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Nineteen Minutes: A novel
Scritto da Jodi Picoult
Narrato da Carol Monda
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The bestselling author of My Sister's Keeper and The Tenth Circle, Jodi Picoult pens her most riveting book yet, with a startling and poignant story about the devastating aftermath of a small-town tragedy.
Sterling is an ordinary New Hampshire town where nothing ever happens-until the day its complacency is shattered by an act of violence. Josie Cormier, the teenage daughter of the judge sitting on the case, should be the state's best witness, but she can't remember what happened before her very own eyes-or can she? As the trial progresses, fault lines between the high school and the adult community begin to show-destroying the closest of friendships and families.
Sterling is an ordinary New Hampshire town where nothing ever happens-until the day its complacency is shattered by an act of violence. Josie Cormier, the teenage daughter of the judge sitting on the case, should be the state's best witness, but she can't remember what happened before her very own eyes-or can she? As the trial progresses, fault lines between the high school and the adult community begin to show-destroying the closest of friendships and families.
Azioni libro
Inizia ad ascoltareInformazioni sul libro
Nineteen Minutes: A novel
Scritto da Jodi Picoult
Narrato da Carol Monda
Descrizione
The bestselling author of My Sister's Keeper and The Tenth Circle, Jodi Picoult pens her most riveting book yet, with a startling and poignant story about the devastating aftermath of a small-town tragedy.
Sterling is an ordinary New Hampshire town where nothing ever happens-until the day its complacency is shattered by an act of violence. Josie Cormier, the teenage daughter of the judge sitting on the case, should be the state's best witness, but she can't remember what happened before her very own eyes-or can she? As the trial progresses, fault lines between the high school and the adult community begin to show-destroying the closest of friendships and families.
Sterling is an ordinary New Hampshire town where nothing ever happens-until the day its complacency is shattered by an act of violence. Josie Cormier, the teenage daughter of the judge sitting on the case, should be the state's best witness, but she can't remember what happened before her very own eyes-or can she? As the trial progresses, fault lines between the high school and the adult community begin to show-destroying the closest of friendships and families.
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As Josie is getting older, her realtionship with her mom, the judge of the county court, gets tested. She's involved in a serious relationship and attending a school where many kids are bullied. Reading this book makes you reconceder how you treat your fellow classmates. There is many mysterious parts of this novel, so if you enjoy mystery and murder this is a great book. Nineteen Minutes does contain foul language..
It took 19 minutes for Peter Houghton to kill 10 people, as well as, physically and mentally hurt a whole community. Nineteen Minutes is filled with emotions that range from love to hatred and empathy to disbelief. They are all explored from the beginning to the end in this true-to-life story.There was a lot that I liked about this book and not much that I didn't, but I just can't bring myself to say it was "very good." Like the other two Picoult novels I have read (The Pact and My Sister's Keeper - BB: Before Blog), she writes a believable, flowing story; however, there were some incidences that I thought were stretching it a bit - nothing outrageous, but enough to catch my attention. What I liked most was the many different angles and topics that were covered. It wasn't a simple book by any means, and I think the issues were handled with respect.I liked what Jodi Picoult says about being an author in an Amazon video, ". . . if you're really lucky, then you get to maybe open some narrow minds a little bit." I think her books succeed. (3.75/5)Originally posted on: Thoughts of Joy
Good Jodi Piccoult about a school shooting and what it means to be popular.
This book is very addicting because of all the questions the reader seeks to be answered. With each page more questions arise and answers are still to come. Picoult, as usual, adds a great twist at the end that you probably didn't see coming. The book also ends in a fashion that is up to interpretation.
Nineteen Minutes also provides a fictional story that combines the events and feelings of all school shootings. It tells stories of people that are hurt for various different reasons and reveals truths to the characters that are both happy and sad. The tragic events of this book shed light on real situations that have occurred in the USA in recent years.
Nineteen Minutes also provides a fictional story that combines the events and feelings of all school shootings. It tells stories of people that are hurt for various different reasons and reveals truths to the characters that are both happy and sad. The tragic events of this book shed light on real situations that have occurred in the USA in recent years.
