Genres
Publication
Hodder & Stoughton (2008), Edition: Export/Airside/Ireland Ed, 464 pages
Description
One moment June Nealon was happily looking forward to years full of laughter and adventure with her family, and the next, she was staring into a future that was as empty as her heart. Now her life is a waiting game. Waiting for time to heal her wounds, waiting for justice. In short, waiting for a miracle to happen. For Shay Bourne, life holds no more surprises. The world has given him nothing, and he has nothing to offer the world. In a heartbeat, though, something happens that changes everything for him. Now, he has one last chance for salvation, and it lies with June's eleven-year-old daughter, Claire. But between Shay and Claire stretches an ocean of bitter regrets, past crimes, and the rage of a mother who has lost her child.--From publisher description.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member pdebolt
I have always liked Jodi Picoult's novels. They are topical and seem to have characters that are realistic. I know that her books are thoroughly researched; however, I am finding it difficult to sustain an interest in this book even though it has an interesting premise. I do not like the
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"supernatural" elements and the discussions about religion are beginning to be repetitive and somewhat boring. I believe that I can figure out already what the actual happening was that led to the murder. I'm a Picoult fan, but not of this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member GaylDasherSmith
Too much going on! How much can one woman handle? How much can one reader believe? It just wasn't My Sister's Keeper
LibraryThing member lrobe190
Shay Bourne is on death row for killing a child and her stepfather 11 years ago. He learns that the mother of the child he killed has another child who is in need of a heart transplant. He decides he wants...no needs...to donate his heart to her upon his execution. The problem is that the heart is
Jodi Picoult's books always center on an issue and then look at all sides of that issue. This book is no exception. The issues in play here center around the death penalty and organ donation. There is a strong element of religious philosophy presented here which sometimes bogs the action of the story down a little. Nevertheless, Change of Heart is a compelling novel and is very hard to put down.
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not a viable organ after lethal injection. Enter Maggie, an ACLU lawyer who finds a way around this medical problem. Enter also, Michael, a Roman Catholic priest with a secret he can't tell Maggie or Shay, but who becomes Shay's spiritual advisor and almost-friend.Jodi Picoult's books always center on an issue and then look at all sides of that issue. This book is no exception. The issues in play here center around the death penalty and organ donation. There is a strong element of religious philosophy presented here which sometimes bogs the action of the story down a little. Nevertheless, Change of Heart is a compelling novel and is very hard to put down.
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LibraryThing member KPW
Ugh, Jodi! Your books can be so wonderful or so awful. This is not a good one.
LibraryThing member butterflyknit
This book has the rich plot typical of Jodi Picoult, but lacks the rich relationships she is known for developing. The main subjects, the death penalty and religion are thought-provoking. Although not her best novel, it is a good read.
LibraryThing member GAYLEGREY
Predictable, not up to her usual par
LibraryThing member amysisson
In "Change of Heart", a woman must deal with the fact that the man convicted of killing her husband and daughter now wants to donate his heart, upon his scheduled execution, to her other daughter, who desperately needs that heart to survive. As has become her standard practice, Picoult alternates
While I always enjoy Jodi Picoult's books, I find that over time, her writing style has become predictable to me, such that I can often guess what twists might come near the end of her books. In addition, her books often have some very contrived elements, such as when family members of affected parties act as judge or attorney in cases in which they have a personal stake, which would not likely happen in real life. That said, Picoult certainly knows how to examine issues from every angle, and she accurately shows that most things in life are not black and white.
***** SPOILERS BELOW ******
In this particular book, I found myself a little annoyed at the beginning that not only had the main character lost her first husband to a car accident, she then lost her second husband and first daugther to the aforementioned murder, and THEN was about to lose her second daughter to heart disease. Statistically speaking, that's an awful lot of misfortunate for one woman to experience! So I asked myself why Picoult didn't simply have the first husband be the one murdered at the same time as the first daughter? Why was it necessary to bring in a stepfather?
And bingo! Right then, on about page 50, I realized that it would come out that the stepfather was the one sexually assaulting the little girl, not the young man accused and convicted of the crime.
In terms of contrivance, this was a very much an examination of religious faith, which I have no problem with. But in some ways, I feel like it would have been a more effective examination of faith if so many miraculous things didn't seem to keep occuring -- the man's heart was amazingly the right size to donate to a young girl, he appeared to heal a fellow inmate and an injured bird, etc. In real life, I don't believe the heart would have been the right size, so I can't intellectually treat this as a real examination of faith -- I would need to see how I would feel about it in "normal" circumstances. Also, I was dismayed that the church official helping the condemned prisoner was on the jury that sentenced him to death. Oh, c'mon.....
