Nineteen Minutes
Jodi Picoult, bestselling author of My Sister's Keeper and Small Great Things, pens her most riveting book yet with a startling and poignant story about the devastating aftermath of a small-town tragedy.
Sterling is an ordinary New Hampshire town where nothing ever happens--until the day its complacency is shattered by a school shooting. Josie Cormier, the daughter of the judge sitting on the case, should be the state's best witness, but she can't remember what happened before her very own eyes--or can she? As the trial progresses, fault lines between the high school and the adult community begin to show--destroying the closest of friendships and families. Nineteen Minutes asks what it means to be different in our society, who has the right to judge someone else, and whether anyone is ever really who they seem to be.
Sterling is an ordinary New Hampshire town where nothing ever happens--until the day its complacency is shattered by a school shooting. Josie Cormier, the daughter of the judge sitting on the case, should be the state's best witness, but she can't remember what happened before her very own eyes--or can she? As the trial progresses, fault lines between the high school and the adult community begin to show--destroying the closest of friendships and families. Nineteen Minutes asks what it means to be different in our society, who has the right to judge someone else, and whether anyone is ever really who they seem to be.
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Community Reviews
What a very poignant view of something that is way too real in our country. Jodi always seems to hit exactly what every character is feeling in their mind and it's just amazing that an author can do that.
I came across this book more than a decade ago, around 10 to 15 years back. What makes it particularly special to me is that my English Language Development (ELD) teacher was the one who recommended it. My journey in the United States began when I was just 15 years old, and I arrived with little knowledge of the English language. I was immediately enrolled in high school, and the sensation of not quite fitting in was all too familiar.
While I never paid much heed to those who might have been bullying me, I can certainly empathize with the experience of being bullied. Even now, at the age of 33, I find myself still grappling with the memories of my high school years. That's why I feel such a strong connection to this book.
Without revealing too much, this book revolves around a high school boy and his closest friend who become part of the popular crowd during their middle school years. It delves into a multitude of social issues, highlighting how the relationships of these popular kids, which might seem perfect from the outside, are often far from it on the inside. The narrative takes a dark turn when Peter, a character who has been subjected to bullying throughout his life, ultimately resorts to a tragic act—shooting up the school in just 19 minutes.
The book contains a couple of memorable quotes that have stayed with me: "Happiness is what you choose to remember" and "Lie to yourself until it's true what you can do in 19 minute
Not an easy book to read, but as usual Jody takes the reader through everyone's point of view and makes the journey so enjoyable.
Heartbreaking because it’s so relevant. I think it would be hard to not have this book deeply affect you.
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