I have to say this is a rather impressive book. The subject is horrifying: a bullied boy shoots people at his school. What I find amazing is that despite of this dark subject, this is not a depressing book. Yes, it is emotional at times, and terrible and heart breaking. But it did not make my heart heavy, it did not make me hesitate to pick it up. Strangely enough, there was something almost cozy about it. Don't ask me how, because I don't know. BUt I'll definitely be on the lookout for more of Jodi Picoult's books.
You know what I HATE about Jodi Picoult? She always has a FANTASTIC plot idea, and then screws the whole thing up by tying everything up with a freaking pretty bow for the last 20 pages of the book. I really hated this one, mostly because all of the forensic stuff was messed up AND the mom would have never been the judge AND there was a fact-based error about the school shooting at Thurston High School. Ugh.
I've read enough Jodi Picoult to see where this story was going long before it got there. Even so, it was a quick and engrossing read.
In Nineteen Minutes, Jodi Picoult tackles the difficult issue of a high school boy, bullied since kindergarten, who finally cracks resulting in a Columbine-like shooting spree. The narration of this story often changes so that the reader gets to hear the story from many different points of view, including the shooter Peter, his mother, other kids, and even a police officer responsible for the case. As with many of Picoult's novels, the issues are difficult and not black and white. Peter, sweet and sensitive, is different enough that even in elementary school, he becomes the target of pranks and bullying. Although nothing could justify a 19 minute spree of violence, I couldn't help but feel sorry for him and his family. What was really eye-opening for me was the descriptions of life in high school. Could it possibly be that bad? It made me realize that kids in high school today experience stress - not just due to the pressure of getting into college, but just surviving that social jungle. I hope this book gave me enough insight to let up on my middle school son, and be grateful that he is ok.
I know a lot of people call Picoult formulaic, but I can't help it -- call me a fan of the formula. This book is reminiscent of such Picoult classics as The Pact and Salem Falls in that it features a classic courtroom drama with a big surprise at the end.
And sure, maybe you can guess the surprise, maybe you know what's coming, but, to me, it doesn't stop the joy of reading along to find out whether you're right or not. I couldn't put this one down.
Story centers around a small town high school -- a student regularly bullied and victimized by his peers brings a gun to school and kills and injures a number of his classmates. The story is told from a variety of perspectives, including the shooter, his mother, the town judge, the judge's daughter (a high school student), and the detective on the case. Picoult does a find job of weaving all their stories together as the book comes to its inevitable shocking conclusion.
And sure, maybe you can guess the surprise, maybe you know what's coming, but, to me, it doesn't stop the joy of reading along to find out whether you're right or not. I couldn't put this one down.
Story centers around a small town high school -- a student regularly bullied and victimized by his peers brings a gun to school and kills and injures a number of his classmates. The story is told from a variety of perspectives, including the shooter, his mother, the town judge, the judge's daughter (a high school student), and the detective on the case. Picoult does a find job of weaving all their stories together as the book comes to its inevitable shocking conclusion.
Was a good read, but difficult subject matter. Picoult handled the characters very well, drawing emotion and investing the reader. Good book.
I had gone off Jodi Picoult books as they start with what is a great and fairly unique concept, but then follow a very similar storyline each time. So it was with a bit of hesitation that I accepted this from a friend. In the end I really enjoyed this story about a bullied teenager who gets his revenge by shooting up his school. At the first the chapters going back and fourth in time irritated me as I was eager to know what had happened, but in the end that ended up being a real plus to the story. What did disappoint me, however, was the ending. There were a few things a bit unclear, everything came to a fairly predictable and "tidy" ending (new baby anyone?), and other elements were more or less just brushed under the carpet. A decent book but let down by the ending.
Captivating story with real characters.
Very VERY powerful story!
