Syosset Public Library TeenSpace Blog

review by Trisha Sanghavi
“What’s the difference between spending your life trying to be invisible, or pretending to be the person you think everyone wants you to be? Either way, you’re faking.” Jodi Picoult thoroughly examines the issues of fitting in and defining oneself in her novel, Nineteen Minutes. March 6th, 2007 begins like any other day for the residents of a small suburban New Hampshire town. However, on this day, the quaint, sleepy town of Sterling is abruptly awoken when a high school misfit embarks on a killing rampage. The shock and grief the small community is forced to cope with is one of the many focuses of the novel, which is told from the eyes of various characters, including a survivor of the attack, her mother who also happens to be the judge sitting on the case, the parents of the shooter, and the killer himself…
Nineteen Minutes may seem slow at times with regards to the book as a whole, but this is partly because all the fast-paced action occurs within the first twenty-four pages. The remainder of the novel fills in the gaps with anecdotes from characters’ pasts and builds up to the climax, the emotionally charged court trial.
Picoult’s books are widely read for their depth and emotionally gripping stories. Tales about insightful topics and debatable subjects, including Nineteen Minutes, leave readers thinking with their minds racing, a feat that not many current novelists can claim to have accomplished. It is no wonder that Jodi Picoult has amassed a large fan base that looks forward to her future releases.
Ed Goldberg
Teen Services Librarian