Status
Available
Call number
Publication
Atria (2011), Edition: Har/Com, Hardcover, 480 pages
Description
A stillborn baby ends Max and Zoe's marriage. Max leaves Zoe and turns to drinking. Zoe falls in love with a female school counselor, Vanessa. Max finds help for his drinking problem through his brother's church. Vanessa and Zoe get married. Vanessa offers to carry one of Zoe and Max's fertilized embryos. Zoe goes to Max to get permission to release the embryos to her but Max's new found religious fervor leads him to sue Zoe for custody.
Media reviews
Where to begin? This book is full of so much emotion that it was hard to not feel swayed one way or another. As someone that works for an Evangenical church, I found this book very hard to digest but not because of the 'anti-Christian' context, because of the 'Christian' context. I guess I am one
Show More
that falls outside the box when it comes to religion. Believing that a person has a right to choose how they live their lives without it affecting my day-to-day life.
Having also gone through minor infertility issues myself, I found Jodi Picoult's account of the feelings and emotions involved with each failed cycle to be bang on. Understanding the devastation that parents/partners go through is so hard to describe and she did it beautifully.
While I will never be able to fully wrap myself around the 'same-sex' issues (because I haven't dealt with them first or really, second, hand), Sing You Home, has made me realize that there are people out there who struggle each and every day just to get by in a world that is unaccepting, a world that judges/hates/bullys, a world that is cruel. I hope that this book hits home in some of those 'unaccepting' people and makes them realize that it really isn't about them... it's about us.
Overall, this book was wonderfully written and hit home on each and every basis of the story. Never going to far one way or the other and showing each side of the 'story' fairly and accurately (sadly). Another great book by a great author!!
Show Less
Picoult, who's created a cottage industry out of family melodrama and medical controversies, has crafted another winner in this story about music therapist Zoe Baxter and her decade-long struggle to become a mother....Picoult cleverly examines the modern world of reproductive science, how best to
Show More
nurture a child and what, exactly, being a family means. Show Less
User reviews
LibraryThing member bagambo
Typical Picoult. Drama based story (topic ripped from headlines) that depends on a court room trial to lead us to the end. And yet, knowing how formulaic her writing and story lines are, I once again picked up a Picoult book and read it. Will I ever learn? Now don't get me wrong, the book was good
Now, I'm not going to summarize the story and go into any further detail as to how much or how little I liked it. Instead I wanted to mention Picoult's beef with literary critics. Apparently, when Franzen's book, Freedom, came out to glowing reviews, Picoult wasn't too happy about it. She felt that his work was being taken seriously and was receiving oodles of attention, whilst her work was being ignored. You see, Picoult's books are considered commercial fiction (it's often tagged as women's fiction) and as a result she doesn't receive any literary accolades. She's financially successful because of her books and they do top bestseller lists, which means that they get read by a lot of people - yet, the literary critics don't exactly give her the kudos they would and have given to Franzen. And the thing is, according to Picoult, her work focuses on the same themes that the so-called literary authors' works tend to focus on. So, what is it exactly that separates her work from theirs? She considered it could be a gender issue, which wouldn't really surprise me considering how often women writers and their works are neglected by literary critics. As someone who majored in both English and Women's Studies, my research has always focused on Chicana literature and Chicana feminism - two genres that are often ignored - so I can understand why Picoult would think her work was being left out (on the gender level). However, after having read several of her books I can honestly say that it is not about her gender. I love chick lit and women's lit and commercial fiction and all that jazz, but I don't get the same things from it that I would from a Jean Rhys or Sandra Cisneros novel. And yes, I do know that chick lit does deal with issues similar to a Jean Rhys book, but the way that Rhys would tackle these issues is on another level compared to the way that Picoult would deal with them. Honestly, I don't care much for Franzen's work (this is based on my dislike for The Corrections), but I can appreciate his talent as a writer - his work clearly showcases his penchant for storytelling. As far as Picoult goes, well, her work is solid, but formulaic - it is the epitome of commercial fiction. Its the type of writing that satisfies you when you need a quick read. Its not the type of book that will impact you in such a way that it will alter your life. Nor is it the type of book that blows you away because the writing is beyond good. Its the type of book that if you lend it to a friend and never get it back, you won't get upset about it, because you've already forgotten about the book. What do you think? Am I right about Picoult's books? Or do you think Picoult's works should be considered literary fiction? All I know is that after remembering Picoult's complaints about not being taken seriously as a literary writer leaves me wondering why she continues to produce book after book devoted to the same formula (headline news drama, court room trial, happy/unhappy ending). Why doesn't Picoult try to produce quality instead of quantity?
Show More
- it had solid writing and a good plot. And I did finish reading it in one day, so obviously I was immersed in the story. However, its the type of book that I compare to beach/airport reads - the books you read, but forget about. You know what I mean - fluff books. Picoult's works are fluff reads to me, which sometimes, is just what I need. And I needed a fluff book, since I wasn't so sure what I wanted to dive into next.Now, I'm not going to summarize the story and go into any further detail as to how much or how little I liked it. Instead I wanted to mention Picoult's beef with literary critics. Apparently, when Franzen's book, Freedom, came out to glowing reviews, Picoult wasn't too happy about it. She felt that his work was being taken seriously and was receiving oodles of attention, whilst her work was being ignored. You see, Picoult's books are considered commercial fiction (it's often tagged as women's fiction) and as a result she doesn't receive any literary accolades. She's financially successful because of her books and they do top bestseller lists, which means that they get read by a lot of people - yet, the literary critics don't exactly give her the kudos they would and have given to Franzen. And the thing is, according to Picoult, her work focuses on the same themes that the so-called literary authors' works tend to focus on. So, what is it exactly that separates her work from theirs? She considered it could be a gender issue, which wouldn't really surprise me considering how often women writers and their works are neglected by literary critics. As someone who majored in both English and Women's Studies, my research has always focused on Chicana literature and Chicana feminism - two genres that are often ignored - so I can understand why Picoult would think her work was being left out (on the gender level). However, after having read several of her books I can honestly say that it is not about her gender. I love chick lit and women's lit and commercial fiction and all that jazz, but I don't get the same things from it that I would from a Jean Rhys or Sandra Cisneros novel. And yes, I do know that chick lit does deal with issues similar to a Jean Rhys book, but the way that Rhys would tackle these issues is on another level compared to the way that Picoult would deal with them. Honestly, I don't care much for Franzen's work (this is based on my dislike for The Corrections), but I can appreciate his talent as a writer - his work clearly showcases his penchant for storytelling. As far as Picoult goes, well, her work is solid, but formulaic - it is the epitome of commercial fiction. Its the type of writing that satisfies you when you need a quick read. Its not the type of book that will impact you in such a way that it will alter your life. Nor is it the type of book that blows you away because the writing is beyond good. Its the type of book that if you lend it to a friend and never get it back, you won't get upset about it, because you've already forgotten about the book. What do you think? Am I right about Picoult's books? Or do you think Picoult's works should be considered literary fiction? All I know is that after remembering Picoult's complaints about not being taken seriously as a literary writer leaves me wondering why she continues to produce book after book devoted to the same formula (headline news drama, court room trial, happy/unhappy ending). Why doesn't Picoult try to produce quality instead of quantity?
Show Less
LibraryThing member bohemiangirl35
I checked this book out not knowing what it was about. The description tells you nothing if you know that Jodi Picoult invariably writes about a major topic, such as a health condition or a politically charged medical issue.
From the back:
"When tragedy turns her life upside down, Zoe Baxter settles
When I started listening and figured out the Baxters were dealing with in vitro fertilization and multiple miscarriages and then the wife delivers a stillborn son, I almost stopped listening. But I didn't. When Zoe still wants to try again for a baby, Max files for divorce, moves in with his conservative and deeply religious brother and sister-in-law and drinks himself into oblivion. Zoe becomes best friends with a client who hires her to help a depressed teen through music therapy. That friendship turns into romantic love and they go to Massachusetts to get married because Rhode Island, where they live, does not recognize same sex marriages.
Zoe comes out to Max and asks his permission to use their frozen embryos for her new wife to carry the baby. And that's the set up.
Picoult is VERY PREACHY in this novel. There is no doubt which side she empathizes with. There is very little positive about the characters representing the evangelical Christian right, and the characters who have to work with them to move the plot along are painted as weak and impressionable (so we can forgive them easily?). Some characters who start off seeming like good guys turn into bad guys due to their ultra conservative beliefs and wealth.
Of course, there is the courtroom drama. And Picoult uses her signature style of telling the story first-hand from the viewpoints of the main characters. The ending was super predictable, a little too sweet for me. And some loose ends were left hanging. I really did care about Lucy, the depressed teenager who needed therapy, and although she played a pivotal role in the book, we don't find out what happens to her.