But I suppose that I don't have much right to complain if I know Picoult writes this way and I keep reading her books. And truly, I find her books to be very much worth reading, and I look forward to every new one that comes out.
As a tangent, I note that for me, My Sister's Keeper represents the pinnacle of her writing. Never before have I been so torn on how I feel about a controversial issue.
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the first-person points-of-view between various characters, which is very effective at presenting all sides of controversial issues.While I always enjoy Jodi Picoult's books, I find that over time, her writing style has become predictable to me, such that I can often guess what twists might come near the end of her books. In addition, her books often have some very contrived elements, such as when family members of affected parties act as judge or attorney in cases in which they have a personal stake, which would not likely happen in real life. That said, Picoult certainly knows how to examine issues from every angle, and she accurately shows that most things in life are not black and white.
***** SPOILERS BELOW ******
In this particular book, I found myself a little annoyed at the beginning that not only had the main character lost her first husband to a car accident, she then lost her second husband and first daugther to the aforementioned murder, and THEN was about to lose her second daughter to heart disease. Statistically speaking, that's an awful lot of misfortunate for one woman to experience! So I asked myself why Picoult didn't simply have the first husband be the one murdered at the same time as the first daughter? Why was it necessary to bring in a stepfather?
And bingo! Right then, on about page 50, I realized that it would come out that the stepfather was the one sexually assaulting the little girl, not the young man accused and convicted of the crime.
In terms of contrivance, this was a very much an examination of religious faith, which I have no problem with. But in some ways, I feel like it would have been a more effective examination of faith if so many miraculous things didn't seem to keep occuring -- the man's heart was amazingly the right size to donate to a young girl, he appeared to heal a fellow inmate and an injured bird, etc. In real life, I don't believe the heart would have been the right size, so I can't intellectually treat this as a real examination of faith -- I would need to see how I would feel about it in "normal" circumstances. Also, I was dismayed that the church official helping the condemned prisoner was on the jury that sentenced him to death. Oh, c'mon.....
But I suppose that I don't have much right to complain if I know Picoult writes this way and I keep reading her books. And truly, I find her books to be very much worth reading, and I look forward to every new one that comes out.
As a tangent, I note that for me, My Sister's Keeper represents the pinnacle of her writing. Never before have I been so torn on how I feel about a controversial issue.
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LibraryThing member dablackwood
I listened to this book on a car trip to Georgia and was totally unimpressed. The religious aspect was so pervasive that I often felt like I was attending Religion 101. I also was not a bit surprised by the ending or anything else. The novel totally follows Ms. Picoult's usual formula. I've just
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got to stop reading her books! Show Less
LibraryThing member mrstreme
A priest, an atheist lawyer and a convicted killer walked into a bar…
Okay, not really, but they did take center stage in Jodi Picoult’s latest book, Change of Heart.
In this book, Picoult chose two hot-button issues, religious beliefs and capital punishment, to explore the following scenario: a
Picoult is a skilled writer, and her character development (again) was flawless in this book. From the convicted killer, Shay Bourne, to his attorney, Maggie Bloom, to his spiritual advisor, Father Michael, you crawled into each character’s head and ponder what they’re pondering, wonder what they’re wondering and believe what they’re believing. Each chapter of the book was told from a different person’s perspective, which made the story flow nicely. All in all, Change of Heart was a real page-turner.
However, one aspect of the story did leave me uncomfortable. With Shaye, Picoult made his character Christ-like. He was a 33-year old carpenter whose appearance on death row caused a stir, from the cell faucets that spewed wine, to the inexplicable remission of an AIDS-stricken inmate, to Shay’s comfort with a fishing pole. Sound familiar? Even his name, Isaiah Matthew Bourne (I.M. Bourne) made my eyebrows go up. None of these miracles or coincidences were subtle, but I am not sure of their relevance to this story. Admittedly, I am still scratching my head about this aspect of Change of Heart, and I will be curious to read what others think about this story.
Despite this, I would recommend Change of Heart to the many Jodi Picoult fans out there. She’s in true form, as always.
Okay, not really, but they did take center stage in Jodi Picoult’s latest book, Change of Heart.
