About the Author: Reaction to Controversy

     
     Jodi Picoult is an honorable author who is known for insightful novels full of complicated plot twists. Because many of her books often center around publicized issues, such as school shootings and the death penalty, she feels obligated to not only entertain her audience with a riveting storyline, but challenge them to digest and discuss controversial topics. When asked why she gravitates towards this type of storytelling, she responds with a respectful, logical argument. 


     "I think that sometimes when we don’t want to talk about issues that are hard to discuss or difficult to face, it’s easier to digest it in fiction instead of nonfiction. I mean, no one goes into their bookstore and says, “Hey, can I read the most recent book about the sexual molestation of kids!?” but if you pick up a novel that has that as its center, you will become involved with the characters and the plot and find yourself dissecting the issue without even realizing it. Fiction allows for moral questioning, but through the back door. Personally, I like books that make you think – books you’re still wondering about three days after you finish them; books you hand to a friend and say “Read this, so we can talk about it.” I suppose I’m just writing the kind of novel I like to read!" -Jodi Picoult
     
     I wanted to include her statement because I discovered it shortly after writing about my own reaction to her thought provoking novel. Ironically, I coincided with the majority of her audience, and have recommended her book to all who are literate. I am glad that my contemplation of her novel gives her satisfaction and is a purpose of why she writes. While reading Nineteen Minutes, I would stumble across a particular quote or rhetorical statement that was extremely impressive and actually heightened my respect for Picoult. I enjoy being lead by the author and letting them trick me into thinking I know what is really going on underneath the surface. Her style of constant flashbacks left me starving for more. When Picoult would halt at a pivotal point in the story, it was that much harder to discontinue reading. I am extremely pleased to have read Jodi Picoult's Nineteen Minutes because this novel was expertly crafted, viciously compelling, and had a satisfying ending that left an everlasting impression.