While she wrote this novel, Picoult's teenage son came out to her and her husband. She says she knew from the time he was about 3 years old that he was gay, so she was happy that he was self-aware enough to recognize it and secure enough to tell them. Her website also discusses her contact with the evangelical Christian right and their assistance in helping her write the book.
From the back:
"When tragedy turns her life upside down, Zoe Baxter settles
Show More
down and begins her life anew as a music therapist. Music has always been Zoe's passion, and as a friendship blossoms into more, her life seems to be getting back on track. However, there are those close to her that, for one reason or another, want to quash her newfound happiness."When I started listening and figured out the Baxters were dealing with in vitro fertilization and multiple miscarriages and then the wife delivers a stillborn son, I almost stopped listening. But I didn't. When Zoe still wants to try again for a baby, Max files for divorce, moves in with his conservative and deeply religious brother and sister-in-law and drinks himself into oblivion. Zoe becomes best friends with a client who hires her to help a depressed teen through music therapy. That friendship turns into romantic love and they go to Massachusetts to get married because Rhode Island, where they live, does not recognize same sex marriages.
Zoe comes out to Max and asks his permission to use their frozen embryos for her new wife to carry the baby. And that's the set up.
Picoult is VERY PREACHY in this novel. There is no doubt which side she empathizes with. There is very little positive about the characters representing the evangelical Christian right, and the characters who have to work with them to move the plot along are painted as weak and impressionable (so we can forgive them easily?). Some characters who start off seeming like good guys turn into bad guys due to their ultra conservative beliefs and wealth.
Of course, there is the courtroom drama. And Picoult uses her signature style of telling the story first-hand from the viewpoints of the main characters. The ending was super predictable, a little too sweet for me. And some loose ends were left hanging. I really did care about Lucy, the depressed teenager who needed therapy, and although she played a pivotal role in the book, we don't find out what happens to her.
While she wrote this novel, Picoult's teenage son came out to her and her husband. She says she knew from the time he was about 3 years old that he was gay, so she was happy that he was self-aware enough to recognize it and secure enough to tell them. Her website also discusses her contact with the evangelical Christian right and their assistance in helping her write the book.
Show Less
LibraryThing member krystal_osmond
My Review:
I love Jodi Picoult, I'd have to say that she is my favourite author. I've been reading her books since I was in highschool and I did a project on The Pact (my favourite of hers). And I just devour her books!
Sing You Home took a little more time for me to get into, maybe just because my
Zoe is such a strong character. And I mean this in more ways than one. Not only is she written stong by Picoult, she is an emotionally strong character. For all that she goes through, she stays as tough as she can, and that's amazing. We meet a young girl named Lucy and I would have loved to have seen more from her. She was such a great addition to Sing You Home, and I was eager for scenes with her in it.
It is so obvious that Jodi Picoult researches everything she puts (and doesn't put) into her novels. She doesn't miss a beat throughout Sing You Home. She shows her knowledge in music, music therapy, infertility, IVF, embryos, and of course - law. I live for Picoult's court scenes: the bantering, the pleas, the arguments, and the raw emotion, they all play in my head like a movie and this book was no exception.
Sing You Home is a must read! It will get you talking (I mean, I could go on about gay rights, frozen embryos, religion and many more issues that are brought up in the book, but this is a review. I'll save my opinions on these issues for my bookclub discussions).
Jodi Picoult deals with tough issues, and throughout her books she makes clear arugments from all points of her characters, and this I don't imagine is easy. Once again, Jodi Picoult has proven herself to be a masterful writer.
I love Jodi Picoult, I'd have to say that she is my favourite author. I've been reading her books since I was in highschool and I did a project on The Pact (my favourite of hers). And I just devour her books!
Sing You Home took a little more time for me to get into, maybe just because my
Show More
daughter was having surgery, then March Break and work, but when I could sit down and read it, it was worth it. I did find the story to move faster than Picoult's other books - almost like she just wanted to get to the end of the book, and get her point made, but that was just a little downfall, that didn't ruin the book at all.Zoe is such a strong character. And I mean this in more ways than one. Not only is she written stong by Picoult, she is an emotionally strong character. For all that she goes through, she stays as tough as she can, and that's amazing. We meet a young girl named Lucy and I would have loved to have seen more from her. She was such a great addition to Sing You Home, and I was eager for scenes with her in it.
It is so obvious that Jodi Picoult researches everything she puts (and doesn't put) into her novels. She doesn't miss a beat throughout Sing You Home. She shows her knowledge in music, music therapy, infertility, IVF, embryos, and of course - law. I live for Picoult's court scenes: the bantering, the pleas, the arguments, and the raw emotion, they all play in my head like a movie and this book was no exception.
Sing You Home is a must read! It will get you talking (I mean, I could go on about gay rights, frozen embryos, religion and many more issues that are brought up in the book, but this is a review. I'll save my opinions on these issues for my bookclub discussions).
Jodi Picoult deals with tough issues, and throughout her books she makes clear arugments from all points of her characters, and this I don't imagine is easy. Once again, Jodi Picoult has proven herself to be a masterful writer.
Show Less
LibraryThing member JamesterCK
My opinion: This book definitely hits on some very controversial topics...and I loved every page of it! It centers around a few main characters. First is Zoe. She's married to Max (another character with whom we get to share point of view) and they've been trying unsuccessfully to have a baby for
I LOVED this book! I have ready just about all of Jodi Picoult's books and adore them, and this one did not disappoint. I really loved the fact that she tackled an issue such as gay marriage; something you rarely ever see any author even mention. It also addressed religious views on the subject and a huge court case (although I don't want to give too much away!). I loved Zoe, I thought she was great because she didn't try to hide from her feelings for Vanessa. There were a few times she failed to tell people about their relationship, knowing that it might anger a lot of people, but once she knows she truly loves Vanessa she is in it for the long haul. I can't imagine how hard it must be to have people judge you constantly for the way you live your life, something you have no control over. If a person wants to be happy, why should anyone or anything stand in their way? There is a really good quote in the book, but since it is an advance copy and I'm not sure if it will make it into the final book I won't quote it. But basically it just said why are people concerning themselves with other people's lives? Just because it's not how you live your life doesn't give you the right to judge other people who do. I applaud Jodi Picoult for writing this book, tackling such sensitive issues in a very respectful manner. I would recommend this to everyone; not only is her writing phenomenal, but the story just grabs onto you and won't let go. I finished it in one day because I couldn't put it down; stayed up until 5 AM! But it was so worth it! Make sure you buy this one, you won't be disappointed!
Show More
many years. After several IVF attempts, a couple of miscarriages, and lots of heartache they finally conceive again and make it to 28 weeks. They think they're in the home stretch finally and start to relax. That's when their world crashes down around them and they lose the baby. Zoe and Max are devastated; ultimately their marriage does not survive because Max can't go through the emotions of having another pregnancy potentially fail. And Zoe has been so wrapped up in having a baby that he doesn't feel like he's part of the marriage anymore. Afterwards, Zoe runs into an old acquaintance, Vanessa, and the two become very close friends. In fact, Zoe can't imagine being without Vanessa; she wants to tell her everythind and anything and be with her all of the time. Zoe has to explore her feelings and the result sets into motion conflict and heartache that none of them could have predicted. I LOVED this book! I have ready just about all of Jodi Picoult's books and adore them, and this one did not disappoint. I really loved the fact that she tackled an issue such as gay marriage; something you rarely ever see any author even mention. It also addressed religious views on the subject and a huge court case (although I don't want to give too much away!). I loved Zoe, I thought she was great because she didn't try to hide from her feelings for Vanessa. There were a few times she failed to tell people about their relationship, knowing that it might anger a lot of people, but once she knows she truly loves Vanessa she is in it for the long haul. I can't imagine how hard it must be to have people judge you constantly for the way you live your life, something you have no control over. If a person wants to be happy, why should anyone or anything stand in their way? There is a really good quote in the book, but since it is an advance copy and I'm not sure if it will make it into the final book I won't quote it. But basically it just said why are people concerning themselves with other people's lives? Just because it's not how you live your life doesn't give you the right to judge other people who do. I applaud Jodi Picoult for writing this book, tackling such sensitive issues in a very respectful manner. I would recommend this to everyone; not only is her writing phenomenal, but the story just grabs onto you and won't let go. I finished it in one day because I couldn't put it down; stayed up until 5 AM! But it was so worth it! Make sure you buy this one, you won't be disappointed!
Show Less
LibraryThing member caitemaire
Music therapist Zoe Baxter and her husband Max, want desperately to have a child and all their failing attempts are starting to take a huge medical, financial and emotion toll on their marriage. When she suffers a heartbreaking stillbirth well into her last pregnancy, it is the final straw for the
Quickly (maybe too quickly again) married in Massachusetts, the couple decides to get use the frozen embryos Zoe and Max have in storage to try and have a baby together, with Zoe's new spouse carrying the child. But when she goes to Max to get permission, she finds herself in the middle of a court case, being sued for custody.
