Jodi Picoult’s The Pact

From Cover: “Until the phone calls came at three o’clock on a November morning, the Golds and their neighbors, the Hartes, had been inseparable. It was no surprise to anyone when their teenage children, Chris and Emily, began showing signs that their relationship was moving beyond that of lifelong friends. But now seventeen-year old Emily is dead–shot with a gun her beloved and devoted Chris pilfered from his father’s cabinet as part of an apparent suicide pact–leaving two devasated families stranded in the dark and dense predawn, desparate for answers about an unthinkable act and the children they never really knew.”

I love how Picoult always manages to approach controversial issues, and get her readers really riled up about them. It was a beautiful story. My heart ached through the whole novel–I wanted so bad for Emily to come back to life, and make Chris all better. I hated to see the anguish in both of the families. It did seem like Picoult would forget about some of the characters, though, and then realize she did, and come back to them quickly, and briefly. That sort of bothered me, but the language and plot was so intense that it only occupied my mind for a fleeting moment. It was one of those books that make you yearn for a love so strong, and wonder if it really is out there. I fell in love with Jordan McAfree, too. There was so much Picoult was saying about him through his son, and his demeanor in the court room. Everyone in the book ended up learning so much, and through them, I did, as well. I love Picoult’s novels.