Who is Jodie Picoult like?

[YunoYurbubson]

I was chatting to a couple of women and someone said something about wanting to read something a bit more heavyweight, "after all, I'm not going to a book club to talk about bloody Jodie Picoult! Ha ha ha" and everyone chuckled.

And I chuckled.

Jodie Picoult! Ha ha ha!

Erm... I have never heard of Jodie Picoult.

So then I went to my local bookshop and find that JP has written lots and lots of books, and they look alright. So why "Jodie Picould, ha ha ha"?

What sort of thing does she write?
Is she a bit Danielle Steele? The books don't look like that sort of thing.

I'm as snobby about books as the next person.

Fill me in.

I read a JP book that someone chose in my book group and (in my opinion) it was a bit rubbish. However, she sells by the bucket so obviously a lot of people disagree with me. Try one and see what you think. In case it helps, some authors I like include Ann Tyler, William Boyd and Muriel Spark.

Easy reading. Very American, very emotional.

I accidently read a couple thinking I was reading Annie Proulx (still not sure how I managed to confuse meself so spectacularly).

Jodi Picoult writes fictional books about quite topical American-y things - I suppose they do the job in that they do provoke debate, but I think she is a very 'Marmite' author.

myself

I was given a copy of My Sister's Keeper and expected it to be over-emotional and poorly written but really enjoyed it.

I have since read a couple more of hers and think she has a reputation for mis-lit as there are so many of that genre around, but that her books are usually well researched, interesting and thought provoking.

There are lots in charity shops so you can give her a whirl without paying full price.

Her stuff is pretty dire not my cup of tea.

I read one of her books while on holiday this year (I was desperate and it had been left in the apartment because it was utter turd) and it was just awful. All "flashing grey eyes" and "native american colours in the rug" and I didn't really care what happened to the woman and her baby and the kind cop who took her under his wing...

See what I mean? but conversely I read one on holiday a couple of years ago ((I was desperate and it had been left by the swimming pool but maybe that was because of luggage allowances) and it wasn't too bad, not great but not throwing-across-the-room-in-disgust.

So, in conclusion I would say that Jodie Piccoult is like a kebab. Sometimes it's really bad and makes you poo and vomit at the same time and then have to clean up the bathroom mat and then that makes you sick again and then do another little poo; or not too bad, you wouldn't be scared of having another one (until you get to the really bad once and then you would never have another one unless you were drunk or really really fucking bored on holiday)

HTH

Rofl Shirl. Spot on. That is exactly what I needed to know.

And thank you to everyone who answered without poo and vomit and kebabs too .

her early books are not so good, but since her success with 'Sister's Keeper' they have all been re-issued so don't bother with those

I thought '19 minutes' was a decent enough read

I've read one Jodi Picoult and it was harrowing.

I spent most of the book in sheds of tears.

Apart from the trauma, it was an easy read, and nothing that makes you have to think, really - it's all spelt out for you.

i think Shirley's probably about right.

sorry, meant to say - i have been told that all of her books involve a law suit/court type drama, but not crime - my sister's keeper was a bout a girl who'd been conceived so that she could provide essential parts (bone marrow etc) for her sister who had cancer, and the law suit was her trying to get the right to say no to more medical use of her body

bag o'shite. Find them really manipulative story wise (you know, when something pat happens in the story which fits in with the authors whole scheme of things. I hate that).

Plus it's all a bit schmaltzy. Try Anita Shreve instead (american dilemma ish type books, but well written and classy imo).

I don't agree that all JP books are crap...

I think The sisters keeper is the book parents should read

2 of my friends wo are doctors did - both agreed that is shows dilema of patients and doctors very well

19 minutes also touches interesting aspects of parenting

Mind you have only read one Jodi Piccoult and one Anita Shreve, so probably my opinion is not worth much.

The one I read was My Sisters Keeper. It was nonsense. I didn't care about any of the characters whatsoever.

I read '19 minutes' and on the strength of that read 'My sisters keeper' and all the rest.

I think the two I mentioned by name were actually pretty good (although the ending of My sisters keeper drove me crazy... just too easy), but the rest have been disappointing. They just followed the formula.

But they are very well researched, and I have learned alot about various issues due to them.

FWIW, I have a pretty eclectic reading habit.... pretty much anything except for crime (JP excluded) and horror.

I have read 3.

Keeping Faith was awful

My Sisters Keeper I read when I was PG and it had me in floods, but I dont think I enjoyed it.

I enjoyed Perfect Match though.

They might have laughed as she recently complained about women not being considered writing the great American novel and has in interviews compared herself to Dickens. She doesn't seem to realise she isn't a very good writer.

I can't stand them, one on it's own seems okay but after a couple you see the formula - interesting debate topic and the law around it, then near the end and some soul searching a twist or event that takes the complexity away and sets up a straightforward ending without any of the bad "what ifs" coming to pass from that decision. I seem to get on every Christmas from my MIL, so have read more than I would choose to.

Was 19 minutes the one I read on holiday with all the killing of the students?

I read an interbiew with Jodi P once. She seems very tiresome.

I don't want a well researched book. I want a good story and some emotive writing, not pages on the complexities of pro Bono law or whatever the hell it is. If I want that kind of shite I will sit down and watch LA Law

Harrowing in that she pulls all the emotional strings (especially if you are a woman) but an easy read without any depth.

I am a JP fan, however some of her books IMO have been put out because the publisher told her to hurry up!

Plain Truth (about the Amish) I found very good, Handle with Care and Harvesting the Heart I enjoyed and I have read all her titles.

An authour similar but superior to me would be Barbara Delinsky.

I read my sister's keeper and thought it was Okish apart from a stupid contrived ending... I think the whole idea for the book was quite original at the time but has now been done to death. Tried another of her books and found it really dull, have never been tempted by any more.

I read and enjoyed Plain Truth and thought the Amish element was fascinating. They can be a bit hit or miss though and can get quite 'samey' when you've read a few. (I've read about 5 I think) I think a lot of people look down on her because she churns out so many books so quickly - every time I go into a book shop there seems to be a new one - but they're ok if you fancy something quite light.

Haven't read any JP myself, but... ShirleyKnot you have now intrigued me with your fabulously graphic comparison. Intrigued but also a leetle bit queasy. Brilliant, I haven't laughed like that for days! Thanks