Genres
Collection
Publication
Pocket Books (2020), Edition: Reissue, 512 pages
Description
Fiction. Literature. Romance. HTML:From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult comes a �??sensitive exploration of the balance of love�?� (Publishers Weekly). Two cousins are driven to extremes by the power of love, as one helps his terminally ill wife commit suicide at her request, and the other becomes involved in a passionate affair with his wife�??s new assistant. In the midst of betrayals and trials, forced to confront the limits of their love, these cousins must ask themselves how far the borders of their hearts ca
User reviews
LibraryThing member BritnaeP
As I finished the last page of my book, Mercy, by Jodi Picoult, I realized that I was greatly disappointed. It was not the suspenseful, thought-provoking novel I had come to expect from reading several of Picoult’s other books. It was more like a soap opera script with a pretty cover.
The main
The only good parts of the book are when Jamie tells of his relationship with Maggie, who seems to be the only convincingly real character in the book. Too many of the other characters seem too shallow and simple-minded or too exotic to actually seem like really people. Maggie, on the other hand, is both flawed and good, and her and Jamie’s love seems true, unlike Cameron and Allie’s fake and sugarcoated relationship. The stories of how Maggie and Jamie loved each other are believable and sweet, and Maggie becomes a very real and likable character. Unfortunately, Maggie is dead the entire time.
I think the book could have been much stronger if the author had focused more on details like Cameron’s confusion over his loyalty to his cousin and his duty to uphold the law, or more of the town’s reactions to what Jamie did, why or why not they agreed with the mercy killing. She also should have left out some of the things that could have been interesting if explained more but ended up just cluttering the storyline and weren’t very believable, like Cameron’s mistress’ mysterious jet-setting past and the Macdonald’s ancient Scottish roots. Through in the occasional ghost sighting and it’s just way too confusing and far-out. The author never really tied these things in so well with the rest of the novel; it seemed like Picoult had trouble staying on topic and kept getting distracted.
All in all, I expected Mercy to be a lot better, given its controversial subject and the fact that I had really like some of the other books by Jodi Picoult, but it just ended up annoying me. However, it won’t stop me from continuing to read her books, and I think it just proves that ever great authors have their not-so-great books.
The main
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plot in the book is what happens after Jamie Macdonald confesses to killing his terminally ill wife Maggie, but claims that she asked him to do it. This being a highly controversial topic, I think Jodi Picoult should have been able to write a beautiful page-turner, but the debate over whether mercy killings are right or wrong seemed forced and very black and white. The people who disagreed with the mercy killing hate Jamie and threaten him with guns, while the people who agreed with it send Jamie flowers and call him their hero. I was also expecting more suspense, but to me it seemed obvious from the beginning that Jamie would be acquitted. This conflict, which should have been the main focus of the novel, was made to seem to seem not as important as the secondary issue, that Cameron Macdonald, the police chief of Wheelock, the small town in which the book is set, and Jamie’s cousin, is cheating on his adoring wife Allie. I think too much of the book was spent on Cameron that what he’s doing is wrong but then doing it anyway, and then feeling guilty about it. Meanwhile, poor Jamie is on trial for murdering his much-loved wife and we hardly ever get a peek inside his head. The only good parts of the book are when Jamie tells of his relationship with Maggie, who seems to be the only convincingly real character in the book. Too many of the other characters seem too shallow and simple-minded or too exotic to actually seem like really people. Maggie, on the other hand, is both flawed and good, and her and Jamie’s love seems true, unlike Cameron and Allie’s fake and sugarcoated relationship. The stories of how Maggie and Jamie loved each other are believable and sweet, and Maggie becomes a very real and likable character. Unfortunately, Maggie is dead the entire time.
I think the book could have been much stronger if the author had focused more on details like Cameron’s confusion over his loyalty to his cousin and his duty to uphold the law, or more of the town’s reactions to what Jamie did, why or why not they agreed with the mercy killing. She also should have left out some of the things that could have been interesting if explained more but ended up just cluttering the storyline and weren’t very believable, like Cameron’s mistress’ mysterious jet-setting past and the Macdonald’s ancient Scottish roots. Through in the occasional ghost sighting and it’s just way too confusing and far-out. The author never really tied these things in so well with the rest of the novel; it seemed like Picoult had trouble staying on topic and kept getting distracted.
All in all, I expected Mercy to be a lot better, given its controversial subject and the fact that I had really like some of the other books by Jodi Picoult, but it just ended up annoying me. However, it won’t stop me from continuing to read her books, and I think it just proves that ever great authors have their not-so-great books.