While I admit I have not read a lot of Ms. Picoult books, I totally loved My Sister's Keeper...and not just for the amazing ending. So when I read that she had a new book coming out, and the topics sounded so interesting, so timely, I was thrilled to get my hands on a copy. I opened the package and started reading it immediately.
Rarely have I been so disappointed in a book. Not for the controversial subject matter, no, not at all!
On Zoe's side, the characters are almost saints, noble, good, selfless people. Even her lawyer, who will soon be getting a halo no doubt, is just such a nice person. How can you not agree with her? Zoe and Vanessa are so nice, how can we not want them to win?
On the ex-husband's side, everyone is evil and conniving, with totally selfish and nasty motivations. Max is a weak fool, with a reoccurring drinking problem, being used by others for their own, selfish, evil reasons. His lawyer is so loathsome that he only lacks a waxed mustache to twirl as he laughs a creepy laugh, to be complete. Yes, it is hard to portray people we really disagree with as decent people, with valid arguments..so much easier to paint them with a broad, ugly brush...and results in a book that could have been so much better.
I think this books starts by exploring some serious and timely topics that deserve better than the caricatures that the author descends into in the last half of the book. I don't think we get far in a discussion, as individuals or as a society, by just painting 'the other side', whatever that might be, as fools or idiots or evildoers. If you agree with the author's point of view and just want that reinforced, you may like this book and not see a problem. If you really want a fair and comprehensive exploration of some of this issues, something that makes you think, maybe makes you take another look at both sides, you will have to look elsewhere.
Rarely has a book disappointed me so much for what it could have been and was not, because the author decided to take the 'easy' way out.
Show More
marriage and Max walks out of the house and out of their life together. Dealing with both these losses, very depressed, Zoe finds herself turned around by the friendship of a counselor at one of the schools she works at, a friendship that turns quickly (perhaps too quickly to be really believable) into a romance. Add to that the fact that her new love is a woman, Vanessa.Quickly (maybe too quickly again) married in Massachusetts, the couple decides to get use the frozen embryos Zoe and Max have in storage to try and have a baby together, with Zoe's new spouse carrying the child. But when she goes to Max to get permission, she finds herself in the middle of a court case, being sued for custody.
While I admit I have not read a lot of Ms. Picoult books, I totally loved My Sister's Keeper...and not just for the amazing ending. So when I read that she had a new book coming out, and the topics sounded so interesting, so timely, I was thrilled to get my hands on a copy. I opened the package and started reading it immediately.
Rarely have I been so disappointed in a book. Not for the controversial subject matter, no, not at all!
On Zoe's side, the characters are almost saints, noble, good, selfless people. Even her lawyer, who will soon be getting a halo no doubt, is just such a nice person. How can you not agree with her? Zoe and Vanessa are so nice, how can we not want them to win?
On the ex-husband's side, everyone is evil and conniving, with totally selfish and nasty motivations. Max is a weak fool, with a reoccurring drinking problem, being used by others for their own, selfish, evil reasons. His lawyer is so loathsome that he only lacks a waxed mustache to twirl as he laughs a creepy laugh, to be complete. Yes, it is hard to portray people we really disagree with as decent people, with valid arguments..so much easier to paint them with a broad, ugly brush...and results in a book that could have been so much better.
I think this books starts by exploring some serious and timely topics that deserve better than the caricatures that the author descends into in the last half of the book. I don't think we get far in a discussion, as individuals or as a society, by just painting 'the other side', whatever that might be, as fools or idiots or evildoers. If you agree with the author's point of view and just want that reinforced, you may like this book and not see a problem. If you really want a fair and comprehensive exploration of some of this issues, something that makes you think, maybe makes you take another look at both sides, you will have to look elsewhere.
Rarely has a book disappointed me so much for what it could have been and was not, because the author decided to take the 'easy' way out.
Show Less
LibraryThing member AliciaClark23
I am a huge Jodi fan and Sing You Home did not disappoint. It is a story about current societal issues, but more importantly is is a story about love and what it means to be a family. I also think it is brilliant to include a CD of original music that corresponds with the story. It really added
Show More
something interesting and unique to the experience. I would highly recommend this book and hope that it challenges people's beliefs. It is hard to believe I will have to wait another year for a new Jodi book! Show Less
LibraryThing member writestuff
Zoe Baxter wants nothing more in the world than to become a mother. She and her husband of nine years, Max, have been battling infertility for years and have turned to IVF in order to conceive a child. Finally, Zoe believes the child they have always wanted will be born – but, disaster strikes
Plucked from the headlines, Sing You Home is about the definition of family and marriage, and the rigid religious prohibitions against same sex unions. In signature Jodi Picoult style, the novel unfolds as a multi-perspective look at what it means to be gay in today’s world. Picoult takes a hard look at not only same sex unions, but at parenting, pro-choice, whether or not embryos are “pre-children” or property, nature vs. nurture, and the imposed morality of the Christian right.
There is a lot to be discussed and digested in Sing You Home. Although Picoult’s novel leans more to debunking the myths surround homosexuality, she attempts to balance the arguments on both sides by writing from multiple points of view. The reader is able to see the issues from the perspective of three characters: Zoe, Vanessa and Max. Max’s struggle to deal with his alcoholism and grief makes him susceptible to the religious fervor of evangelical dogma. Although he believes he is following the correct moral path, he begins to question many of the core beliefs of the church when the issues are personalized for him. His internal conflicts position him between the far right and the liberal left on the issues – a place that becomes more and more difficult for him as he is forced to choose sides.
I enjoy Picoult’s books – they are always “current,” taking contemporary social issues and weaving a story which is complex and engaging. Critics of Picoult often characterize her novels as having an “agenda,” and while there may be some truth to this, I see her work more as a place where thinking individuals can dissect an issue. Sing You Home would make an excellent Book Club choice.
Sing You Home comes with a CD of original songs written and sung by musician Ellen Wilber, and representing Zoe’s voice. Music therapy as a way to heal and touch people emotionally was an interesting aspect of the book.
Readers who have read and enjoyed previous Picoult novels will find Sing You Home a good representation of Picoult’s work. Conversational in style and covering a lot of controversial ground, the book is a good read which I can recommend.
Show More
again. In the midst of grief, Max walks out and files for divorce, leaving Zoe depressed and alone. Zoe turns to her music for comfort. As a music therapist she understands the healing power of song. She also allows herself to let a friend inside her personal grief. Vanessa, a guidance counselor at the local high school, is not only there as a shoulder to cry on, but she makes Zoe’s life worth living again…and she introduces Zoe to a depressed, suicidal teenager named Lucy who needs music too. Gradually, Zoe and Vanessa fall in love and things get a whole lot more complicated. When Vanessa suggests they use the three frozen embryos from Zoe and Max’s last IVF to try to have a baby together, Zoe is ecstatic – she only needs Max’s permission. But, Max has turned to an evangelical Christian religion to soothe his grief…and the thought of allowing two lesbians to raise his children is horrifying.Plucked from the headlines, Sing You Home is about the definition of family and marriage, and the rigid religious prohibitions against same sex unions. In signature Jodi Picoult style, the novel unfolds as a multi-perspective look at what it means to be gay in today’s world. Picoult takes a hard look at not only same sex unions, but at parenting, pro-choice, whether or not embryos are “pre-children” or property, nature vs. nurture, and the imposed morality of the Christian right.
There is a lot to be discussed and digested in Sing You Home. Although Picoult’s novel leans more to debunking the myths surround homosexuality, she attempts to balance the arguments on both sides by writing from multiple points of view. The reader is able to see the issues from the perspective of three characters: Zoe, Vanessa and Max. Max’s struggle to deal with his alcoholism and grief makes him susceptible to the religious fervor of evangelical dogma. Although he believes he is following the correct moral path, he begins to question many of the core beliefs of the church when the issues are personalized for him. His internal conflicts position him between the far right and the liberal left on the issues – a place that becomes more and more difficult for him as he is forced to choose sides.
I enjoy Picoult’s books – they are always “current,” taking contemporary social issues and weaving a story which is complex and engaging. Critics of Picoult often characterize her novels as having an “agenda,” and while there may be some truth to this, I see her work more as a place where thinking individuals can dissect an issue. Sing You Home would make an excellent Book Club choice.
Sing You Home comes with a CD of original songs written and sung by musician Ellen Wilber, and representing Zoe’s voice. Music therapy as a way to heal and touch people emotionally was an interesting aspect of the book.
Readers who have read and enjoyed previous Picoult novels will find Sing You Home a good representation of Picoult’s work. Conversational in style and covering a lot of controversial ground, the book is a good read which I can recommend.
Show Less
LibraryThing member celticlady53
Review
In my opinion, Sing You Home is by far the best book Jodi Picoult has written. Not because of how it was written, but because of the content. I've read all her novels and each one affected me in different ways, but no book has affected me on such a personal level than Sing You Home.
