Originally reviewed 6/7/09
Description:
On Peter Houghton's first day of kindergarten, he watched helplessly as an older boy ripped his lunch box out of his hands and threw it out the window. From that day on, his life was a series of humiliations, from having his pants pulled down in the cafeteria, to being called a freak at every turn. But can endless bullying justify murder? As Picoult attempts to answer this question, she shows us all sides of the equation, from the ruthless jock who loses his ability to speak after being shot in the head, to the mother who both blames and pities herself for producing what most would call a monster. Surrounding Peter's story is that of Josie Cormier, a former friend whose acceptance into the popular crowd hangs on a string that makes it impossible for her to reconcile her beliefs with her actions.
My Thoughts:
This is the second book I've read by Picoult, and she is fast becoming one of my favorite authors. The thing I find that I like about Picoult's style is that she makes the reader feel sympathetic to characters who are in situations that would normally not deserve sympathy. In Nineteen Minutes, Peter Houghton is an outcast and has been his entire life. He's picked on and bullies constantly, and ends up taking four guns to school one day and killing 10 people. Picoult has a way of taking you into a character's world so you understand why they do what they do, even if it isn't right.
This story had lots of emotion and hard topics that are tough to deal with. I found it facsinating!
Rating: B+
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