'The Pact' by Jodi Picoult- an overview

 The success of a mystery novel perhaps lies in how precise, exacting and therefore, compelling it is to its readers. And while at it, if the writer manages to explore some deeply philosophical, ethical and moral stances that often get brushed aside in the wake of an engaging tale, I think it is worth giving it a shot.

I had bumped into Jodi Picoult’s books at friends’ and family many times – books upturned and splayed across beds, a comb efficiently doing a bookmark’s job; on busy counter tops, tempting the reader to drop everything else and crawl back to figure out its end. ‘It is that easy to immerse yourself in her books,’ I had been told. That probably is a standard line one could expect to hear about a best-selling author. Only that, anything she writes about, is ever made out of the ordinary. That much I had figured. Yet the fact that it has struck a chord with so many readers will make us think of the extraordinary times we are living in. Does it say a thing about us as a race? Maybe.

Following my little ritual before I begin a book, I had glanced over some of Jodi’s short interviews. They have such a way of giving a peek into a writer’s soul. And somehow, over the years, it seems to have become so important to me -  to like the person, before I could like her/his work. That probably is the exact opposite of what one should do. And try one’s best to leave aside the biases, and take the work for what it is. But since I am doing this largely for myself, I thought I would go with what comes naturally to me.

The story of ‘The Pact’, surges through you like a powerful force that refuses any respite till the end. And yet, it is a meditative take on some relevant issues of today. This probably is the book’s biggest triumph. With just the right peppering of mystery, conflict, and drama, Picoult has managed to weave a compelling ‘love story’ in ‘The Pact.’ That’s how she has sub-titled it – A love story.  And one doesn’t have to wait too long to see the irony. Even without coming anywhere close to experiencing the turbulence, the grief and the bereavement that this tale entails, it resonates with its readers on a basic human level. And once it has your full attention,  it explores concepts of – truth, perception, trust, faith, hope, without losing touch with its stoic vein. And also pushes one to look inward to grapple with issues of mental health, marriage, teenage life, parental expectations, and perceptions of love.

When we talk about lasting impressions, what we refer to usually is that lingering feeling that endures long after the story has ended. In this book, those would be the courtroom scenes, that run over a chapter or more, that make a permanent mark in the reader’s psyche. And despite the many references one might have of such scenes, these manage to bring a fresh perspective. The best part of a book however, is when you are confronted with astounding and unexpected realizations, put across in the most matter-of-fact tone. Like all along, this had been the goal, this is what all the fuss was about, only that the author, with her clever narration, wouldn’t let you see it at first.  And those are moments I seek out in a book like this one.

But what is a story if it didn’t leave you feeling exalted at the end, despite everything? And how wonderful, if it left you marveling over the limitless human potential,  of ordinary men possessing extraordinary courage. And the very next moment, sweeping the foundation of belief underneath your feet, turning around and asking, but is it possible that what is courage to one, is cowardice to another?

It is no news that Picoult’s best-selling books have been adapted into movies one after the other, and we have one based on this book too. I would probably wait for my reader’s experience to settle down and find a comfortable place, and for the feelings to become less raw, so that I can appreciate the film without the baggage of the book. And who knows, I might just find a whole new dimension that I might have missed in the book.  

Book Review: Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas

In James Patterson's novel, Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas, Nicholas is Suzanne's newly born child. And luckily, she is not just making sentimental diary entries for her son, but narrating her love story with Matt, her husband, and Nicholas's father. So what we have is pages soaked in motherly love, but with the requisite twists and turns of a love story that keeps it buoyant and engaging. 

At the very onset of the novel, we are introduced to Katie, Matt's girlfriend, on whom the task of unfolding the pages of this story rests. When one fine day Matt decides to call it quits with Katie, he expects her to arrive on her own conclusion about this abrupt end to their relationship, through this diary. And Katie unravels  Matt's family life he so far had managed to evade from her. In the process, we are transported to the calming island of Martha's Vineyard where Suzanne and Matt first hit it off. 