I found
Picoult tackles the same issues and emotions in this novel, which is why it affected me on a deeper level. It's almost as if she's asking the questions What is so wrong with two people being in love, no matter the sex? And Why wouldn't they be good parents simply because they share the same sex? She explores issues of parenting, culture, religion, marriage, intolerance, and does each side of the spectrum complete justice. In Zoe and Vanessa's chapters, you can feel Picoult's opinion about a same-sex couple being parents and how it won't affect the child, especially if they are good people, have jobs, are loving, caring, and supportive, and most of all, a safe place for the child to call home.
As I mentioned, she also discusses the other side and does the opposing side justice. A church and a pastor who believe homosexuals will burn in hell for their sins because the bible specifically says so. An alcoholic man who seems succeptible to be talked into things—finding Jesus, donating his embryos, suing his ex wife, etc. On this side, Picoult tackles issues like how a gay couple can't possibly parent a child without the child becoming gay himself. How children are better off in a home with a mom and dad, not two moms or two dads. She gives both sides a fair amount of time in the book, and exposes both sides of the story, which is commendable. It's often difficult to explore both sides of the issue when you're clearly on one side, not the other.
I think everyone who has ever struggled with being gay, or struggled with respecting the homosexual population should read this novel. It's more than a novel; it's a commentary on the social status of the gay community in our community. Gay people are people and should be awarded the same rights in this country. Picoult, in so many words, expresses this opinion by forming her story around a complicated character triangle. To her, it doesn't matter if you're gay or straight; all people should be allowed the same human rights.
From the bottom of my heart, I have the utmost respect for Jodi Picoult for tackling such a sensitive issue. I know this is a personal issue for her, as her son is openly gay, and I applaud her courage to take a stand by writing this novel, reminding us all of one thing: we're all humans; who you choose to love is your choice, no one else's, and no one should be treated unfairly because the heart wants what the heart wants. I hope she knows how thankful the gay community is for writing something so near and dear to our own hearts. Picoult has proven to have a very open mind by writing this story, and after I finished the novel, I started humming the chorus to a Beatles classic, "all you need is love, love; love is all you need".
KC Kelly
Guest Reviewe
In my opinion, Sing You Home is by far the best book Jodi Picoult has written. Not because of how it was written, but because of the content. I've read all her novels and each one affected me in different ways, but no book has affected me on such a personal level than Sing You Home.
I found
Show More
myself relating to Zoe and Vanessa. I too unexpectedly fell in love with a woman a few years ago. It was a relationship neither of us expected; it just happened. Some people understood and could care less; others made it a personal mission to prove to us we were sick, sinners, and what we were doing is wrong. The nature of our relationship doesn't change who we are when, after all, we're just humans like the rest of you. All we knew is that we sincerely cared about each other and now, four years later, we are a very happy couple who has overcome many obstacles to get where we are, and we know if we ever want marriage and kids, we better prepare for battle, just like Zoe and Vanessa. Picoult tackles the same issues and emotions in this novel, which is why it affected me on a deeper level. It's almost as if she's asking the questions What is so wrong with two people being in love, no matter the sex? And Why wouldn't they be good parents simply because they share the same sex? She explores issues of parenting, culture, religion, marriage, intolerance, and does each side of the spectrum complete justice. In Zoe and Vanessa's chapters, you can feel Picoult's opinion about a same-sex couple being parents and how it won't affect the child, especially if they are good people, have jobs, are loving, caring, and supportive, and most of all, a safe place for the child to call home.
As I mentioned, she also discusses the other side and does the opposing side justice. A church and a pastor who believe homosexuals will burn in hell for their sins because the bible specifically says so. An alcoholic man who seems succeptible to be talked into things—finding Jesus, donating his embryos, suing his ex wife, etc. On this side, Picoult tackles issues like how a gay couple can't possibly parent a child without the child becoming gay himself. How children are better off in a home with a mom and dad, not two moms or two dads. She gives both sides a fair amount of time in the book, and exposes both sides of the story, which is commendable. It's often difficult to explore both sides of the issue when you're clearly on one side, not the other.
I think everyone who has ever struggled with being gay, or struggled with respecting the homosexual population should read this novel. It's more than a novel; it's a commentary on the social status of the gay community in our community. Gay people are people and should be awarded the same rights in this country. Picoult, in so many words, expresses this opinion by forming her story around a complicated character triangle. To her, it doesn't matter if you're gay or straight; all people should be allowed the same human rights.
From the bottom of my heart, I have the utmost respect for Jodi Picoult for tackling such a sensitive issue. I know this is a personal issue for her, as her son is openly gay, and I applaud her courage to take a stand by writing this novel, reminding us all of one thing: we're all humans; who you choose to love is your choice, no one else's, and no one should be treated unfairly because the heart wants what the heart wants. I hope she knows how thankful the gay community is for writing something so near and dear to our own hearts. Picoult has proven to have a very open mind by writing this story, and after I finished the novel, I started humming the chorus to a Beatles classic, "all you need is love, love; love is all you need".
KC Kelly
Guest Reviewe
Show Less
LibraryThing member SugarCreekRanch
Sing You Home has a lot of the great Jodi Picoult trademarks: a topical issue that makes you really consider how you would handle it, richly developed characters, great courtroom drama, and a twist near the end.
This novel's issue is the 'custody' of frozen embryos following the breakup of a
It was a great story in many ways. But the swiftness of the very drastic life changes by both husband and wife made them seem less like real people, and more like they were acting out a neatly planned plot.
This novel's issue is the 'custody' of frozen embryos following the breakup of a
Show More
marriage; the husband has become a born-again Christian, and the wife has remarried in a same-sex union. Who deserves the embryos? What would be the best home for the potential children? It was a great story in many ways. But the swiftness of the very drastic life changes by both husband and wife made them seem less like real people, and more like they were acting out a neatly planned plot.
Show Less
LibraryThing member bookcrazed
As a wannabe novelist, I am fascinated how Picoult’s painstaking research is woven into the narrative about a woman whose life is driven by a desire to become a mother. In less skillful and adventurous hands, it would have been simply that: a tale of a personal voyage to motherhood. Instead,
Drawing a picture of conflict between conservative Christian activists and gay rights activists, Picoult never takes a cheap shot, never makes one side unerringly right and the other the face of the devil. Each portrait is sympathetically drawn. The only cardboard, stereotypical character is a lawyer, who even manipulates his client in the service of victory, a victory that is being sought solely for personal aggrandizement. Judging from the number of legal experts Picoult consulted, this guy (or someone like him) exists in real life.
To make Picoult’s yarn even more lifelike, the hardback comes with a CD of the original music that her character Zoe composes. (Paperback readers can download the music from the Internet at no cost.) I find two flaws in the work, the first negligible (and a little embarrassing to even mention), the second a gnawing dissatisfaction that is forgivable when balanced with the enormous accomplishments of the work.
The first is the very thing that gives the writing so much authenticity: the researched detail. I can see the writer’s mind at work, carefully choosing the woof of fact to bring texture to the warp of plot. I would rather it had been more hidden. Admittedly, I was looking for it. The second was the unexplained outcome for a character who was so skillfully written that, at the end, she was (for me) a giant question mark in the center of an otherwise well-drawn ending. I miss her. I worry about her. I want to look her up on the Internet and find out what happened to her. Maybe I’ll find her in another Picoult novel down the road.
In all, a stupendous effort!
Show More
Picoult draws us into the world of a music therapist at work, the clash of values when a gay person comes out, a courtroom drama about the rights of a fetus, and much more. She never resorts to the easy way, to simply saying, for instance, that Zoe’s and Max’s IVF attempts were met with failure and the failures took a toll on their marriage. That would certainly have made it a shorter book—and maybe readers would have been no more the wiser. But Picoult doesn’t take the easy way, and we follow the young couple through the details of the procedure— the medical facts, as well as the emotional ups and downs. We even follow the husband into the tiny bathroom, where he must fill a cup with his juice of life, fearful that too little will reflect on him and too much will be worse. Drawing a picture of conflict between conservative Christian activists and gay rights activists, Picoult never takes a cheap shot, never makes one side unerringly right and the other the face of the devil. Each portrait is sympathetically drawn. The only cardboard, stereotypical character is a lawyer, who even manipulates his client in the service of victory, a victory that is being sought solely for personal aggrandizement. Judging from the number of legal experts Picoult consulted, this guy (or someone like him) exists in real life.
To make Picoult’s yarn even more lifelike, the hardback comes with a CD of the original music that her character Zoe composes. (Paperback readers can download the music from the Internet at no cost.) I find two flaws in the work, the first negligible (and a little embarrassing to even mention), the second a gnawing dissatisfaction that is forgivable when balanced with the enormous accomplishments of the work.
