Nineteen Minutes Review

I finished Jodi Picoult's Nineteen Minutes over the weekend. It was serendipitous that I picked it up last Sunday; the following day, the massacre at Virginia Tech occurred. This book, which deals with a high school bullying victim who has had enough, gives insight into how he might have felt, and how his decision to go into his school with guns blazing for revenge affected so many people. Picoult has a gift for making her characters seem real; as a teacher, I can easily see boys (and girls) like Peter who skulk down the halls, hoping to be left alone as they move through their days. While I might have quibbled with the ending to this one (why on earth throw in the whole Josie bit?), I think this book is well done and enlightening.

Here's a link to my review on Amazon.com.:

http://tinyurl.com/2tklnd

Read it for yourself and see if your opinions and insights change. I think it's going to haunt me for a very, very long time...and possibly, it may make me reach out more readily for those kids who seem so alone. At least I can make the effort.

~taminator40