Internationally bestselling author Jodi Picoult is renowned for exploring human emotion in topical and provocative stories. In her latest novel, Sing You Home, she tackles the conceptions of what makes a traditional family. Sing You Home, like her previous novel, My Sister’s Keeper, is an honest and moving story of contemporary relationships and the consequences when love and desire collide with science and the law. From tragedy, to self-discovery and joy, she shows the truth that you can’t choose who you love.
- Information from: http://www.jodipicoult.com.au/singyouhome.html
- For more information, an excerpt and discussion questions go to: http://www.jodipicoult.com.au/singyouhome.html
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I have read all Jodi Picoult's books do don't bother reading what they are about first. I started 'Sing you home' thinking it was about one thing and then discovering it wasn't about that at all. I found it very confrontational as I know a gay couple who have a daughter - born to one partner. I had never thought about what they may have had to go through to have her though I have been aware of some of the prejudice they have faced since. I thought this story portrayed the situations it covered very well. The characters and relationships are well developed. I was very interested in the music therapy aspect too.
ReplyDeleteI would be interested in hearing from those who listened to the soundtrack whilst reading the book, as I wasn't able to do this. How did it enhance your experience of the novel?
ReplyDeleteI felt Picoult addressed a number of contentious issues with sensitivity and I was particularly impressed that unlike many of her previous books, she took a definitive stance instead of throwing an issue 'out there' as food for thought without committing to a particular viewpoint. I was impressed with her clear stance about gay rights. I thought her depiction of assisted reproductive technology and the grieving process following the death of a loved one to be movingly accurate. Come to think of it, I didn't need the soundtrack to bring the book to life - in so many parts of it I could draw from the soundtrack of my own life.
I listened to a couple of tracks (not at the suggested times - just to check them out). Can't say they did much for me.
ReplyDeleteI read the first six or so of Picoult's books and enjoyed them, especially the plot twists, but after that I found them to be predictable and formulaic, so I stopped reading them.
ReplyDeleteI was given 'Sing You Home' and read it in desperation on a long plane trip in the absence of any other reading material. I was pleasantly surprised. The characters were not as stereotyped or predictable as they had been in previous books, and while I thought I would be able to anticipate the plot and final outcomes, I was pleasantly surprised to find that this wasn't the case.
I will be looking forward to Picoult's next novel with renewed enthusiasm.
A comment on the online bookclub concept rather than this book (because I can't see a more appropriate spot to do this):
ReplyDeleteIt would be great to have some books for different age groups too. Our 10yo reads voraciously. Would be good to see him flesh out his understanding of some of the things he reads - improve his writing skills to boot.
Thanks.
Thanks for your comment Alan. Having online book clubs for various ages is something we are considering. We thought we would start with one and see how it goes and maybe add more at a later date. In the meantime your son may be interested in http://www.insideadog.com.au/ Inside a Dog is a site where young people can post reviews or comments about books or join an online book club.
ReplyDeleteI also have read all of JP's books and found them a bit "all the same" - I enjoyed this one but it proabably helped that I hadn't read any others for a while.
ReplyDeleteThis was the first JP book I've ever read. The subject is quite controversial which makes it an interesting read and it would be a good book for book groups. I found the timeline a bit unbelievable - from getting divorced to getting married and wanting a baby (only 6 months) but perhaps I'm conservative. I also found the ending to be quite unbelievable (the 180 degree turn of Zoe's ex-husband). Anyway, it was an easy and enjoyable read.
ReplyDeleteIt was the first book i have read from this author. i always wondered what all the fuss was sbout her, but she writes in a very entertaining, matter of fact way. easy to read. I read this for a book club that i already attend. Can anyone tell me if this is a typical type of novel by JP?
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