Jodi Picoult - I've said this before but I have to say it again: WHY is she so successful? I mean you can spot the "twist"...

[emkana]

... a couple of pages in.

And then it's just drivel.

(This is the one about the death row inmate who wants to donate his heart btw)

My friend insisted that I take 'My sister's keeper' on hols with me as it was so fab.

I thought it was the biggest load of poorly written, predictable bollocks I'd ever had the misfortune to read.

Never again! But who buys this shit?

I love her books.Partly because I used to live in Vermont so can take a trip down memory lane when I'm reading them.

Don't think I've read the one you mention though.

Does she always do a twist? I only read one of hers, the one about the sister expected to donate everything for the sick sister. The twist in that I have to say was unexpected and I enjoyed the book.
SO I bought another of hers and didn't get past the first 2 chapters - exactly the same style, another medical dilemma book.

Why don't you just read the last couple of chapters, to prove you are right (Miss Marple ) then give it to the charity shop.

That would be me Blowsy

I have read one of her books - I can't remember which - after thinking, "Oooh, she must be good, seeing as there are so many of her books on the shelf"
After the 2nd chapter I wanted to gouge my eyes out with a spoon to alleviate the boredom.

Oops sorry Lubyloo

I hate her books.

I have never got past the 1st chapter and I've tried a few times as she is always on the best-selling list and quoted among favourite authors.

I thought it was just me !

WHYYYYYYYYY ????

she is dreadful - she writes tosh

she starts with a pun-filled title and works backwards from there.

She has an instinct for picking up on currently-discussed ishoos to write books about. Unfortunately she is rubbish at characterisation, plot and dialogue, and all her books are riddled with witless sentimentality and 'spirituality' so they are only enjoyable if you are the sort of fuckwit who still ties a bunch of flowers to Harrods front door on the anniversary of Princess Di(ed)'s death.

Lots of research, which is good, and interesting/thought provoking topics, also good - and the first one is a good read. But then all the rest follow the same pattern/formula.

So it becomes tosh.

I avoid them like the plague now, after the first three.

I think the same about Agatha Chritie and J K Rowling.

lol sgb, tell it like it is !

PMSL, solidgoldbrass.

I started 19 Minutes or 19 Seconds or whatever it is and by the end of the second chapter I was praying for the gift of illiteracy.

Except then they'd probably release it as an audio book, read by that woman who played Chandler's ex-girlfriend on Friends. Honestly, that's the only way it could have been worse.

I never bother anymore, after reading about 3. We read My sister's keeper in our book group and I think it was the first time we all agreed on a book!

I enjoyed sisters keeper very much. The other one I found interesting was Plain Truth. The others all blended together a bit though.

I have read a few and quite enjoy them to start with (bearing in mind I have two small children and it has been a while since I have read anything that requires any thought or concentration) but without exception always hate the endings. I don't think she can ever work out how to finish the book off and solve the particular ishoo she is writing about and just cops out. I always end up ranting about the rubbish ending and saying I willl never read another of hers. I enjoyed My Sister's Keeper - but again it had a crap end!

Lol sgb. I've never read any of her stuff and you've summed it up perfectly as to why I really shouldn't bother.

Well this thread is a bit of a surprise!
I love her books.
Read My sisters keeper first and after that have read quite a few more as I enjoyed them so much. I really liked plain truth as well.

I have just read he latest one and I absolutely loved it

JP is one of my bugbears as well - I've only read Salem's Fall but what a load of contrived drivel.

Worse thing was the self-important book club notes at the back.

I don't think any of them have been any good since My Sister's Keeper.

But I keep buying them in the vain hope that they will be.

I am trying to read the one about the Abeknake (sp) tribe and it keeps going into the past. Really really bored now. Soooo right about the twist. They are v formulaic (except this one) but I did really love Keeping Faith and the one about the suicide pact. Will not be buying anymore though. Maybe 3 is the limit?

I am sure I read one of her books (the one where the father had abducted his daughter, and it all comes out when she is grown up...)....and I found it was really hard to get through...it wasn't a bad book, but it was just so slow....sigh

I've read some of them - I enjoyed my sister's keeper, the rest have just been easy not needing to think reading.

Enjoyed them more than I am Love and Other Impossible Pursuits (not by her) - that book is just weirdly awkward to read.

Just looked which one it was, and I think it must have been Vanishing acts