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LibraryThing member brokenangelkisses
An increasingly familiar name to anyone who keeps even half an ear on literary matters, Jodi Picoult has published a number of novels that share a familiar format and focus on topical issues. In fact, Picoult is such a popular writer that I often feel I must be missing something when I reflect on
The central idea is an engaging one: Jamie MacDonald suffocates his adored wife, Maggie, to release her from a slow, painful death from terminal cancer. Euthanasia is an issue which should grip readers’ interest and ensure that the novel rarely rests between reading sessions. Unfortunately, Jamie (and his story) is overshadowed by the supposed subplot in which a respected man in the community cheats on his rather doormat-like wife. The moral arc of the story is fairly obvious from even this very brief overview. Picoult encourages us to sympathise with Jamie, a broken man who finds that his decision has not led to any relief, and contrast his behaviour with his cousins’. This is such an obvious plot device that it can only add a limited depth to the story. Picoult does not seem to credit her readers with much intelligence and therefore continually feels it necessary to drive home the thematic link through redundant sentences like this: ‘Jamie MacDonald had murdered his wife more gently than Cam had made love to his own’ [after the reader has witnessed both events in the preceding pages].
Cam MacDonald has a loving, devoted wife, but he feels stifled by his ties to the town he was born in, which was founded by his great grandfathers. This is exacerbated by wife Allie’s homely inclinations and fear of travelling. Restless and bored, Cam falls instantly ‘in love’ with newcomer Mia and conducts an increasingly reckless affair. For me, this simply didn’t ring true. I’m not a believer in love-at-first-sight anyway (surely love is based on understanding, respect and appreciation of someone’s personality?) but this was very clearly a case of lust-at-first-sight. Picoult tries to suggest that this is a deep and meaningful relationship through never-fully-substantiated references to a shared past, but the evidence of her narrative speaks for itself. The couple are intensely physically aware of each other from their first meeting, confess their love to each other on approximately their third meeting and can’t make it through a scene together without tearing off each others clothes. If this book had a different cover, I might have mistaken parts of it for a Mills and Boon offering (albeit one of the less graphic ones). If we are to believe that Cam is a good man torn apart by love, then surely his grand love affair needed to have, um, love, as its base?
Speaking of scenes, the book does feel intensely dramatic. Chapters are usually broken up into short ‘episodes’ in which characters reflect or act in bursts of energy and activity, while the reader moves on, soap like, to the next instalment of someone else’s story. Personally, I prefer a style that focuses more on one character and stays with then for the duration of a chapter. Presumably, this switching about is intended to help us feel a personal connection to each character, as we can learn about their family history and therefore deepen our understanding of their motives. Unfortunately, I felt that Picoult was once again showing her lack of trust in me as a reader by drawing me mini-maps of motives and connectivity. It’s a bit like the nursery rhyme, except instead of piggies going to market we have little girls and boys: this little girl was neglected, so she’s looking for love; this little boy feels the weight of the world on his shoulders, so he needs to escape…
Perhaps the most interesting facet of the relationship between Cam and his mistress is that they each reflect what the other has desperately desired, yet if they were to make a life together then neither would be what the other needed. For me, this was perhaps the most interesting idea in the book, suggesting that there are some dreams which can never be realised. Similarly, Jamie realises that his decision to kill his wife could never have had the ending they both imagined. Real life is something harsher, harder, in which compromises have to be made. Ultimately Picoult neither condones nor condemns their choices: she reveals that their choices have their basis in fantasy and tracks the consequences of ignoring reality.
Therefore, although the supposed main storyline is slightly overshadowed by the subplot, the overall topics are explored well: what would you do for someone you love? Are relationships ever equal? Picoult is a little clumsy in the way she draws attention to these issues, but they are certainly issues worth exploring. The pace of the action is quick, despite the sustained reflections of the characters, and the central trial, although left rather late in the novel, is interesting. Unlike in previous novels I had read by this author, Picoult does not dodge the central issue and the outcome is highly revealing of her own position. The conclusion of the relationship between Cam and his wife is slightly less satisfying since, like the development of his relationship with Mia, it seems rather hastily done. Picoult could, ultimately, tell us much less and show us much more to create a much more subtle and credible tale.
So, is it worth reading? If you’re a fan of Picoult, then this is her standard fare and you’re sure to enjoy it. If you’re more interested in the issues surrounding euthanasia, then I’d recommend you look elsewhere, for the focus of this novel is not really the mercy killing itself, but how far beyond accepted social behaviour someone would go for a loved one. If you like well developed characters who act in psychologically convincing ways over a period of time, then I’d look elsewhere. If you’re more interested in reading about clearly sketched characters in a fast moving plot, then you may well enjoy this novel. For me, I think this will be my last foray into Picoult’s writings…until I once again convince myself that there must be more substance than I’ve yet found in such a best-selling author.
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my fairly negative feelings about her novels, so I decided to try one more to help me reach a fairer conclusion. I chose ‘Mercy’ because it covers a particularly interesting topical issue…and because it was on sale for 20p at the library! Would this be the novel that convinced me to change my opinion?The central idea is an engaging one: Jamie MacDonald suffocates his adored wife, Maggie, to release her from a slow, painful death from terminal cancer. Euthanasia is an issue which should grip readers’ interest and ensure that the novel rarely rests between reading sessions. Unfortunately, Jamie (and his story) is overshadowed by the supposed subplot in which a respected man in the community cheats on his rather doormat-like wife. The moral arc of the story is fairly obvious from even this very brief overview. Picoult encourages us to sympathise with Jamie, a broken man who finds that his decision has not led to any relief, and contrast his behaviour with his cousins’. This is such an obvious plot device that it can only add a limited depth to the story. Picoult does not seem to credit her readers with much intelligence and therefore continually feels it necessary to drive home the thematic link through redundant sentences like this: ‘Jamie MacDonald had murdered his wife more gently than Cam had made love to his own’ [after the reader has witnessed both events in the preceding pages].
