When the hubs ventured to our favorite used bookstore a couple days before our vacation, I asked him to pick up a Jodi Picoult book. I read My Sister's Keeper about a thousand years ago and remembered liking it OK, and thought I'd give her another shot.Here's the back-of-the-book description:
"Fourteen-year-old Trixie Stone is in love for the first time. She's also the light of her father, Daniel's life - a straight-A student; a pretty, popular freshman in high school; a girl who's always seen her father as a hero. That is, until her world is turned upside down with a single act of violence. Suddenly everything Trixie has believed about family - and herself - seems to be a lie. Could the boyfriend who once made Trixie wild with happiness have been the one to end her childhood forver? She says that he is, and that is all it takes to make Daniel, a seemingly mild-mannered comic book artist with a secret tumultuous past he has hidden even from his family, venture to hell and back to protect his daughter."
Having read My Sister's Keeper and just having a feeling that Picoult is somewhat formulaic, I got pretty much what I was expecting in terms of character, plot, and significant event that changes the course of action near the end of the book. But I also got two things I wasn't expecting, one good, one bad. The nice surprise was the excerpts from Daniel's graphic novel (or was it a straight-up comic?) that closed most chapters. Yes, the father in the book is a comic book artist, but I didn't expect to actually see his drawings. It was kind of cool. I have to give major credit to Dustin Weaver, the artist who drew "Daniel's" drawings. Nice job, Dustin. I also wasn't expecting to get hammered over the head with symbolism of hell and references to Dante's Inferno. Please, Jodi, give me some credit as a reader.
The Tenth Circle - B-
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