The first is the very thing that gives the writing so much authenticity: the researched detail. I can see the writer’s mind at work, carefully choosing the woof of fact to bring texture to the warp of plot. I would rather it had been more hidden. Admittedly, I was looking for it. The second was the unexplained outcome for a character who was so skillfully written that, at the end, she was (for me) a giant question mark in the center of an otherwise well-drawn ending. I miss her. I worry about her. I want to look her up on the Internet and find out what happened to her. Maybe I’ll find her in another Picoult novel down the road.
In all, a stupendous effort!
Show Less
LibraryThing member ReadingWithMartinis
I almost don’t know how to start this review. I am a Jodi Picoult fan girl through and through. I have been waiting for Sing You Home since I closed the covers of House Rules. Given those facts, you’ll probably be totally shocked when I say that I 100% loved this book. Or not shocked at
Where do I start with Sing You Home? Picoult’s writing, of course. When I read a Jodi Picoult novel, I encounter sentences I wish I had the brilliance to write myself. I get lost and tangled up in the people she creates and the scenarios she details. Picoult can break my heart into tiny pieces and then put me back together within a few pages. Her novels make me smile, they make me laugh, and often, they move me to the point of tears. Her writing is beautiful without being sappy; detailed without being overdone; masterful without being pretentious; amazing in a way I can’t even describe.
So, I obviously like her writing style, but what else? Let’s talk about her characters. Although this does go back to Picoult’s writing style, it never fails to amaze me how one person can write in so many voices. What do I mean? Picoult’s novels are general told by multiple narrators. In the case of Sing You Home, there are three primary narrators: Zoe Baxter, Max Baxter, and Vanessa Shaw. It’s incredible to me how one author can make each of those narrative voices so completely unique. Reading a chapter that is narrated by Zoe is a completely different experience than reading a chapter narrated by Vanessa. It provides so much more insight to the characters to read the experience as told by them, rather than be told how that character is feeling about a situation by a third person narrator.
What was so delightful and heartbreaking about Sing You Home was that I loved all the characters. Zoe is such an amazing character who wants nothing more in this world than to be a mother. Because I had such sympathy for Zoe, I wanted to dislike Max and view him as the “bad guy.” But no, that is not how Picoult constructed the novel. She wanted you to like Max as much as you liked Zoe because it creates internal conflict for the reader. I was totally and completely pulling for Zoe, rooting her on at every turn. But, I liked Max, too. I understood his side of the issue, his struggle with the decision to be made, and his struggles as a (albeit fictional) human. I don’t think I would have or could have liked Max as much as I did without “hearing” his voice. It would have been all too easy to designate him as the bad guy and not fully experience all sides of the struggle that is at the heart of this novel.
I really enjoyed Vanessa and Zoe’s mother Dara, as well. I think Vanessa, being so different from Zoe, help to round out an area of characterization that would have otherwise been missing. Zoe’s character presented a completely strong female, but Zoe was soft edges and beautiful music. Vanessa presented a strong female character that was quite as soft, in my opinion. She was by no means hard or masculine or unfeeling, she was simply a different kind of strong from Zoe. Her strength was more understated when compared to Zoe. You know Zoe is strong because of all she has endured to have a child. You learn more about her strength along the way, however, but you know her mettle up front because of her infertility battle. Vanessa revealed her strength in small doses. She revealed herself through what she had endured because of her sexual preference. She revealed herself in her tenacity and unwillingness to give up on what she believed in. And she revealed her strength and beauty as a character through her love for Zoe.
The plot was masterfully crafted. Picoult always picks a topic for her plot that is at the very pulse of modern culture. For this novel, Picoult actually used two hot button topics: the rights of the unborn and gay rights. While the rights of the unborn was a secondary plot device, Picoult still managed to shine a light on the sticky topic and make the reader think. On the front burner of the plot, was the rights of gays and lesbians. Whatever topic(s) Picoult is highlighting in her writing, she always manages to bring out both sides of the issue, another reason that multiple narrators are such an asset to her stories. It is clear that Picoult is on the side of equal rights for gays, her own opinion is never heavy-handed. I don’t ever feel preached to or that Picoult is trying to sway me to her thinking. She merely tells her story, from both sides of the argument, in a way that captures the attention of the reader and makes them think.
I thought the plot moved very quickly and was engrossing. The crumbling relationship between Max and Zoe, the unfolding of the relationship between Vanessa and Zoe, and then the struggle to be treated fairly no matter how or who one loves, was purely captivating. I simply could not put this book down. I was in a reading race with myself because I couldn’t consume Sing You Home quickly enough. I wanted more and more and more of the dynamic relationships, the heartbreak of loss, and the legal struggle for equality.
Sing You Home is Jodi Picoult’s finest novel since My Sister’s Keeper. I absolutely and highly recommend it to everyone. Fans of Picoult’s work will love this novel. Newcomers to her work – this novel is a fantastic place to start.
Show More
all.Where do I start with Sing You Home? Picoult’s writing, of course. When I read a Jodi Picoult novel, I encounter sentences I wish I had the brilliance to write myself. I get lost and tangled up in the people she creates and the scenarios she details. Picoult can break my heart into tiny pieces and then put me back together within a few pages. Her novels make me smile, they make me laugh, and often, they move me to the point of tears. Her writing is beautiful without being sappy; detailed without being overdone; masterful without being pretentious; amazing in a way I can’t even describe.
So, I obviously like her writing style, but what else? Let’s talk about her characters. Although this does go back to Picoult’s writing style, it never fails to amaze me how one person can write in so many voices. What do I mean? Picoult’s novels are general told by multiple narrators. In the case of Sing You Home, there are three primary narrators: Zoe Baxter, Max Baxter, and Vanessa Shaw. It’s incredible to me how one author can make each of those narrative voices so completely unique. Reading a chapter that is narrated by Zoe is a completely different experience than reading a chapter narrated by Vanessa. It provides so much more insight to the characters to read the experience as told by them, rather than be told how that character is feeling about a situation by a third person narrator.
What was so delightful and heartbreaking about Sing You Home was that I loved all the characters. Zoe is such an amazing character who wants nothing more in this world than to be a mother. Because I had such sympathy for Zoe, I wanted to dislike Max and view him as the “bad guy.” But no, that is not how Picoult constructed the novel. She wanted you to like Max as much as you liked Zoe because it creates internal conflict for the reader. I was totally and completely pulling for Zoe, rooting her on at every turn. But, I liked Max, too. I understood his side of the issue, his struggle with the decision to be made, and his struggles as a (albeit fictional) human. I don’t think I would have or could have liked Max as much as I did without “hearing” his voice. It would have been all too easy to designate him as the bad guy and not fully experience all sides of the struggle that is at the heart of this novel.
I really enjoyed Vanessa and Zoe’s mother Dara, as well. I think Vanessa, being so different from Zoe, help to round out an area of characterization that would have otherwise been missing. Zoe’s character presented a completely strong female, but Zoe was soft edges and beautiful music. Vanessa presented a strong female character that was quite as soft, in my opinion. She was by no means hard or masculine or unfeeling, she was simply a different kind of strong from Zoe. Her strength was more understated when compared to Zoe. You know Zoe is strong because of all she has endured to have a child. You learn more about her strength along the way, however, but you know her mettle up front because of her infertility battle. Vanessa revealed her strength in small doses. She revealed herself through what she had endured because of her sexual preference. She revealed herself in her tenacity and unwillingness to give up on what she believed in. And she revealed her strength and beauty as a character through her love for Zoe.
The plot was masterfully crafted. Picoult always picks a topic for her plot that is at the very pulse of modern culture. For this novel, Picoult actually used two hot button topics: the rights of the unborn and gay rights. While the rights of the unborn was a secondary plot device, Picoult still managed to shine a light on the sticky topic and make the reader think. On the front burner of the plot, was the rights of gays and lesbians. Whatever topic(s) Picoult is highlighting in her writing, she always manages to bring out both sides of the issue, another reason that multiple narrators are such an asset to her stories. It is clear that Picoult is on the side of equal rights for gays, her own opinion is never heavy-handed. I don’t ever feel preached to or that Picoult is trying to sway me to her thinking. She merely tells her story, from both sides of the argument, in a way that captures the attention of the reader and makes them think.
I thought the plot moved very quickly and was engrossing. The crumbling relationship between Max and Zoe, the unfolding of the relationship between Vanessa and Zoe, and then the struggle to be treated fairly no matter how or who one loves, was purely captivating. I simply could not put this book down. I was in a reading race with myself because I couldn’t consume Sing You Home quickly enough. I wanted more and more and more of the dynamic relationships, the heartbreak of loss, and the legal struggle for equality.
Sing You Home is Jodi Picoult’s finest novel since My Sister’s Keeper. I absolutely and highly recommend it to everyone. Fans of Picoult’s work will love this novel. Newcomers to her work – this novel is a fantastic place to start.
Show Less
LibraryThing member MsCellophane
I chose this for my first Jodi Picoult, after having heard recommendations from many people whose opinions I respect. It was kind of an obvious choice--Sing You Home is one of her most recent novels, and features a lesbian couple.