In this book, Picoult chose two hot-button issues, religious beliefs and capital punishment, to explore the following scenario: a
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man on death row wanted to donate his heart to a dying girl. And not just any dying girl – but the daughter of the man he was accused of killing. Should the dying girl’s mom accept this organ donation? If the girl gets this heart, will she take on characteristics of the donor? And why was the man really offering up his heart – to redeem himself, because it was the right thing to do? These questions may not have been answered in Change of Heart, but each perspective was presented and explored, leaving the reader to think hard about it all.Picoult is a skilled writer, and her character development (again) was flawless in this book. From the convicted killer, Shay Bourne, to his attorney, Maggie Bloom, to his spiritual advisor, Father Michael, you crawled into each character’s head and ponder what they’re pondering, wonder what they’re wondering and believe what they’re believing. Each chapter of the book was told from a different person’s perspective, which made the story flow nicely. All in all, Change of Heart was a real page-turner.
However, one aspect of the story did leave me uncomfortable. With Shaye, Picoult made his character Christ-like. He was a 33-year old carpenter whose appearance on death row caused a stir, from the cell faucets that spewed wine, to the inexplicable remission of an AIDS-stricken inmate, to Shay’s comfort with a fishing pole. Sound familiar? Even his name, Isaiah Matthew Bourne (I.M. Bourne) made my eyebrows go up. None of these miracles or coincidences were subtle, but I am not sure of their relevance to this story. Admittedly, I am still scratching my head about this aspect of Change of Heart, and I will be curious to read what others think about this story.
Despite this, I would recommend Change of Heart to the many Jodi Picoult fans out there. She’s in true form, as always.
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LibraryThing member quadmama
love this author! another thought provoking story- she has the ability to take subjects that seem like they are black/white and she can twist it and throw in all different shades. this was a very quick read since it is impossible to put down her books- she keeps you interested right through to the
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LibraryThing member ajpohren
Change of Heart
By Jodi Picoult
As usual, Jodi Picoult does not disappoint in her newest work of art, Change of Heart. I found this to be a magical journey, in that it kept me completely transfixed from the first word, to the very last word. The talent that Ms Picoult beholds in her ability to take
The story focuses on and revolves around five main people - Shay Bourne, the convicted killer, Micheal , the Catholic Priest who has come to the prison to be Shay’s Spiritual Advisor (and who also served on the jury who founded in favor of the death penalty for Shay, though this is not know to the others), Maggie, who is the lawyer who brings herself forth to help Shay in receiving his dying wish, June Nealon who had her entire future ripped apart at the hands of Shay, and June’s eleven year old daughter, Claire, who is in dire need of a miracle to live.
It is possible that Shay may be able to bring forth this miracle and though he is trying everything in his power to makes this happen, will June be able to sit aside her anger and contempt for Shay and will the state even make it possible for this final wish to be granted?
Miracles suddenly begin to take place within the prison walls, where Shay is to remain until his execution. A man who is dying of AIDS suddenly appears to be healed, a small bird who was dead, brought to life, water turned to wine… Miracles of a Messiah or a hoax to prolong a life?
Change of Heart is a touching and heart wrenching novel of forgiveness and redemption, a rollercoaster ride of emotions that will not soon be forgotten. I, for one, loved this story and would recommend it to anyone looking for an excellent read!
By Jodi Picoult
As usual, Jodi Picoult does not disappoint in her newest work of art, Change of Heart. I found this to be a magical journey, in that it kept me completely transfixed from the first word, to the very last word. The talent that Ms Picoult beholds in her ability to take
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every day type situations - which sadly effects our society more than we would like to think - and turns them into an entertaining and eye opening experience, for the reader, is phenomenal. Change of Heart is no exception and deals openly with a man who has been convicted of one of the most heinous of crimes, and sentenced to death. The first death penalty sentencing in New Hampshire in fifty-eight years.The story focuses on and revolves around five main people - Shay Bourne, the convicted killer, Micheal , the Catholic Priest who has come to the prison to be Shay’s Spiritual Advisor (and who also served on the jury who founded in favor of the death penalty for Shay, though this is not know to the others), Maggie, who is the lawyer who brings herself forth to help Shay in receiving his dying wish, June Nealon who had her entire future ripped apart at the hands of Shay, and June’s eleven year old daughter, Claire, who is in dire need of a miracle to live.
