The fine line between life and death
In an effort to keep pace with my reading a little better, I'm adding this review right away. I've always enjoyed Jodi Picoult's books (she's one of my favorite authors), and Second Glance is no exception. While it drifts away from her usual fare somewhat, the deeply moving prose is unchanged.
After the tragic death of his fiancee Aimee in a car accident, Ross Wakeman tries everything possible to escape the world, but he can't seem to succeed. Failing in several suicide attempts, Ross becomes a paranormal investigator, hoping to make contact with Aimee to ease his pain. Eventually Ross finds himself in Comtosook, Vermont, where his sister lives with her son, who suffers from a rare disease that causes him to burn severely upon exposure to sunlight.
Acceding to his sister's urging, Ross begins a new investigation into the paranormal activity swirling around Comtosook. Rose petals fall like rain, houses rebuild themselves, and a baby cries out in the night. The townspeople believe that the cause is a planned strip mall in an area reputed to be an Abenaki burial ground - they suspect that the construction work is disturbing the souls of those long dead.
Digging deeper into the mystery, Ross uncovers the town's shameful past and help the mysterious woman he encounters find her way in the world.
My mom is a huge fan of Picoult's work, so I've been able to borrow just about everything she's written from her. Picoult has carved a unique niche for herself as an author whose books always feature a thorny moral issue at their center, and her ability to handle such issues with sensitivity while still remaining honest never ceases to amaze me. While Second Glance doesn't quite match the level of her best work (Keeping Faith and Plain Truth), it's still a delight for me as a longtime Picoult fan. Her books read at the pace of a popular beach book, but the moral depth of the plots raises her work far above the typical mass-market fare. Her books are always exhaustively researched, so I invariably come away from them feeling as though I've learned something.
Picoult has somehow managed to avoid being tapped for Oprah's Book Club or something similar, so she's still somewhat under the popular radar. While I wish Picoult nothing but success and I'm sure she'd benefit from greater exposure for her work, I can't help enjoying the fact that she's still something of a hidden gem. As long as she keeps turning out great books, she'll always have a place on my shelves.
After the tragic death of his fiancee Aimee in a car accident, Ross Wakeman tries everything possible to escape the world, but he can't seem to succeed. Failing in several suicide attempts, Ross becomes a paranormal investigator, hoping to make contact with Aimee to ease his pain. Eventually Ross finds himself in Comtosook, Vermont, where his sister lives with her son, who suffers from a rare disease that causes him to burn severely upon exposure to sunlight.
Acceding to his sister's urging, Ross begins a new investigation into the paranormal activity swirling around Comtosook. Rose petals fall like rain, houses rebuild themselves, and a baby cries out in the night. The townspeople believe that the cause is a planned strip mall in an area reputed to be an Abenaki burial ground - they suspect that the construction work is disturbing the souls of those long dead.
Digging deeper into the mystery, Ross uncovers the town's shameful past and help the mysterious woman he encounters find her way in the world.
My mom is a huge fan of Picoult's work, so I've been able to borrow just about everything she's written from her. Picoult has carved a unique niche for herself as an author whose books always feature a thorny moral issue at their center, and her ability to handle such issues with sensitivity while still remaining honest never ceases to amaze me. While Second Glance doesn't quite match the level of her best work (Keeping Faith and Plain Truth), it's still a delight for me as a longtime Picoult fan. Her books read at the pace of a popular beach book, but the moral depth of the plots raises her work far above the typical mass-market fare. Her books are always exhaustively researched, so I invariably come away from them feeling as though I've learned something.
Picoult has somehow managed to avoid being tapped for Oprah's Book Club or something similar, so she's still somewhat under the popular radar. While I wish Picoult nothing but success and I'm sure she'd benefit from greater exposure for her work, I can't help enjoying the fact that she's still something of a hidden gem. As long as she keeps turning out great books, she'll always have a place on my shelves.
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