. Bullying is a huge problem and this was an extreme case. Kids never should have to suffer as Peter endured bullying all his school years. I know schools are more aware of this issue today but I'll be looking into the bullying policy in my children's school much closer.
—Karla
you're going to sucker me into reading another Jodi Picoult book, aren't you Carrie? I SWORE that I wouldn't read her again after The Pact (I was depressed for days after reading that). But now you're tempting me.......
—Carrie
I can't stop loving this book, if you guys only have the chance to read this. Sometimes I find her works destructing, annoying and a good sleeping pill for those people who suffer from insomnia. I might be too judgmental but swear, you can take my words after reading her earlier works. This time Picoult wanted to portray a community, a school, where innocent students were bullied by the jocks. The reality of a typical American school environment for students who suffer to stand out in the crowd and to those people who feed in to gain their desires. In nineteen minutes, you can mow the front lawn color your hair, watch a third of a hockey game. In nineteen minutes, you can back scones or get a tooth filled by a dentist; you can fold for family of five... In nineteen minutes, you can stop the world, or you can just jump off it. In nineteen minutes, you can get revenge.In a small town of New Hampshire, Sterling, the people were shattered by an act of violence. A violence that no one expected, a massacre that kills ten students and injured nine. The unforgettable event that widen the understanding of every witness that touches and experience such violent event. From the eye of a seventeen year old boy, Peter Houghton, the act of killing is just the beginning of everything and the act of killing himself to free from his past.Josie Cormier, lying in a blood bath, nobody knows if she was dead or alive but the simple glitch of her body she was discovered to be the only survivor who never injured totally. She can be the witness of the killing, but the down side is, can she ever remember what happened? Besides her, two shots found in the body of the most popular jock and Josie's boyfriend, Matt Royston, no pulse, blood flows and dead on the spot.For the eyes of the two mother, Lacy and Alex, both were good mothers, they tried to be with their son and daughter and their friendship that they thought will last long. How can they even manage the situation when they needed each other again for so long? Sometimes, being a good mother takes a lot of sacrifice for the safety of others.I really liked Jodi's concept of applying bullying on one of her books, this one affected me so much. Not because I bullied others, it is because I've been bullied ones. School is a place where most of the students thought that can protect them or us, but this time, a school can only be as dangerous as what Peter thought. A place where bullies, jocks, queens and the cheerios lived and reign. Nowadays, computer games, social networking or the online life itself can be a tool to gain freedom from the outside world. Some people talk much online or just being friendly to others but personally they are just puppet of the real world. This place is just a place were outsiders come and a place where people thought they are safety. But online, can be a tool to bullying - cyber bullying. You don't know their are people who are talking at your back, trying to send private messages, hiding their faces or they wanted you to be like them. There is no age limit and everyone can do such little creepy crime. When you discovered it, you'll realize their is no such place as safe. For Peter and the other people who read the book, it will be a lesson to us.The medical (psychology) and law factor of this book, indeed a great success form her other books. It has a stronger structure than her past novels except Plain Truth which also have the same strong medical and law factor plus she also included great conflict between two cultures. How can she manage to write such book, pact with exciting events? I don't know, maybe she extended her research not only the part of the bullied but also the effect of the simple crime to a child plus her experience. How many people died everyday? How many kids suffering from bullying? How many lives do we need to destroy? or How many kids died of bullying? Wish this book will be a great inspiration to everyone. Everyone have their own role in the society.The bully, the bullied, and the bystander are three characters in a tragic play performed daily in our homes, schools, playgrounds and streets. - The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander Barbara ColorosoRating - Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult, 5 Sweets and the ugly bullies! (What to do with bullies? Keep them alive? I don't know. Flagged them? Blocked them? I don't know. I think they are just trying to bully you to sustain their popularity or they are just wanted attention from others. Attention seeker! Or they are just wanted you to be like them. Anyway, I don't know maybe we just leave them alone.)Challenges:Book #53 for 2011Book #6 for Jodi Picoult Reading Challenge 2011
—Kwesi 章英狮