It is possible that Shay may be able to bring forth this miracle and though he is trying everything in his power to makes this happen, will June be able to sit aside her anger and contempt for Shay and will the state even make it possible for this final wish to be granted?
Miracles suddenly begin to take place within the prison walls, where Shay is to remain until his execution. A man who is dying of AIDS suddenly appears to be healed, a small bird who was dead, brought to life, water turned to wine… Miracles of a Messiah or a hoax to prolong a life?
Change of Heart is a touching and heart wrenching novel of forgiveness and redemption, a rollercoaster ride of emotions that will not soon be forgotten. I, for one, loved this story and would recommend it to anyone looking for an excellent read!
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LibraryThing member mzonderm
Jodi Picoult has once again tackled a moral dilemma. Up for debate this time is whether the mother of a girl in need of a heart transplant should accept the heart of the man who will be executed for the murder of her husband and older daughter. And if Picoult had stuck to one dilemma, this might
In typical Picoult fashion, there is no clear right and wrong in this story. Shay Bourne, the convicted man, does not really contest his conviction, or his sentence. He simply insists that he must be allowed to donate his heart afterward, despite the fact that being executed by lethal injection would make this impossible. Enter an ACLU lawyer, with issues of her own, who's determined to get Bourne executed in a way that would allow for his heart to be taken, and, by so doing, turn a spotlight on the inhumanity of the death penalty.
Her argument is that Bourne's religion requires that he be allowed to donate his heart in order for him to find salvation. Here is where the issue of his "miracles" come in. When he supposedly makes wine flow from the taps in the prison, divides a single piece of gum among 7 men, and heals the prisoner in the next cell who is dying of AIDS, word leaks out and people flock to the prison gates, proclaiming the Second Coming. Naturally, there are an equal number on the other side who think he's a fraud or even the devil. Whatever the truth of the matter is, and we're left wondering, Maggie Bloom, the ACLU lawyer, uses these "miracles" and some of Bourne's own words to try to convince the court that he belongs to a religion, even if he's the only member of it, that requires organ donation as necessary to salvation. And here I have to give Picoult credit: what other popular author manages to work the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) into a novel?!
Although well written as all of Picoult's books are, the multiple threads and questions keep this one from being as good as it ought to have been. Hopefully, in her next book she will go back to presenting us with a with just one moral dilemma, as she has done so well so many times before.
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have been a better book. Instead, the book is complicated by Green Mile-like questions of whether the condemned man had the power to perform miracles and a Dead Man Walking-like last-hour relationship between the death row inmate and a priest.In typical Picoult fashion, there is no clear right and wrong in this story. Shay Bourne, the convicted man, does not really contest his conviction, or his sentence. He simply insists that he must be allowed to donate his heart afterward, despite the fact that being executed by lethal injection would make this impossible. Enter an ACLU lawyer, with issues of her own, who's determined to get Bourne executed in a way that would allow for his heart to be taken, and, by so doing, turn a spotlight on the inhumanity of the death penalty.
Her argument is that Bourne's religion requires that he be allowed to donate his heart in order for him to find salvation. Here is where the issue of his "miracles" come in. When he supposedly makes wine flow from the taps in the prison, divides a single piece of gum among 7 men, and heals the prisoner in the next cell who is dying of AIDS, word leaks out and people flock to the prison gates, proclaiming the Second Coming. Naturally, there are an equal number on the other side who think he's a fraud or even the devil. Whatever the truth of the matter is, and we're left wondering, Maggie Bloom, the ACLU lawyer, uses these "miracles" and some of Bourne's own words to try to convince the court that he belongs to a religion, even if he's the only member of it, that requires organ donation as necessary to salvation. And here I have to give Picoult credit: what other popular author manages to work the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) into a novel?!
Although well written as all of Picoult's books are, the multiple threads and questions keep this one from being as good as it ought to have been. Hopefully, in her next book she will go back to presenting us with a with just one moral dilemma, as she has done so well so many times before.
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LibraryThing member valerie2
*** MILD SPOILERS***
In Change of Heart, Jodi Picoult once again demonstrates her flair for character development and story telling. Her writing enables us to see and empathise with the differing perspectives of an array of characters and, as she has in previous novels, she uses the story to
While I enjoyed aspects of the story - particularly the moral / ethical debates around the death penalty and the rights of the condemned to choose to donate their organs (and to be put to death in a manner conducive to this) - the novel as a whole was a long way from being her best work.