This book was amazing. Picoult is such a remarkable, lyrical and evocative writer. I really thought she was true to how the pain and trauma of a high school shooting affect the community. I also really liked how we saw the tragedy through multiple perspectives. It really was jarring how Peter's parents felt just as lost, confused and heartbroken as the parents of the victims. Of course, for Lacey and Lewis, they were also plagued with self-doubt in their parenting abilities and blamed themselves for what Peter did. I found it to be an interesting change that Peter did not kill himself at the end of the shooting spree, and I liked how we got to see what was going on in his head. Sometimes, I found myself sympathizing with him, but at others, I found him to be remorseless and a repulsive human being. At the heart of the matter, I do think Peter was a very tortured individual who was driven to do what he did out of desperation and a desire to make the bullying stop. Obviously, I don't condone his actions, but it's shocking how much psychological and physical abuse he went through.One thing I noticed about Josie was that she seemed to give Peter mixed messages. At times, she treated him with such distaste and at others, she's kissing him in elevators. The relationship between them was so complex and I really liked how both the characters were written. There were a lot of moments when we saw Josie through Peter's eyes (to let the reader know how much Peter cared about her), and there were a few where we saw Peter through Josie's eyes (to let the reader see how separated in status they were). It was an interesting writing style to adopt where we saw Peter differently by everyone.The ending was incredible. This book forces you to see both sides of the story and really makes you think. Highly recommended.
Nineteen Minutes is about a town called Sterling; an ordinary New Hampshire town where nothing ever happens. Then one day a shocking act of violence happens. A boy attemps to kill himself in the bathroom and Josie Cormier, the teenage daughter of the judge sitting on the case, accidently witnesses it. After it happened though, she can't remember what happened in front of her own eyes. And as the trial progresses, things start to come up that destroy the closest friendships and families.I thought more could have been told at the end of the book; I still had questions about what happened that they never answered.
While suffering cabin-fever in Kaikoura during the rain I managed to read the two books I had taken with me, and with no others the wife gave me this one which she read in quick time as well.I have read a Picoult book in the past on insistence (My Sister's Keeper) and quite liked it, but the wife assured me this one was a good'un. And she was right...The story revolves around a high school shooting (in America, where else?) and the consequence it has on the families of those killed, those who survived, and in particular the parents of two kids: one the alleged shooter, the other the his love interest. But it also scratches that nasty wee scab in teenage life - bullying.Won't give away too much, but do insist on reading it. Well researched and written, it jumps between three times; the day of the shooting, the years leading up (quite literally from the shooter's early childhood), and the months afterwards (specifically the trial). And unlike other stories that try this format, it is very easy to know who and what you are dealing with especially as the characters (and there are plenty making more than just an extra) are well written and memorable.A long book at over 400 pages, but this means nothing as the book is too hard to put down, although just as hard to pick up being so big and heavy!My only criticisms of this book is the lack of insight and POV from the shooting itself which really would have set this book into the next level as you can't help but have a morbid fascination in what, why and how, and the ending I thought was a little 'short', and romanticised...but that's just me.
I read it because my son gave me the book for Christmas. Would not have bought it myself. The story line is too real and sad. I feel bad for families who live through these types of events.
This book was very powerful and emotional. I cried at the end. I really enjoyed how it gives the perspective off all characters, giving the reader a better understand of what people go through with life.
I adored this one for the most part. It usually takes me quite a while to struggle through Picoult books, but I couldn't put this one down until I finished. Once again, I found myself liking all the characters I assume I was supposed to dislike, and visa versa. The story follows the aftermath of a school shooting, and also gives the background of each of the main characters. I thought Peter was portrayed perfectly, and for a murderer of 10 people, he was actually rather likable. What I found particularly striking was the fact that even after the shooting, after the people in the town realized the effects of bullying and the consequences, all the students just kept on bullying- even the kids who had lost close friends and/or had been injured in the shooting themselves. I would have given this book five stars if it hadn't been for the choppy ending. It was a 500 page book- and she wrapped it all up in a few pages, it was too quick. Overall, though, an excellent piece of writing.