What did I end up thinking of it? Well, I can absolutely see why
Predictability was not the author's biggest problem. Quality of writing was. Like I said, she's a really good storyteller...but so is J. K. Rowling, and I would never say that she's the world's best or most eloquent writer, either. I was struck more than once by stilted language, things that would never come out of someone's actual mouth. More than that, the message (and oh, boy, does this book have a message) was banged into my head over and over and over. Granted, I was not the audience for that message: Jodi Picoult's typical conservative middle-aged female reader was. And I am grateful that a mainstream writer was brave enough to step out and write a story about an LGBT character. But I do wonder if there was a more graceful way to get the point across.
On the whole, though, I was pretty charmed. I'm going to read another one of her books at some point, for sure.
What did I end up thinking of it? Well, I can absolutely see why
Show More
Picoult is such a popular author. I compulsively read my way through all 400-odd pages over two nights. She knows how to write in such a way that you really, really want to find out what happens next. Almost all of the characters were living and breathing to me by novel's end. Despite TOTALLY KNOWING what was going to happen almost every step of the way, I wanted to get to the ending I saw coming from about halfway through the book.Predictability was not the author's biggest problem. Quality of writing was. Like I said, she's a really good storyteller...but so is J. K. Rowling, and I would never say that she's the world's best or most eloquent writer, either. I was struck more than once by stilted language, things that would never come out of someone's actual mouth. More than that, the message (and oh, boy, does this book have a message) was banged into my head over and over and over. Granted, I was not the audience for that message: Jodi Picoult's typical conservative middle-aged female reader was. And I am grateful that a mainstream writer was brave enough to step out and write a story about an LGBT character. But I do wonder if there was a more graceful way to get the point across.
On the whole, though, I was pretty charmed. I'm going to read another one of her books at some point, for sure.
Show Less
LibraryThing member dablackwood
Oh so predictable but oh so easy to read. Jodi Picoult is a master (or mistress) of picking a juicy topic and injecting it into a group of people you want to care about. This latest book deals with infertility and gay adoption issues. I always feel like Jodi tells it right and I mostly am in
Show More
agreement with the way things work out. This time I struggled a bit with the very quick to happen relationship between Vanessa and Zoe. But in the end I got what I wanted from this book - a discussion of an interesting issue and an afternoon's escape. She has got a system and it really works. Wonder what she's working on now? Show Less
LibraryThing member LibrarianLizelle
I am passing on people's recommendations.
LibraryThing member abcarroll
Enjoyed this book completely! While parts were completely infuriating it was thought provoking and moving. a definite read if you ask this picoult fan!
LibraryThing member verka6811
Zoe Baxter’s dream is to have a large family, but even one child proves difficult to come by. Zoe, a music therapist, and her husband, Max, spend many years and countless dollars trying to conceive. Finally pregnant, Zoe thinks that she is in the homestretch; during her baby shower, she is rushed
Despite the trauma, Zoe is eager to use the remaining embryos from the IVF. Max, on the other hand, has had enough of false expectations and decides to leave the marriage. Feeling lost and betrayed, Zoe finds solace in a new friend, and the friendship soon turns into something much more. Her friend, Vanessa, happens to be a woman.
When Vanessa offers to have a child for the couple using Zoe’s and Max’s embryos, Zoe is over the moon at the prospect of finally becoming a mother. However, a simple release form becomes a sticking point as Max, newly a member of an Evangelical church, sues Zoe for the rights to their “unborn children”. Suddenly, Zoe and Vanessa’s desire for a family puts them in the midst of a public storm surrounding their rights, or lack thereof, as a married couple, their sexuality and their ability to raise children.
Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite authors, and in my mind, she can do little wrong. As most of Picoult’s books, Sing You Home is inspired by the controversial topic of gay rights. The book, accompanied by a CD of songs written by Picoult, is touching, well written and will have you questioning your own beliefs of what constitutes a family.
Show More
to the hospital and gives birth to a stillborn.Despite the trauma, Zoe is eager to use the remaining embryos from the IVF. Max, on the other hand, has had enough of false expectations and decides to leave the marriage. Feeling lost and betrayed, Zoe finds solace in a new friend, and the friendship soon turns into something much more. Her friend, Vanessa, happens to be a woman.
When Vanessa offers to have a child for the couple using Zoe’s and Max’s embryos, Zoe is over the moon at the prospect of finally becoming a mother. However, a simple release form becomes a sticking point as Max, newly a member of an Evangelical church, sues Zoe for the rights to their “unborn children”. Suddenly, Zoe and Vanessa’s desire for a family puts them in the midst of a public storm surrounding their rights, or lack thereof, as a married couple, their sexuality and their ability to raise children.
Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite authors, and in my mind, she can do little wrong. As most of Picoult’s books, Sing You Home is inspired by the controversial topic of gay rights. The book, accompanied by a CD of songs written by Picoult, is touching, well written and will have you questioning your own beliefs of what constitutes a family.
Show Less
LibraryThing member kraaivrouw
I shouldn't have tried to read this one - after the last one I swore I wouldn't read another of her books ever again, but for whatever reason I thought I'd give it another try. Never ever ever again. Ever.
This book has the same problems her last few books have had - characters that spout their
Never again.
This book has the same problems her last few books have had - characters that spout their
Show More
position from whatever controversial subject she's tackling this month (On now: lesbian couples who want to have children and fundy ex-husbands who stand in their way! Next week: siamese twins joined at the head adopted by serial killers! You get the picture.) Instead of giving these characters actual ... character ... she gives them fonts and points of view and more fonts and more points of view (very limited points of view). If I need a change in fonts to realize a different character is mouthing his/her point of view you haven't written actual characters. Write freakin' non-fiction and argue the issues because this has just gotten worse and worse in my opinion.Never again.
Show Less
LibraryThing member bookchickdi
Jodi Picoult writes books that pair characters you care about with controversial plots. She takes on issues that can be polarizing, and makes the reader see the point of view of all sides. In this world of angry political rhetoric and screaming talking heads on cable news shows, she is refreshing
Her new book, Sing You Home, tackles two issues- gay rights and embryonic custody rights. Max and Zoe are married and have been trying to have a baby for nine years. When Zoe finally gets pregnant, only to miscarry, Max decides he can't go through it anymore and leaves.
Zoe is devastated. She cannot seem to function, until she becomes friends with Vanessa, a high school school guidance counselor. Vanessa is described as
"the person who buys the broken piece of furniture, sure I can repair it. I used to have a rescued greyhound. I am a pathological fixer, which accounts for my career as a school counselor, since God knows it's not about the money or job satisfaction. So it's not really a surprise to me that my immediate instinct, with Zoe Baxter, is to put her back together again."
Vanessa and Zoe become best friends, but both of them are surprised when it becomes more. Vanessa is gay, and she and Zoe fall in love. Vanessa has always known she was gay, and the description of her life, living in fear of others finding out and the torment she faced as a teen, is hard to read.
Zoe, however, was married to Max, and so even Zoe's quirky, New-Agey mom Dara is a little shocked by their relationship. I loved Dara; she is the mom everyone would want, but Picoult does not make her perfect, which I liked. Zoe decides that love is love, you can't help with whom you fall in love.
When Zoe and Max divorced, they still had three fertilized eggs left from their IVF treatments. Zoe and Vanessa want to use the eggs so that Vanessa can become impregnated and give birth. The clinic tells Zoe that Max must give his permission, and Zoe has no qualms about asking Max to sign the paperwork; after all, he left because he decided he didn't want to have a baby.
But Max has been living with his brother and sister-in-law who took him in after the divorce. They too have been having fertility issues. When Max talks to the pastor at their fundamentalist Christian church, he tells Max that gay people should not raise children. He convinces Max to fight for custody of the embryos, and to give them to his brother and sister-in-law.
The court battle takes up much of the novel, and it moves at a breakneck pace. This book, as most of Picoult's novels are, is a real page-turner. Set aside enough time to read it in one sitting, you won't want to put it down. Picoult tells the story in alternating first-person narrative by Zoe, Vanessa and Max, so you get to see all sides of this heartbreaking story.
There are also so many twists and turns in the novel, you could get whiplash. There is so much packed into this book, and although the pastor at first glance seems like a kind, compassionate man committed to his beliefs, by the book's end, his true colors show. It's unfortunate that was the case, it may have made for a more interesting choice if he were a truly moral man. With the recent Supreme Court decision on the right of Westboro Church to protest at soldier's funerals, this storyline is even more timely.
Zoe is a music therapist, and Picoult includes a a CD performed by Ellen Wilber, who co-wrote the songs with Picoult. The songs correspond with the chapters, and it makes for a unique way for this book to stand out. Picoult continues her winning ways, and her fans will not be disappointed.
Show More
and empathetic.Her new book, Sing You Home, tackles two issues- gay rights and embryonic custody rights. Max and Zoe are married and have been trying to have a baby for nine years. When Zoe finally gets pregnant, only to miscarry, Max decides he can't go through it anymore and leaves.
