From the Archives: Plain Truth and Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult

I began keeping a reading journal several years before I began blogging. I find it interesting to sift through my thoughts of books that I read back then. My reviews were often brief and contained little substance, but I thought it'd be fun to document them here on my blog as well as share them with you. Here are some of my reviews from 2006:

Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult

Washington Square Press, 2000

Fiction; 405 pgs

Jodi Picoult is an amazing author. She takes on difficult subject matters and weaves a story that is complex, engrossing, and thought provoking. Despite the heavy subject matter of her books, they are next to impossible to put down, always fast flowing and intriguing. A reader rarely knows what to expect next. She did no less with Plain Truth where she brings the world of the Old Order Amish and modern American culture together. An Amish unmarried young woman is charged with the murder of her newborn child, a baby born in a barn of her family’s farm in Paradise, Pennsylvania. Defense attorney, Ellie Hathaway, trying to run from her old life and find out where exactly she wants to go, finds herself reluctantly coming to the girl’s aid. Katie and Ellie form an unusual bond despite their circumstances. From the interview in the back of the book, Jodi Picoult researched her topics thoroughly: neonatacide, farming and the Amish culture. Plain Truth touches on such subjects as community versus individuality, as well as the strength of faith, family, culture and truth. Plain Truth was a moving book that tugs at the heartstrings on many levels. Behind the main story line are the characters and their own struggles, all of which the author brought to the forefront with her usual expertise. The pain, the sadness, the joy, the love . . . All of it came flying off of the pages as I read. 

Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult

Atria, 2001

Fiction; 434 pgs

Upon his release from jail after serving time for sexually assaulting a teenage student, former teacher Jack St. Bride is looking to start over. He takes a job in the small community of Salem Falls as a dishwasher, working for a woman who is fighting off her own demons. Jack denies ever having assaulted anyone, much less having a sexual relationship with an underage girl, however, his past conviction creates quite a stir in the community when the townspeople learn about it. Suddenly Jack finds himself at the heart of a rape allegation by the daughter of the wealthiest man in Salem Falls. She and her three friends are a coven of witches who like to cast spells. No real surprises lurked around the corner in Salem Falls for me as they have in previous books by the same author. Just the same, Salem Falls was a very powerful and thought provoking novel. Besides taking on the subject of rape first hand, Ms. Picoult also opened the door for discussion about community reactions to those who have been punished for crimes and are looking to restart their lives again. While no one wants a child molester living next door, what if that person was really innocent and had been falsely accused? The subject matter of Wicca, which Ms. Picoult did a good job of portraying, including pointing out the misconceptions about the religion, was raised. It made for an interesting parallel, the community uprising at Jack’s presence in town and his nearly being figuratively burned at the stake by women who live under a banner that once had been under a similar attack. As expected, Ms. Picoult has created three-dimensional characters that come to life right from the pages. Readers get into their heads and know their hearts while at the same time, we are kept at a little distance so we don’t truly know them, one of the points that Ms. Picoult commented in the readers’ guide she wanted to make. Ms. Picoult has yet again expertly weaved her story together. Another excellent novel!

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