SING YOU HOME by Jodi Picoult

BIBLIOGRAPHY Picoult, Jodi. 2011. SING YOU HOME.  New York, NY: Atria Books. ISBN 978-1439102725.

PLOT SUMMARY

When music therapist Zoe Baxter’s latest pregnancy ends in a stillbirth, her husband Max decides he can’t handle any more heartbreak and leaves her. As she picks up the pieces of her life, Zoe is surprised to find herself falling for a school counselor who happens to be a woman. While Zoe is finding happiness with Vanessa, Max falls off the wagon and is helped by a pastor from his brother’s evangelical church. Vanessa and Zoe wed in Massachusetts, and Vanessa offers to carry one of the fertilized embryos Zoe and Max stored. Excited by the prospect of being a mother, Zoe goes to Max to get him to release the embryos to her and is shocked when he instead sues her for custody of them, backed by his church.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Picoult is known for her books that deal with moral and ethical dilemmas and this one is no exception.  What I found interesting in this book is that a number of difficult topics were addressed:  infertility, homosexuality, "the church".  Picoult does well portraying the infertility issue from the male standpoint as well as the female, evoking understanding and empathy for the men and what they deal with, something women often have hard times relating to. 

I almost think that too much is covered in this book, too many issues addressed, however life does come at us rather fast and full of punches at times. 

Being as new as this book is, I'm going to leave the review short and let you know that it's worth a read.  Be prepared, I like controversial books or things that leave people a bit uncomfortable.  This is one book I can see that will do that for some, particularly with the character of lovable Zoe, who is first married to a man then a woman.  Not saying that because it makes me uncomfortable, I can just already hear the comments coming back to me, living in this strong Southern Baptist area of the US.

REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Booklist: "Told from the perspectives of all three major characters, Picoult’s gripping novel explores all sides of the hot-button issue and offers a CD of folk songs that reflect Zoe’s feelings throughout the novel."

about.com: "Few books are so engaging, so enraging, so sympathetic as to arrest one's attention and demand to be read in one sitting. Jodi Picoult's Sing You Home is such a novel."

CONNECTIONS

What can you say after reading a Jodi Picoult book, but read more.  If you like this one, I'd next recommend: Vanishing Acts, Salem Falls and My Sister's Keeper.  Three of my fav Jodi books.  If you've only seen the movie of the last one, read the book....they are NOTHING alike.