Review: The Pact by Jodi Picoult

The Pact by Jodi Picoult

Genre:  Adult fiction
Publisher:  Harper Perennial
My Copy:  Bought
My Rating:  4.5 stars
Buy the Book:  Amazon
 

Summary from Goodreads:

From Jodi Picoult, one of the most powerful writers in contemporary fiction, comes a riveting, timely, heartbreaking, and terrifying novel of families in anguish -- and friendships ripped apart by inconceivable violence. Until the phone calls came at 3:00 A.M. on a November morning, the Golds and their neighbors, the Hartes, had been inseparable. It was no surprise to anyone when their teenage children, Chris and Emily, began showing signs that their relationship was moving beyond that of lifelong friends. But now seventeen-year-old Emily has been shot to death by her beloved and devoted Chris as part of an apparent suicide pact -- leaving two devastated families stranded in the dark and dense predawn, desperate for answers about an unthinkable act and the children they never really knew.

My review:

I gave this book 4.5 stars ~ I loved it.  It’s an emotional (and almost too real) look at two families, two teens who have made a suicide pact.  After the apparent suicide of the teenage girl, everything is questioned.  Now, everything hangs in the balance as investigators and the families search for the truth of what really happened that day. 

I really love Jodi Picoult’s narrative style.  In this book, the reader goes back and forth between present-day and the past events leading up to the suicide.  I enjoyed this style because we are given bits and pieces of the past as the present story progresses, giving the reader just enough of a glimpse to keep them on the edge of their seats…

The only reason I didn’t give this a full 5 stars is because I figured out the ending before it was revealed and was a tad let down by that.  I expected it to be more of a surprise, but that aside, I really loved the story.  The legal drama was amazing and if you like realistic fiction with a lot of drama, this book is for you.  There is so much emotion from the characters and the story is so real and raw, that I had to step away from it now and then to think about it.  It is a tear-jerker and it really gives you the feeling that you are on an emotional roller-coaster with each and every character.  All of the characters were very well-developed.

This book took me a little longer to read, but it was worth it.  I would describe this story as deeply emotional, intense, suspenseful, painful at times, but it’s also about one boy’s deep and intimate connection with the love of his life.  Very powerful stuff.  I highly recommend it if you like realistic drama.