Horror Aficionados discussion

So, I was thinking of reading a Jodi Picoult novel ('Sing You Home' in case you were wondering) but I checked out some reviews of her novel 'My Sister's Keeper' on here and man! it's definitely split down the middle. People either love her and her writing or say she's a cop out and her endings are crap.

I was just curious if any one here has read any of her work and what you think about it.

Hey, girl. I'm moving this to the author folder where it won't get lost. Off Topic is a No-Man's land.

I've never read Jodi Picoult; just never been into the kind of light general fiction she writes. Or what I believe to be light. Maybe I'm wrong. It is hard to decide whether to read a book with reviews that are split down the middle.

However, I have heard mostly good things about My Sister's Keeper.

The movie based on it was tedious, IMO. Her books sell ok, but also get donated very often, we got tons of them at the store.

I read one of her short stories, and it was really, really depressing. I don't like that kind of stuff, personally, but the writing was good, if it's your thing.

I tried to read one of her books and I gave up (which I rarely do). I didn't like the story line at all.

I've read many of her books and actually like her. She's different, and touches on major issues that you might not have thought about before. Plus, she has a great way about showing all sides, right or wrong, that I like. Even Uncle Stevie had a blurb on the back of one of her books, which surprised me. (But he does seem to read absolutely everything!) As far as someone saying her endings are cop-outs, I completely disagree! She has a way of letting you think she's going in one direction with an ending, but then out of nowhere will turn the ending on it's ear and completely leave you shocked! I do recommend her books.

IMO, the film of My Sister's Keeper was a waste of time. They changed it to give it a hollywood ending. Just because a book doesn't have a "perfect, everybody is happy" ending, doesn't mean it needs to be changed. Life isn't perfect and that's the way things are. Oh, well.

How is it a cop-out when it's a surprise ending?

As far as the movie, I admit, I didn't see it cause Jodi Picoult came to the bookstore I work at for a booksigning and complained about the movie and how they were changing it. When she tried to argue w/ the producer and director how her readers wouldn't like the change, they told her "reader's don't matter". At that point I boycotted the movie. So, I can't argue about the movie, not with anything to back it up. You might be right. I just hate when people base a movie on a book.....if you supposedly liked it, which is why you chose it, why change it? That's just me, though.

I've read both Handle With Care and House Rules. House Rules I liked but I thought the ending was a cop-out and ended too abruptly. Handle With Care's ending frustrated me, but that had to do with characterization. I've read a couple of her short stories and really enjoyed them. I actually enjoyed them more than her books because sometimes I feel like her books are too formulaic. I own My Sister's Keeper because I liked the movie and wanted to read the book but then Handle With Care came out and I was more interested in that subject matter and now I think the books might be too similar. I'll read My Sister's Keeper someday.

@Kathy-King wrote a review in EW for Handle With Care (which is pretty much why I read it) and that blurb has ended up on all her books since. It's weird.

@Rachel - At first I was surprised when I saw his review. I like her, so it didn't phase me, just I wouldn't have expected him to read anything like her. But whenever you see him reading or carrying a book...which is all the time....it's such a varied mix, nothing would surprise me now!

@Scott - Well, I beg to disagree....or whatever the saying is. :)

I've read all her books, so I can't speak for all of them. I've liked what I've read, though. It's such a pet peeve of mine when they change a movie substantially from the book it's supposedly based on. But that's just me.

LOL. That's good to know. My mind went blank...isn't that an expression?

It's "I beg to differ," Kathy. :-) When you think about it, none of these sayings make much sense.

LOL. Thanks Tressa. That's true, they don't. Oh, well, You guys know was I mean.

I like Jodi's work but stopped reading her because the novels have become almost formulaic.

There will be an attorney in the book.
There will be a trial.
No one completely wins.

Sounds like John Grisham's books, except someone completely wins almost every time.

Tammy wrote: "I like Jodi's work but stopped reading her because the novels have become almost formulaic.

There will be an attorney in the book.
There will be a trial.
No one completely wins."

This is exactly right. House Rules spoiler: (view spoiler)[ In a way she deviates from that in this book because, while there is a trial, there is no verdict. That frustrated the hell out of me. I wanted to know what would happen to the kid. (hide spoiler)]

For me, what was important in House Rules was (view spoiler)[that the family was going to be ok. This family was on the brink of falling apart, and they were finally coming together. I felt that that was more important than the court case. (hide spoiler)]

This book holds a special place in my heart because my son is mildly autistic. So I could totally relate to what that mom went through, and so much of how Jacob was like, is what I deal w/ on a daily basis. This book was accurate in so many ways.

I appreciated the fact that it was really accurate. When I read it I was working at a school for autistic kids and I recognized a lot of the same behaviors that our kids had. We ran an outpatient program for kids with Asperger's and Piccoult was pretty spot on with her main character. I feel that is one of her strongholds. The experiences of the family in Handle With Care are pretty accurate too. There were some dramatic moments between mom and the main character where certain independence issues came up and my mom (who read the book because I needed to discuss it with someone and I thought she'd like it)and I would talk about we had the exact same fights when I was a kid.

What I guess bothered me about House Rules was that I felt the story didn't really have a resolution, the end felt too abrupt. (view spoiler)[ I know we, the reader, found out that she died by accident after getting out of the tub when she caught Jacob's brother peeping on her but I felt that, realistically, there would still have been legal repercussions from their actions after the fact that would have torn the family apart for a little while at least. I didn't get the sense that everything would be OK. (hide spoiler)]

I get what you're saying, Rachel. (view spoiler)[Their knowing the truth doesn't close the case, there would definitely have been repercussions. For me, the court case was just secondary to the truth coming out, though. (hide spoiler)]

Thank you everyone for the feedback. This helps me a lot. It seems like "Sing You Home" will follow the formula mentioned above to the T! :-/