Zoe is devastated. She cannot seem to function, until she becomes friends with Vanessa, a high school school guidance counselor. Vanessa is described as
"the person who buys the broken piece of furniture, sure I can repair it. I used to have a rescued greyhound. I am a pathological fixer, which accounts for my career as a school counselor, since God knows it's not about the money or job satisfaction. So it's not really a surprise to me that my immediate instinct, with Zoe Baxter, is to put her back together again."
Vanessa and Zoe become best friends, but both of them are surprised when it becomes more. Vanessa is gay, and she and Zoe fall in love. Vanessa has always known she was gay, and the description of her life, living in fear of others finding out and the torment she faced as a teen, is hard to read.
Zoe, however, was married to Max, and so even Zoe's quirky, New-Agey mom Dara is a little shocked by their relationship. I loved Dara; she is the mom everyone would want, but Picoult does not make her perfect, which I liked. Zoe decides that love is love, you can't help with whom you fall in love.
When Zoe and Max divorced, they still had three fertilized eggs left from their IVF treatments. Zoe and Vanessa want to use the eggs so that Vanessa can become impregnated and give birth. The clinic tells Zoe that Max must give his permission, and Zoe has no qualms about asking Max to sign the paperwork; after all, he left because he decided he didn't want to have a baby.
But Max has been living with his brother and sister-in-law who took him in after the divorce. They too have been having fertility issues. When Max talks to the pastor at their fundamentalist Christian church, he tells Max that gay people should not raise children. He convinces Max to fight for custody of the embryos, and to give them to his brother and sister-in-law.
The court battle takes up much of the novel, and it moves at a breakneck pace. This book, as most of Picoult's novels are, is a real page-turner. Set aside enough time to read it in one sitting, you won't want to put it down. Picoult tells the story in alternating first-person narrative by Zoe, Vanessa and Max, so you get to see all sides of this heartbreaking story.
There are also so many twists and turns in the novel, you could get whiplash. There is so much packed into this book, and although the pastor at first glance seems like a kind, compassionate man committed to his beliefs, by the book's end, his true colors show. It's unfortunate that was the case, it may have made for a more interesting choice if he were a truly moral man. With the recent Supreme Court decision on the right of Westboro Church to protest at soldier's funerals, this storyline is even more timely.
Zoe is a music therapist, and Picoult includes a a CD performed by Ellen Wilber, who co-wrote the songs with Picoult. The songs correspond with the chapters, and it makes for a unique way for this book to stand out. Picoult continues her winning ways, and her fans will not be disappointed.
Show Less
LibraryThing member blucherca
While I love all of Jodi Picoult's novels, this one has got to be one of my favorites now. She never disappoints me with a subject she picks. Whether it's a school shooting, a battle of a girl with Leukemia, or in this case a court battle involving fertility problems and issues with religion.
Zoe
Vanessa and Zoe decided they wanted to have children and to do so they planned on using frozen embryos from Max and Zoe's relationship so their baby would be biologically related to them. Max did not believe that his "babies" should grow up in a family with two mothers, and a court battle ensued. He decided he would give the "unborn babies" to his brother Reid because him and his wife were also having fertility issues.
While throughout most of the book I didn't know what was coming next, and was always pleasantly surprised, the ending I felt was very predictable. You could tell from the beginning that Max felt bad and was only doing this because the pastor from his church was urging him to do so because of the publicity. However it was a great book and I would give it 4.5 stars
Zoe
Show More
and Max had been trying to have children for 9 years with uncessful results each time. On their last try Zoe became pregnant only to lose the baby in her 28th week. She knew she wanted to keep on trying but it was clear that Max no longer felt the same way. He left his wife and started a new life living with his brother Reid and sister in law Liddy. Out drunk driving one night he got into a car accident which is when he discovered god and became a new man. Zoe on the other hand met a woman Vanessa who became her best friend, and later on in the book, her partner. Vanessa and Zoe decided they wanted to have children and to do so they planned on using frozen embryos from Max and Zoe's relationship so their baby would be biologically related to them. Max did not believe that his "babies" should grow up in a family with two mothers, and a court battle ensued. He decided he would give the "unborn babies" to his brother Reid because him and his wife were also having fertility issues.
While throughout most of the book I didn't know what was coming next, and was always pleasantly surprised, the ending I felt was very predictable. You could tell from the beginning that Max felt bad and was only doing this because the pastor from his church was urging him to do so because of the publicity. However it was a great book and I would give it 4.5 stars
Show Less
LibraryThing member bookaholicmom
I wasn't so sure when I started this book it would be one of my favorite Jodi Picoult books. It didn't take too long for the story to grab me. The subject is controversial as most of Jodi's books are but that is what makes her a unique author. The story is told by different point of views, Max's,
Show More
Vanessa's, and Zoe's. It was interesting to see where each character was coming from and where their head was. Sing You Home deals with gay marriage, evangelical beliefs, IVF, and discrimination. Jodi has done a fabulous job creating characters and a case that will have you questioning how you feel about these controversial subjects. Does an embryo have rights? Who has rights to an embryo after a divorce? What should be considered when deciding who has custody rights of an embryo? What makes a person to be a better candidate for parenthood? There are so many questions that come up in the book. I found the court case interesting but also found Zoe's music therapy very intriguing. I had never heard of music therapy before but it does make sense. I know the music I listen to depends on the mood I am in at the time. Music is present in almost all of the important events in one's life so why not in therapy. Enclosed is a cd of songs written to correspond with each chapter. While the music was not exactly my taste, it was a very different idea that fit very nicely with the story. A very nice touch. I loved Jodi's latest release and look forward to reading more from her in the future. This book would be great for book groups as there is so much to discuss. Show Less
LibraryThing member jovilla
Jodi Picoult is at her best in this issue oriented novel: the issue is what happens to fertilized eggs when a couple divorces, the woman remarries in a same sex marriage, and the man joins a fundamental church. As in Ms. Picoult's usual format, the story is told very convincingly from all
Show More
viewpoints so that we don't know the result until almost the very end of the book. An interesting twist to this book is the accompanying CD with lovely music: the words to the songs composed by Ms Picoult. The songs tell a story and accompany the chapters of the book. Very enjoyable book! Show Less
LibraryThing member Jaie22
Good book, interesting story - it seems totally believable that the main character could fall in love with her wife after being in a hetero relationship for years. (No, I don't mean that to be sarcastic. It really seemed believable. Zoe falls in love with another person, regardless of gender, and
But the end of this novel fails it. Everything is wrapped up far too tidily. I wanted to read about the pregnancy. I wanted to read about how Zoe's ex and his (former) sister-in-law broke the news of their attraction to his brother. I wanted to know what happened to the preacher's stepdaughter. These characters went away before I was finished with them. A neat little epilogue-like ending is one thing, but I didn't feel like this story was over yet.
I didn't hate it. I might try reading more Picoult. But unless there are significant improvements, I'm putting it on a level with Nicholas Sparks and others who write with an eye toward selling to mainstream America more so than toward writing well.
Show More
it makes sense in context.)But the end of this novel fails it. Everything is wrapped up far too tidily. I wanted to read about the pregnancy. I wanted to read about how Zoe's ex and his (former) sister-in-law broke the news of their attraction to his brother. I wanted to know what happened to the preacher's stepdaughter. These characters went away before I was finished with them. A neat little epilogue-like ending is one thing, but I didn't feel like this story was over yet.
I didn't hate it. I might try reading more Picoult. But unless there are significant improvements, I'm putting it on a level with Nicholas Sparks and others who write with an eye toward selling to mainstream America more so than toward writing well.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Quiltinfun06
I have just finished reading Jodi Picoult’s newest novel, Sing You Home, a story about a married couple who has tried to become pregnant for most of their married life without success. After their last attempt which resulted in a still born little boy; Max Baxter, Zoe’s husband calls the
Everything I have mentioned so far would indicate an interesting and thought provoking read. It does. For me, though, it became a book of missed opportunities. Why? The subject matter is about same sex families having children. Picoult tries to portray a positive spin to this but in my opinion falls short of the mark. The story for me was too much of a “gay cliché”. By this I mean, that it presented every ma-lintended word, phrase or scenario of a gay couple. As hard as she tries to have us witness a positive, loving gay relationship; she presents too many opposing arguments. It seemed to me that the negative out weighed the positive over and over again.
I know that gay couples do not have it easy and aren’t treated fairly but don’t we all know this already. As an author with a lot of success and a huge following she could have written a more convincing argument by presenting more positive scenarios. Maybe I am being a bit naive because I would guess that anyone that is homophobic probably would not be reading this book anyway. However, if they were; it would have been much better for them to take away a stronger sense of tolerance, fairness and justice. I would have loved for a closed mind to become more open. I don’t believe this story was strong enough for that outcome.
