Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Jodie Picoult

62 replies

WeirdHandDryers · 25/11/2018 14:20

AUBU to find her one of the most frustrating writers ever? She seems to use the same characters for every book. There is always a “romance” in the most unlikely circumstances (cop falls in love with suspects mum!), pages ... sometimes whole chapters of irrelevant information. The songs of humpback whale was the worst one for this ... rattling on and in about whales when it actually had little relevance to the story other than the title.
If you’re reading a book, do you prefer a distraction from the main story or, like me do you just wish they’d focus on the story at hand?? I can’t understand why she’s so popular

OP posts:
Livinglavidal0ca · 27/11/2018 11:19

I adored handle with care, but I like that style of book. They are all a bit samey but that's why I like them!

If you want an author that writes about similar things but doesn't turn it into a huge drama, and is about feelings and the situation itself Tory Hayden is amazing.

mostdays · 27/11/2018 11:22

I liked 19 Minutes and My Sister's Keeper, both books that had a (to me) genuinely interesting POV. But everything else I've read by her is painfully formulaic, and the only fun comes in predicting exactly what's going to happen before the first chapter is finished.

Witchofzog · 27/11/2018 11:25

Oh shucks @bitterlemontart Blush You are welcome. She has written a couple of duds but most are fab and there are loads to read. I always feel a bit giddy when I find a new author too - particularly when they have lots of books to choose from Smile

Amani · 27/11/2018 11:26

Small great things was good - it explored race relations which got me reflecting on life a bit after ...
Agree all the novels have a standard format. The one on elephants was boring too much factual information for a fiction book...found it s bit boring

Shednik · 27/11/2018 12:21

I love her. I don't care what anyone says. Her books grip Mr in a way that no other author does, without fail.

I had high hopes for Diane Chamberlain but didn't like the one of hers I read.

Frenchmom · 27/11/2018 12:32

I have read all her books and love some and hate others. I enjoy the books dealing with an ‘issue’ even if they’re not always well written. However, some of them I just find bizarre. The one about the girl trying to find her mum through a medium, for example.
Also, at times I feel she includes a twist in the end which isn’t necessary and spoils the story.

Papergirl1968 · 28/11/2018 22:19

I love JP and Diane Chamberlain. Some of the criticisms of JP here are fair comment, but I enjoy the books anyway. The research on elephants, whales etc, wasn’t integral to the stories, but interesting nevertheless.

NoThankyouHun · 28/11/2018 22:23

19 minutes is an amazing piece of writing - if you only give 1 more Jodi picoult book a chance choose 19 minutes. Properly thought provoking.

nocoolnamesleft · 28/11/2018 22:25

I stopped reading after the lawyer who allegedly had such poorly uncontrolled epilepsy that he was allowed an assistance dog in court...but was still fucking driving. Bonkers.

theWarOnPeace · 28/11/2018 22:45

Waste of paper!

Neverwrestlewithapig · 28/11/2018 22:53

OMG yes! I found myself constantly irritated by the lead characters who don’t realise how wonderful they are & are secretly wanted by all the men. Every. Time. 🙄 I did wonder whether JP was living vicariously through those characters Grin

YoThePussy · 28/11/2018 22:58

I read the one about the teenage girls and witches, thought it was good. Read another and found same as others have said, written to a formula but then loads of authors do that. Remember the fun of Agatha Christie books and working out who was the murderer, very easy once you had read a few. At the end of the day as long as people are reading that is the main thing.

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread