Jodi Picoult Books Reading Group. discussion

Who did you think was the molester?

I knew it was the father as soon as Shay said (or alluded to-I cant remember) that he was trying to save the little girl. I was disapointed that I able to see that so early in the book. Usually Jodi's books keep me guessing. I still enjoyed this book though.

it was kind of evident early on. sometimes jodi keeps you guessing, other times she gives too many clues.

Clare, I think Jodi has an amazing ability to make us see that things aren't always as they seem. She does it in many of her books, MSK, CoH, Nineteen Minutes...pretty much all of them. She takes the reader to a place that hopefully they will never have to be in their real lives but are often in a place where it is easy to judge others with only some of the facts or assumptions.

dara

For a while I questioned myself about this: who really hurt that little girl? Then, after Shay said that she was better off dead, I knew it was the step-father.

Jessica, that's when I realized it must have been the father too.

At first I thought it was so incredibly sweet that they were buried in the same coffin, but then after I found out the step-father was the one molesting her, I wanted them to be dug up so that poor little girl wouldn't have to lay with him forever! Is that wrong?

I figured it was the father early,but I was dismayed with the mom's attitude. I mean if you know your daughter is too young to put her panties in a cushion and you didn't who did? Also I realize she wanted to save the other daughter, but was it fair to allow the father to remain a hero?

Britta & Anna, my feelings exactly. I hated that she had to be burried with that horrible man. If the story continued, I'd hope that her mother would explain what the step-dad did so he could be exposed for the molester her was.

I guessed that it was the father early in the book, which was disappointing because usually with her books, I would never guess. It really bothered me that she was buried with her father, and I can't imagine how terrible that realization would have been for the mother.

I guess I just didn't think too much about who it could have been if it wasn't Shay. For some reason I just didn't seem to put it together until late in the book and then I was just hoping and praying that it couldn't be the stepfather. I agree...how horrible to think that you buried your little angel with such a monster for all eternity. And I am just still not sure how I feel about her letting her other daughter go on believing that daddy was a hero. In a way I think it is selfless...but then on the other hand, what about the day that little girl figures it all out?

I also thought it was the stepfather. But not until Shay said he was trying to save her.

Yeah I also thought it was him pretty early on but I still loved the way the story went

my money was on the stepfather. this book was the 7th or so that i read by jodi. when i read salem falls, i had no idea what was coming at the end. all i'll say for those who haven't read it. i will say that jordan macafee returns as council. LOVE his character!

Britta wrote: "At first I thought it was so incredibly sweet that they were buried in the same coffin, but then after I found out the step-father was the one molesting her, I wanted them to be dug up so that poor..."

No, I agree with you. I so wanted her to dig her up and put her in her own coffin.

Kim wrote: "my money was on the stepfather. this book was the 7th or so that i read by jodi. when i read salem falls, i had no idea what was coming at the end. all i'll say for those who haven't read it. i w..."

I love how Jodi brings back characters from other books. It really encourages you to read so many of her novels this way. Not that I need to be pushed to read any of her novels. I just love her!

Dara wrote: "I guess I just didn't think too much about who it could have been if it wasn't Shay. For some reason I just didn't seem to put it together until late in the book and then I was just hoping and pra..."

I didn't figure it out until later in the book either. I think I didn't want to believe it could have been the step-father, but I didn't think it was Shay either.

Yeah, I had no clue who it was until Shay told Father Michael. I know, I'm totally crazy. So for the whole book, I didn't have the whole story.

I just finished this. I also guessed pretty early, but I was ok with that. I don't think the book was supposed to be about that mystery it was supposed to be about everything else.

I was mad that the mom was in such denial, but honestly you hear that all the time in real life.

I was shocked by the ending.
I wasn't expecting it AT ALL! But that's the beauty of Picoult's writing; it rarely goes in the direction of the expected.

I <3 Shay. I think he told the truth when he was telling Michael he didn't pull off Elizabeth's panties & that her dad did. Shay is a great gut and I think that in the book he was the messiah. I did not expect Clare to bring the dog back to life in the epilouge. What do you guys think. Was Shay the messiah? Or did it just look that way?

I wonder... If it's because Shay didn't commit the crime. Maybe God is trying to get him not to be exicuted. Maybe God thinks that Shay is someone they need on Earth.

That's a good thought :)

I wonder if people who have commited crimes are as bad as they are said to be, or, if they are like Shay.

But even if they did intend to commit the crime, they can always change, right? People can change.

I don't really understand why you would kill someone to keep them safe. I would get them help.

I agree. People are all different shades of colors.

I see why they would run from that, but I still don't see why they'd kill somebody to keep them safe. It's different though, he accidently killed this child because he got into a fight with her dad. He didn't INTEND on killing her.

:( I hate the word kill

I think if I was in the same position as June, I would be devistated. I don't blame her for not taking Shay's heart at first, I wouldn't either. I don't think I'd ever marry anyone like this though. I wonder how close the relationship between her and her husband really was. Seems like one of those never-talk-to-each-other relationships.

I didn't see that on my own but I know what you're saying. I didn't really seem to read into their relationship because it never said anything about it.

I was focused on the lawyer, and his spiritual advisor (Michael) for most of the time.

I don't know why but I didn't make the connection of Michael being in Shay's jury until he told Shay later in story. I was like, "Why didn't I notice that!" My brain just completly skipped over that important fact.

I agree. June really changed over to course of the story, she became much more accepting.