In Change of Heart, Jodi Picoult once again demonstrates her flair for character development and story telling. Her writing enables us to see and empathise with the differing perspectives of an array of characters and, as she has in previous novels, she uses the story to
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challenge the stereotypes we may hold about those convicted of serious criminal offences. While I was not perturbed by the religious content of the novel (as some other readers have been), I thought the supernatural elements - the supposed miracles - both unnecessary and unbelievable (as was the priest's rapid capitulation in respect of many key Christian beliefs). The plot was, in this respect (and others), far too reminiscent of The Green Mile and, as a result, the supposed plot twists were largely easy to anticipate. While I enjoyed aspects of the story - particularly the moral / ethical debates around the death penalty and the rights of the condemned to choose to donate their organs (and to be put to death in a manner conducive to this) - the novel as a whole was a long way from being her best work.
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LibraryThing member reading_crystal
An amazing story told from the perspective of 5 different people who all center around Shay Bourne, a man convicted of killing a young girl and her policeman stepfather. Father Michael was on the jury that convicted Shay and 11 years later he becomes Shay's spritual advisor in prison. Lucius is one
Through all of these characters we see the life of Shay Bourne and how he touched them all. All of them have learning experiences and some have crisis of faith. This is a wonderful book that is not really trying to push any agenda, it just looks at the what-ifs of human life and human nature. We all have a crisis of faith sometime and faith really comes down to what we believe in and not something that we can touch. The book is very enjoyable and hard to put down. I can't say that I have read anything like it and it was a very refreshing read. Most books like this seem to push a political or religious agenda or try and shock you. A Change of Heart did not, it is written straight from the heart of a woman who obviously knows a lot about human nature, and wants each of us to question the absolutes and decide for ourselves what we believe.
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of Shay's I-tier cellmates who is in for murdering his lover. June is the mother of the child and wife of the man that Shay killed, she was pregnant with Claire when the murders occurred. And finally Maggie is the ACLU attorney that quickly attaches herself to Shay's case to highlight the wrongness of the death penalty.Through all of these characters we see the life of Shay Bourne and how he touched them all. All of them have learning experiences and some have crisis of faith. This is a wonderful book that is not really trying to push any agenda, it just looks at the what-ifs of human life and human nature. We all have a crisis of faith sometime and faith really comes down to what we believe in and not something that we can touch. The book is very enjoyable and hard to put down. I can't say that I have read anything like it and it was a very refreshing read. Most books like this seem to push a political or religious agenda or try and shock you. A Change of Heart did not, it is written straight from the heart of a woman who obviously knows a lot about human nature, and wants each of us to question the absolutes and decide for ourselves what we believe.
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LibraryThing member jess0124
very similar to the green mile, but i enjoy picoult's writing style to almost any author... good read, couldn't put it down.
LibraryThing member mschwander
Like many other Picoult novels, Change of Heart has a complex storyline involving numerous characters with varying viewpoints. Shay Bourne is on death row for the double-murder of a young girl and her step-father. Pregnant at the time of the murder, the surviving mother goes on to have a daughter,
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Claire, who later requires a heart transplant. Emotions are stirred as miracles begin to happen in Shay’s prison wing, and when he announces his wishes to donate his heart to Claire. Along with Shay’s spiritual advisor, Father Michael, and his attorney, Maggie, the reader begins to realize that Shay may be much more than simply a low-life carpenter. Though this novel may not be quite as appealing to high school students as some of her others, it still will generate a lot of interest, particularly among Picoult fans. Show Less
LibraryThing member bkladyatl
Another excellent read by Picoult. Very though provoking storyline concerning a convicted killer (killed a cop and a child) who here's that his victim's other daughter needs a heart transplant. He decides that since he is going to be executed, he wants to donate his heart to her. Of course, lethal
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injection causes the heart to die and so an ACLU lawyer tries to change the method of executionl In the meantime, miracles are happening in his prison wing. Although I figured out the twist, this was still a great read that kept me up until 1:00 to finish. Show Less
LibraryThing member pampops2
I really like Jodi but this was not one of my favorites. A cross between "The Green Mile" and her other book "Saving Faith" I was a little on the disappointed side. A little predictable too but that might be because I've read all of her books and she follows generally the same formula. Worth
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reading because I like Picoult as an author but not one I would recommend to friends to introduce the author to them..... Show Less
LibraryThing member Djupstrom
Change of Heart was too much like The Green Mile, but without all the goodness that comes with Stephen King. This is not an example of Jodi Picoult at her best.