What would make a teen go berserk and gun down his high school classmates? Nineteen Minutes explores Peter's life and the cruel bullying that shapes him. And then there's Josie, his childhood friend, who is now part of the popular set at high school but is not always comfortable with that role. We also see events through the eyes of their parents, the police officer investigating the case, and Peter's lawyer. Filled with suspense, mystery, and insight this is a dramatic and often heart wrenching book. Although the main characters are teens, this is an adult book and not appropriate for young teens.
The newest superior court judge, Alex Cormier, is assigned to preside over the case of the alleged Sterling High School shooter. Lawyer Jordan McAfee represents Peter - the boy who, on the day of the shooting, was found in the corner of the gymnasium holding a gun to his head with a shaky hand. Detective Patrick Ducharme has one star witness, but her story keeps changing. And there's one thing that could prove a problem for them all: that star witness is Judge Alex Cormier's daughter.
Synopsis: Bullied right from the very second he stood onto the bus on his first day of school, Peter Houghton is an outcast and treated like one every day up. At high school, his face is slammed into lockers and toilets on a regular basis and his pants are pulled down at the cafeteria for everyone to see. Finally, when Peter Houghton decides to fight back, it leaves devastating consequences: Nineteen people seriously wounded and ten people dead at Sterling High School. Jodi Picoult faces the question of whether Peter Houghton's lifelong bullying is justified in his act of revenge. My Opinion: Yet another of Jodi Picoult's I'd-rather-read-than-waste-my-time-sleeping books that leaves you questioning your own actions and position in life.
Deeply disturbing and amazingly addictive.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the look at bullying in the high school system. We all know how difficult peer pressure can be but this story really puts an extreme spin on how children can be so very cruel to each other. I loved the character development and really felt for both mother's and their situations in the book.
In Sterling, New Hampshire, we meet Peter Houghton, a senior in high school who went on a shooting rampage at his high school. He killed 10 and injured many, yet did not take his own life. As the entire country tries to understand what led Peter to murder his peers, the people who know Peter question their role in the shooting. Peter's mother, Lacy Houghton, a midwife, wonders how her once sweet little boy could plot out his murderous plan under the family's roof. Peter's childhood friend, Josie Cormier, is especially disturbed by the shooting though she has no memory of it. She was in the locker room when her boyfriend Matt was killed, yet she tells detectives and her mother that she can't remember any of the details of the shooting. Josie's mother, Alex Cormier, is assigned to preside over Peter's murder trial. She is forced to decide if she is obligated to do her job or care for her daughter who is incredibly fragile as a result of the murders. This novel has many layers and incredibly real, flawed characters. After reading Dave Cullen's non-fiction book Columbine, I can see that Picoult pulled many of the details of her story straight from the real story of the Columbine School shooting. Picoult's novel is gripping, and it will appeal to teenagers and adults, regardless of their high school experience.
Riveting, heartbreaking, one you can't put down!!
I wasn't sure about this book when I started it. I don't step out of my comfort zone when I read much, so I gravitate back to the same authors over and over again. I was almost tempted to stop reading this book shortly into it. In fact, I did put it aside to read other things for a while, but in the end I am really glad that I picked it back up again.I could really identify with Peter, and could see what would bring him to do what he did. I could also identify with Josie and when the truth came out, I was proud of her for finally standing up for, not only herself, but for her friend. I think people could learn quite a bit from Josie and from Peter.I'd highly recommend it to everyone.
it was a great book! very timely.
This is the first book by this author that I've read. It was very good. A tough subject to read and to navigate, but a great story.
Not one of her better books. There are a few things you can count on in your average Picoult novel: a family or two with teenage children, police and/or lawyers, at least one romance, and a heaping helping of dysfunction. I get the impression that Picoult reads a headline and decides to write a story about it. Which is fine, but this book's Weighty Topic is school shootings, which reads a lot like a cross between We Need to Talk About Kevin and a Law & Order episode, with a generous sprinkling of high school stereotypes. The main characters were the shooter and his mother, the shooter's crush and her mother (a judge) and boyfriend (a bully/jock), and the detective. The whole story was just so tragic that I stopped caring how things turned out. It didn't help that I called the twist ending around halfway through the book. I've read some excellent books by Picoult; this just didn't happen to be one of them.