As their story unfolds, we witness an almost fairy-tale like romance graduating to great love between the two, to getting married, and having a child. And besides few small bumps and dents here and there, everything about their life look so easy and lucky so far, that you almost start to worry. They even have a phrase for it in the novel, 'Isn't it lucky?' And soon enough, almost like a curse from the past, their charmed life in the beach is hit by a misfortune that changes the fate of their lives forever. But even  when life seems to be slipping by infront of their eyes, the author plots many moments of relief and recovery that serves as some respite, but only to lead us to a final heartbreak. But not without leaving us with hope at the end, and not without emphasizing on some of life's lessons which this book seems to take very seriously. Lessons such as, seeing work life as a 'rubber ball', and rest, such as love, health, integrity as things made of glass - fragile and irreparable. Of nurturing a passion - Matt is a lawyer who is on his way to publish his first book of poems; and of listening to your heart - Suzanne, who is a Doctor, leaves New York's busy life to find peace in the island where life is much more 'kinder.'

Whenever Suzanne's diary start to overwhelm, we are given a glimpse to Katie's state-of-mind, who meanwhile, is dealing with her own hell of losing Matt. And even in her story, we encounter some startling revelation that add another direction to the story. And we start to wonder when will these two worlds of Matt finally meet, or whether they ever would? Or what compelling fact would we encounter that could possibly justify Matt's betrayal to his wife and son? Or, is there more to what the eyes meet, or in this case, the words reveal? 

'Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas', is a fuzzy, heart-warming tale of love, and hope and also about the unpredictability and uncertainty of life. And how important it is to find balance in everything, which is a lot like, 'balancing oneself on a thin rope', one accidental slip and things can go totally out of hand. This is the underlying message that Patterson leaves its readers with, but doesn't sing it out loud, only reiterates it though the many small and big decisions its characters take, and the fate they eventually meet. 

But at the end, it's the overall execution of the story, the delightful surprises and revelations that the author so cleverly plots, is what makes this story what it is.  Patterson's  writing is like the low tides of the Atlantic overseeing Suzanne's beach house - breezy, gentle and peaceful. And what you have read so far is just the tip of the iceberg. 

'Ain't u lucky?'

Book Review: Anne Lamott's Perfectly 'Imperfect Birds'

I have just finished reading Anne Lamott's 'Imperfect Birds', and I am running short of words to describe how wonderful this book is. Although it does leave you feeling a little sad, pensive and brooding.

This novel begins with the line: 'There are so many evils that pull on our children'. With this very first  line the author skillfully pitches the story and prepares its readers for the events to unfold. This sense of foreboding that is expressed through the first line is the recurrent feeling  in the novel and in a way is the essence of the book.

'Imperfect Birds' is a story about a girl in her late teens who is addicted to drugs and alcohol and the struggle her parents endure to bring  her back to a normal life. So the world of 'Imperfect Birds' is naturally a  dark and despairing one. But not when Lamott, with her  compassionate and empathetic writing makes this book survive the grimness. Besides the author's great eye for detail, it is her  sense of dialogue writing too, that makes this book highly engaging. 

A novel that deals with the world of drug and alcohol abuse runs the risk of becoming repetitive with things going on in circles. But Lamott, by focusing on the psychological side of the menace, manages to keep the story lively and gripping. This book is particularly sensitive while dealing with the trials and tribulations of the parents, who are divided between their sense of duty and their unconditional love towards their daughter. The dichotomy of how much is too much, and how little is too less, in terms of their control over their daughter, is deftly dealt with, and is bound to resonate with every parent. 

It is not easy  to pull off a story where the protagonist is always on the wrong side of things. But when the same person manages straight As in school, weaves magic with her words, loves her parents despite feigning indifference, one cannot help but accept her for who she is. And this seems to be Lamott's masterstroke with which she shines in this novel. All her characters have shades of grey and all are flawed and dysfunctional in some way or the other. Just as the daughter is falling prey to the insidious world of addiction, the mother is shown to have a history of alcohol problem. And the author uses these layers to beautifully complicate the story to weave an intricate tale of complex human emotions. 

Even if one doesn't have access to this world Lamott so sensitively paints, the emotions explored in it are universal. And when such deep human emotions are expressed though a narrative that is so compelling, it lingers on long after one has finished reading the book. The author has a knack for saying the most profound things in utterly simple words. There are many captivating lines in the novel that make one pause, reflect and marvel. One such line that stayed with me is: 'Tattoos (are) psychic band-aids to cover the wounds.' 

At the end, a book that takes you through a gamut of emotions does not end with all loose ends tied up neatly. The novel ends on a hopeful note but leaves its readers wondering about the fates of these people. But either way, 'Imperfect  Birds' is a runaway winner for the perfectly imperfect world it creates and the way it leaves you feeling.