LibraryThing member Pam1960ca
Jodi Picoult is an amazing author. She always pulls you into her world immediately. This book is excellent.
LibraryThing member indygo88
I felt that this was a pretty typical Jodi Picoult novel -- not my fave, not my least fave, but still very enjoyable. Her novels do tend to follow a pattern, after you've read a few, but regardless, I still enjoy each and every one (thus far, at least). As always, she chooses controversial topics
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and takes a fresh view of them & presents them to the reader in a way that tends to be very gripping. The thing about this one I really thought interesting was that Picoult overlapped a few characters from her novel "Keeping Faith", which happened to be the most recent of hers that I read & was fairly fresh in my memory, so it was interesting to see these characters taking a peek in this one. Show Less
LibraryThing member Ambrosia4
Jodi Picoult has completely outdone herself. This newest novel from the author of My Sister's Keeper and Keeping Faith tells the story of Shay Bourne, the first death row inmate in New Hampshire in sixty-nine years. This book, like My Sister's Keeper, is written in sections that switch narrators.
I have to admit I am a Jodi Picoult fan, so my judgment is colored by the opinion I've already developed. While this book follows her previous equation (moral dilemma + a trial + current events + plot twists = compelling novel) I also think she's broken out of the mold of some of her other novels. This book isn't really about the plot as much as it's about the characters. You are meant to think about what you would feel in each character's shoes. How would you feel if you sentenced a man to death? Or if you found yourself becoming close with someone sentenced to die? As always, her novel brings about ethical questions that could sound like preaching if she didn't show every side of the story. Also, the plot contrivances I've seen others criticize in previous novels is toned down considerably, while somewhat predictable, it's the consequences of the events that is most important in this book.
I've realized that her novels involving religion are among my favorite because of the way she writes from every side, never picking which religion is best. Keeping Faith is one of my other favorite novels and Ian Fletcher from that novel returns in this one. The centerpiece of this novel is what constitutes a religion. There are so many viewpoints of this question and Picoult covers many of them eloquently and respectfully.
Overall, the book can be read for the plot or as something more. The reader can decide how much to get out of it. It will probably become a book club favorite and I can't fault that because it will foster a lot of discussion. I recommend this to anyone who has loved a Jodi Picoult book in the past or who explores the questions of religion. I warn that it should be read with an open mind or it probably wouldn't be enjoyable.
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There is Micheal, currently a priest and Shay's spiritual advisor but previously part of the jury that convicted Shay; Maggie, an ACLU lawyer who wants to use Shay's case to highlight the immorality of the death penalty; June, the woman whose life was ripped apart when her husband and daughter were killed - the crime Shay was imprisoned for - and whose remaining daughter needs a heart transplant to survive; and Lucius, Shay's neighbor on the I-tier in the New Hampshire State Prison, a convicted murderer. Through the eyes of these four a story of redemption and faith is intricately weaved. I have to admit I am a Jodi Picoult fan, so my judgment is colored by the opinion I've already developed. While this book follows her previous equation (moral dilemma + a trial + current events + plot twists = compelling novel) I also think she's broken out of the mold of some of her other novels. This book isn't really about the plot as much as it's about the characters. You are meant to think about what you would feel in each character's shoes. How would you feel if you sentenced a man to death? Or if you found yourself becoming close with someone sentenced to die? As always, her novel brings about ethical questions that could sound like preaching if she didn't show every side of the story. Also, the plot contrivances I've seen others criticize in previous novels is toned down considerably, while somewhat predictable, it's the consequences of the events that is most important in this book.
I've realized that her novels involving religion are among my favorite because of the way she writes from every side, never picking which religion is best. Keeping Faith is one of my other favorite novels and Ian Fletcher from that novel returns in this one. The centerpiece of this novel is what constitutes a religion. There are so many viewpoints of this question and Picoult covers many of them eloquently and respectfully.
Overall, the book can be read for the plot or as something more. The reader can decide how much to get out of it. It will probably become a book club favorite and I can't fault that because it will foster a lot of discussion. I recommend this to anyone who has loved a Jodi Picoult book in the past or who explores the questions of religion. I warn that it should be read with an open mind or it probably wouldn't be enjoyable.