As a mother of a music therapist, however, I was excited to have Zoe’s career showcase how important music therapy can be in the healing process.
Show More
marriage quits. A little while after, Zoe meets and falls in love with a woman named Vanessa. She and Vanessa would love to have children too. Zoe realizes that she has 3 frozen embryos they could use; however, this would mean getting permission from the father, Max. Zoe doesn’t believe this will be a problem, after all, part of his reasons for divorce were that he didn’t want to be a parent. Max has other ideas about these embryos. He wants to give them to his brother and sister in law who have struggled with pregnancy too. Now the plot thickens.Everything I have mentioned so far would indicate an interesting and thought provoking read. It does. For me, though, it became a book of missed opportunities. Why? The subject matter is about same sex families having children. Picoult tries to portray a positive spin to this but in my opinion falls short of the mark. The story for me was too much of a “gay cliché”. By this I mean, that it presented every ma-lintended word, phrase or scenario of a gay couple. As hard as she tries to have us witness a positive, loving gay relationship; she presents too many opposing arguments. It seemed to me that the negative out weighed the positive over and over again.
I know that gay couples do not have it easy and aren’t treated fairly but don’t we all know this already. As an author with a lot of success and a huge following she could have written a more convincing argument by presenting more positive scenarios. Maybe I am being a bit naive because I would guess that anyone that is homophobic probably would not be reading this book anyway. However, if they were; it would have been much better for them to take away a stronger sense of tolerance, fairness and justice. I would have loved for a closed mind to become more open. I don’t believe this story was strong enough for that outcome.
As a mother of a music therapist, however, I was excited to have Zoe’s career showcase how important music therapy can be in the healing process.
Show Less
LibraryThing member BookishDame
Jodi Picoult is the voice of the everyday woman today. While one may not always agree with her, I believe that she attempts to give as complete a perspective of comtemporary issues as any social "observer" can. In "Sing You Home," Jodi has made no exception.
Like the message or not. Jodi is what
"Sing You Home," is a controversial novel. And, it is a good one. The characters are real; their feelings and personal struggles are heavy. Though you may not agree with every decision they make, you can understand why they make them, ultimately. My daughter who has experienced the personal pain and emotional upheavals associated with IVF, told me she had to put the book down. She was moved to tears, relating to the reality that Ms Picoult wrote into her characters. She was hit once again with the emotional passages she had walked. "How can she tell about something so intimate?" she wanted to know. That's the gift Jodi Picoult has. The gift of conveying the realities of emotional pain, horror, love and healing...the conditions of life.
In "Sing You Home," the story guides us through a marriage that disintegrates and then works its way around to something more interesting. We learn how innovative therapies such as music can reach an otherwise locked-up teenager. And, we find that a person of age doesn't mean they are unwilling to learn and be valuable contributors to other's lives. While it's unrealistic to expect everyone to agree with decisions made by Picoult's characters, we are given an opportunity to envision the situations that many encounter in our society with it's alternative choices.
Jodi Picoult is an author of significant writing skills. It is clear that she is capable of reaching a wide range of readers. Her goal is to do just that. I believe she is more than capable of narrowing her scope to a more specific following, even to her own personal perspectives alone...but she choses to reach more people with views that are as multi-faceted as possible. This is the gift of a true writer who is committed to giving herself to her readers for the good of all. A writer who sees her purpose as shedding light on the issues of the day, and allowing her readers to make their own, more informed decisions about them.
I highly recommend "Sing You Home." It's a novel that will make you cry, make you think outside the box...it will make you angry, and it will expand your sense of what could be done to resolve what seems unresolvable. It's a novel of our times for good or for bad. It sheds a light on what different people and groups of people are thinking and living, and for the most part, I think Jodi does that in a way that's unsurpassed by other writers today. She knows her readers, and she writes for them.
I don't think the Christian perspective received a full and complete audit; but, nor do I think the teenager in her novel was fully developed, nor the reality of dealing with different relationships. There is much that could be written about these that was left unsaid in "Sing You Home," so I'm wondering if it's a segway into a second book, or if she meant to leave things open ended.
As a gift, Jodi has written some song lyrics which her friend has set to music and sings. She has added this as a CD and it is attached to her book. It is an accompaniment to every chapter. I'm not one to listen to music as I read, so I have listened to it separately. I appreciate the gift and the inner work it took for Jodi Picoult to share with us.
If you haven't already gotten this book, I hope you'll go now and buy it. It's an important and excellent read. Your book groups will have a fantastic time with it, too!
Deborah/TheBookishDame
Like the message or not. Jodi is what
Show More
used to be known in ancient times as a "scop." Scop means a bard or news-carrier from Anglo-Saxson England. It was a word practically obsolete by the 14th c., but revived again in the 18th c. It is a definition of those who carried news and stories from town to town in ancient cities before people could read or write. What I mean to say here is that Ms Picoult will be known, I believe, as an author who recorded our contemporary times and social struggles in such a way that the general population could understand them...like a scop who stopped in villages and spoke around fire gatherings giving the latest news of the "world.""Sing You Home," is a controversial novel. And, it is a good one. The characters are real; their feelings and personal struggles are heavy. Though you may not agree with every decision they make, you can understand why they make them, ultimately. My daughter who has experienced the personal pain and emotional upheavals associated with IVF, told me she had to put the book down. She was moved to tears, relating to the reality that Ms Picoult wrote into her characters. She was hit once again with the emotional passages she had walked. "How can she tell about something so intimate?" she wanted to know. That's the gift Jodi Picoult has. The gift of conveying the realities of emotional pain, horror, love and healing...the conditions of life.
In "Sing You Home," the story guides us through a marriage that disintegrates and then works its way around to something more interesting. We learn how innovative therapies such as music can reach an otherwise locked-up teenager. And, we find that a person of age doesn't mean they are unwilling to learn and be valuable contributors to other's lives. While it's unrealistic to expect everyone to agree with decisions made by Picoult's characters, we are given an opportunity to envision the situations that many encounter in our society with it's alternative choices.
Jodi Picoult is an author of significant writing skills. It is clear that she is capable of reaching a wide range of readers. Her goal is to do just that. I believe she is more than capable of narrowing her scope to a more specific following, even to her own personal perspectives alone...but she choses to reach more people with views that are as multi-faceted as possible. This is the gift of a true writer who is committed to giving herself to her readers for the good of all. A writer who sees her purpose as shedding light on the issues of the day, and allowing her readers to make their own, more informed decisions about them.
I highly recommend "Sing You Home." It's a novel that will make you cry, make you think outside the box...it will make you angry, and it will expand your sense of what could be done to resolve what seems unresolvable. It's a novel of our times for good or for bad. It sheds a light on what different people and groups of people are thinking and living, and for the most part, I think Jodi does that in a way that's unsurpassed by other writers today. She knows her readers, and she writes for them.
I don't think the Christian perspective received a full and complete audit; but, nor do I think the teenager in her novel was fully developed, nor the reality of dealing with different relationships. There is much that could be written about these that was left unsaid in "Sing You Home," so I'm wondering if it's a segway into a second book, or if she meant to leave things open ended.
As a gift, Jodi has written some song lyrics which her friend has set to music and sings. She has added this as a CD and it is attached to her book. It is an accompaniment to every chapter. I'm not one to listen to music as I read, so I have listened to it separately. I appreciate the gift and the inner work it took for Jodi Picoult to share with us.
If you haven't already gotten this book, I hope you'll go now and buy it. It's an important and excellent read. Your book groups will have a fantastic time with it, too!
Deborah/TheBookishDame
Show Less
LibraryThing member khiemstra631
Jodi Picoult has proved herself one of today's most versatile authors, topic-wise. It is refreshing to find an author not content to continuously write one or two series. In this novel, Picoult tackles the subject of gay marriage following the breakup of main character Zoe's marriage to Max. They
Show More
had been trying to have a child using in vitro fertilization for the past five years, and Zoe lost a baby at 28 weeks. Max could not stand anymore fixation on having a baby and filed for divorce. Meanwhile, three fertilized embryos were left from their efforts. Zoe falls in love with high school guidance counselor Vanessa and marries. Almost immediately, they hit upon the idea of Vanessa having a child using the embryos since in the meantime Zoe had to have a hysterectomy. Max decides that his brother Reid and his wife, Liddy, would be the perfect traditional parents for the proposed child. Max has become actively involved with Reid and Liddy's conservative church since moving in with them following his divorce. The second half of the book focuses on the court trial to determine who will prevail concerning the disposition of the eggs. It's fairly predictable and a little plodding in places compared to the first half of the book. As with most books of this sort, Picoult manages to make the Christian look like semi-buffoons although it's certainly not as bad as it might have been. It's an interesting read that probably won't change anyone's views on the issue of same-sex marriage, but might widen the reader's horizons a bit. Show Less
Language
Original publication date
2011-03-01
Physical description
480 p.; 9.37 inches
ISBN
1439102724 / 9781439102725