-Vanishing Acts, Jodi Picoult, Washington Square Press, 418
-I found this book at Barnes & Noble.
-The book is about a young woman named Delia and how she lives with the conviction of her father kidnapping her when she was very young. Her fiancé, an ex-alcoholic, is representing her father which creates more of a mess. She finds out after thinking her mother has been dead all this time that she is alive and well. Elise, Delia’s mother, was an alcoholic herself and that’s the reason her father, Andrew, keep Delia from her. The book deals with the views of the different characters of Delia’s life thorugh the trial of Andrew, It’s a book that brings up the different races and views of prisoners in jail; also discovering that who you are now and who you will be with in the future is more important than your past.
-I believe the audience for this book is mainly for those who never knew their parents, those trying to figure out who they, and those who are in jail for doing what they thought was right because this is a main point in the book.
-The authors writing style is very descriptive. There are many great quotes about life and the view of things. Picoult does chapters by changing from character to character. Each time a different character tells the story through their eyes. “Bad is not an absolute, but a relative term. Ask the robber who used the cash he stole to feed his infant; the rapist who was sexually abused as a child; the kidnapper who truly believed he was saving a life. And just because you break the law doesn’t mean you have intentionally crossed the line into evil. Sometimes the line creeps up on you, and before you know it, you’re standing on the other side.” (194 Picoult)
-1)
”In jail, everyone comes with a label. It’s up to you to peel it off.” (190) This struck me because this quote goes the same for the outside world. Also, I didn’t realize how much the hate continued in the jail systems.
2) “The moment I would do over is the one I’ve never been brave enough to have. I’d tell Delia how much I lover he, and she would look at me the same way she has always looked at Eric.” (241) This struck me because it makes me think that someone could have a secret admirer that they never would have imagined them to be. Also that the feeling of love is so great it can distract the life of someone to not move on.
3)”It was easier to hide the truth than to hurt her.” (261) This struck me because it makes me think that sometimes the truth of things shouldn’t be revealed because it could make things worse.
-I really enjoyed this book. I like the way you get the story from the different characters rather than one narrator telling it from their view. There are numerous parts that speak out to you, whether it be from a character in jail, or about a character trying to figure out her past and realizing the present and future is what matters. I personally don’t relate the anything in the book, but it makes me understand situations more where families are torn by alcohol or having someone in jail.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
This is a book I will have to read. I love this author, she's my favorite. Her stories always keep you wanting to read more. As I can tell from your summary this book does the same as many of her other books.
ReplyDeleteThe summary and passages makes me want to read this book right away. It seems that Delia and her father have a dysfunctional relationship that would keep readers interested. Other than the story itself, the author makes me more interested in the book. I love all of the books that I have read by Jodi Picoult. All of her novels are twisted in ways that keep you wanting more. I feel sorry for the Delia and wonder how her life had changed when she found out that her fiance was representing the man who had hurt her in the first place.
ReplyDeleteI have also read Vanishing Acts. It was definitely one of my favorites! I love the way Jodi Picoult has different characters take turns on sharing their perspective to tell the story. I believe this helped the reader gradually piece together the puzzle, and gain an overall deeper understanding of the story. I agree with you that this book is hard to relate to, but that it helps you understand how families going through tough situations feel.
ReplyDelete-Kaitlyn Baranowski
Brian Chieco-
ReplyDeleteThis book sounds like a good read. The different perspectives from the characters is interesting. Like her other books, this one seems very realistic as well. I've read one of her books before and I enjoyed it, so i might consider reading this.
I like reading books about family confusions and people's struggle to cope with their issues. it shows stratedgie in life, that i can sometimes relate too. This book sounds touching and an interesting book. I know i would like to read this book, because Jodi Picoult's books are always very well written and have very interesting plots. It's helpful to me as a person to read about other people's life situations, because it can make you be grateful for what you have.
ReplyDeleteI have not read this book before, however it seems very intriguing just from how you have described it. It seems somewhat different from other books i have read in the past, but still very interesting. The author, Jodi Picoult,is an amazing author who has wrote tons of well known novels and some of them i have read. She always finds someway to create her novels in a way where people all over can relate to them. I also like the passages you choose, because they really are what interested me in this book. My last favorite thing is how each of Picoult's chapters are written in the perspectives of different people. This helps keep readers attention, and doesn't get them bored during the novel.
ReplyDeleteben menard
ReplyDeleteThis book seems very intersting and i might consider to read it in the future. i teaches how to cope with life and what kind for straigies you could use. This book seems very realistic as well. I have heard that the author of this book is very good.
Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite author's so I am really excited to read this book. The summary seems like the book will be really great. I feel like the book might give some good advice and show a good outlook on things. While this will probably be different than anything else I have ever read, I'm sure it will be very intriguing and a great read.
ReplyDeleteThe summary sounds like it has a lot going on at once. It seems interesting for the fact that it deals with family's problems. I think i would enjoy this book for that reason. I would like to see what other difficulties this girl and her family have compared to the lives of some of the people i know.
ReplyDelete