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LibraryThing member NovelBookworm
Change of Heart is a pretty interesting novel from Jodi Picoult. The story is told through the perspectives of 4 different people, one of whom is a tragic widow, June , whose first husband died young in a car accident leaving her with a tiny daughter. She then marries a cop she met in the aftermath
Like many of Picoult's novels, this book doesn't really answer any of the big questions, it simply asks them. Our understanding of Shay varies greatly throughout the book, is he simply a murderer, a messiah, a con artist, a master manipulator, a simple man, or ?
The book is about testing our limits of faith, love and loss. Yes, it does seem just too coincidental that a grown man's heart should fit into a child's body, and I spent a great deal of the book thinking, "oh please". And yes, as previous reviewers have stated, one can see the big plot "twist" coming from a mile away. That plot twist is important though, because it changes your whole idea about the death of Kurt and his stepdaughter that set all this in motion. But ultimately isn't just a simple story about a devastated family. It was about life, and our perceptions of miracles, mundane and grand.
I enjoyed Change of Heart and would recommend it. It's certainly not the best Jodi Picoult I've ever read, but its still pretty darn good!
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of the accident and a some years later is expecting another child with her second husband, Kurt. Kurt and her daughter are both murdered just before her second daughter, Claire is born. Claire is diagnosed with a serious heart ailment and by the time she is eleven, will soon die without a transplant. The other voices in the novel include, Michael, a Catholic priest who, as a young college student, was on the jury for the trial of the man who murdered June's family. Also, Maggie, a young idealistic ACLU attorney, with an interesting family dynamic of her own, who takes up the cause of the convicted murderer, Shay. Finally, we hear from Lucius, the prisoner with AIDS in the cell next to Shay. The basic premise of the novel is that Shay wants to donate his heart to June's daughter Claire, but to do that, the method of execution must be changed.Like many of Picoult's novels, this book doesn't really answer any of the big questions, it simply asks them. Our understanding of Shay varies greatly throughout the book, is he simply a murderer, a messiah, a con artist, a master manipulator, a simple man, or ?
The book is about testing our limits of faith, love and loss. Yes, it does seem just too coincidental that a grown man's heart should fit into a child's body, and I spent a great deal of the book thinking, "oh please". And yes, as previous reviewers have stated, one can see the big plot "twist" coming from a mile away. That plot twist is important though, because it changes your whole idea about the death of Kurt and his stepdaughter that set all this in motion. But ultimately isn't just a simple story about a devastated family. It was about life, and our perceptions of miracles, mundane and grand.
I enjoyed Change of Heart and would recommend it. It's certainly not the best Jodi Picoult I've ever read, but its still pretty darn good!
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LibraryThing member reannon
You have to love an author who creates a fictional bird and names it Batman the Robin. The book is an easy read in the sense of being absorbing and holding the interest, but is not easy in any other sense. The characters are not always easy to understand or accept, including the pivotal character,
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Shay Bourne, who is on death row after being convicted on killing a 7 year old girl and her stepfather father, a cop. Maggie, the easiest to like character, is an ACLU lawyer who is trying to have Shay executed by hanging rather than by lethal injection, so that he can donate his heart to the sister of the murdered girl. Meanwhile Shay develops the disconcerting habit of performing miracles. This shakes the faith of his spiritual counselor, Father Michael. The book asks difficult questions and so challenges the reader in an interesting way.Recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member sandyboyce
Shades of The Green Mile (Stephen King) - set on death row with a prisoner who seems to be able to heal, bring dead creatures and people back to life etc, and who is facing the death sentence for a crime where he was actually protecting the innocent. To this add a liberal dose of religion -
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rabbinic Judaism, Christian, Gnostic etc - that is part of the journey of one of the main characters: a member of the jury and later a Catholic priest as he engages with the prisoner on death row. Add in the pathos of a child dying of heart failure and a prisoner ready to give his heart after the state has dealt the death sentence. She is a sister to the girl who died seemingly at the hands of the very same prisoner on death row. A quandary for all involved. A well told, engaging and insightful book - enough clues so there are no real surprises at the end, but the interest is in the detail on the way. Really enjoyed reading the book ! Show Less
Subjects
Awards
Audie Award (Finalist — Fiction — 2009)
Delete Key Award (Finalist — 2009)
Iowa High School Book Award (Nominee — 2011)
Whitcoulls Top 100 Books (40 — 2008)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2008
ISBN
0340935820 / 9780340935828
Other editions
Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult (Paperback)