Cam MacDonald has a loving, devoted wife, but he feels stifled by his ties to the town he was born in, which was founded by his great grandfathers. This is exacerbated by wife Allie’s homely inclinations and fear of travelling. Restless and bored, Cam falls instantly ‘in love’ with newcomer Mia and conducts an increasingly reckless affair. For me, this simply didn’t ring true. I’m not a believer in love-at-first-sight anyway (surely love is based on understanding, respect and appreciation of someone’s personality?) but this was very clearly a case of lust-at-first-sight. Picoult tries to suggest that this is a deep and meaningful relationship through never-fully-substantiated references to a shared past, but the evidence of her narrative speaks for itself. The couple are intensely physically aware of each other from their first meeting, confess their love to each other on approximately their third meeting and can’t make it through a scene together without tearing off each others clothes. If this book had a different cover, I might have mistaken parts of it for a Mills and Boon offering (albeit one of the less graphic ones). If we are to believe that Cam is a good man torn apart by love, then surely his grand love affair needed to have, um, love, as its base?
Speaking of scenes, the book does feel intensely dramatic. Chapters are usually broken up into short ‘episodes’ in which characters reflect or act in bursts of energy and activity, while the reader moves on, soap like, to the next instalment of someone else’s story. Personally, I prefer a style that focuses more on one character and stays with then for the duration of a chapter. Presumably, this switching about is intended to help us feel a personal connection to each character, as we can learn about their family history and therefore deepen our understanding of their motives. Unfortunately, I felt that Picoult was once again showing her lack of trust in me as a reader by drawing me mini-maps of motives and connectivity. It’s a bit like the nursery rhyme, except instead of piggies going to market we have little girls and boys: this little girl was neglected, so she’s looking for love; this little boy feels the weight of the world on his shoulders, so he needs to escape…
Perhaps the most interesting facet of the relationship between Cam and his mistress is that they each reflect what the other has desperately desired, yet if they were to make a life together then neither would be what the other needed. For me, this was perhaps the most interesting idea in the book, suggesting that there are some dreams which can never be realised. Similarly, Jamie realises that his decision to kill his wife could never have had the ending they both imagined. Real life is something harsher, harder, in which compromises have to be made. Ultimately Picoult neither condones nor condemns their choices: she reveals that their choices have their basis in fantasy and tracks the consequences of ignoring reality.
Therefore, although the supposed main storyline is slightly overshadowed by the subplot, the overall topics are explored well: what would you do for someone you love? Are relationships ever equal? Picoult is a little clumsy in the way she draws attention to these issues, but they are certainly issues worth exploring. The pace of the action is quick, despite the sustained reflections of the characters, and the central trial, although left rather late in the novel, is interesting. Unlike in previous novels I had read by this author, Picoult does not dodge the central issue and the outcome is highly revealing of her own position. The conclusion of the relationship between Cam and his wife is slightly less satisfying since, like the development of his relationship with Mia, it seems rather hastily done. Picoult could, ultimately, tell us much less and show us much more to create a much more subtle and credible tale.
So, is it worth reading? If you’re a fan of Picoult, then this is her standard fare and you’re sure to enjoy it. If you’re more interested in the issues surrounding euthanasia, then I’d recommend you look elsewhere, for the focus of this novel is not really the mercy killing itself, but how far beyond accepted social behaviour someone would go for a loved one. If you like well developed characters who act in psychologically convincing ways over a period of time, then I’d look elsewhere. If you’re more interested in reading about clearly sketched characters in a fast moving plot, then you may well enjoy this novel. For me, I think this will be my last foray into Picoult’s writings…until I once again convince myself that there must be more substance than I’ve yet found in such a best-selling author.
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LibraryThing member booksandwine
The book is about a man who "mercy-kills" his wife who has cancer. It's also about the man's cousin, Cam and his wife Allie as well as a selfish vagaband, Mia.Basically, I felt really uncomfortable throughout the whole book. Adultery is never okay. If there is something irrepairable in your
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marriage or relationship, break it off don't have an affair. I felt Piccoult was trying to romantcize the cheating which really bothered me. I thought Mia was a bitch, pardon my language, but when you go into someone's shop and they automatically give you a job, you do not proceed to have sex with their husband. Furthermore, Cam went away for the weekend with Mia on a weekend which means a lot to his wife.I just wanted to throw the book out the car window into the tires of on-coming traffic. Show Less
LibraryThing member CatieN
Camerone McDonald is the police chief in a small town in Massachusetts. He is also clan chief due to the fact that the townspeople's ancestors all came from the same clan in Scotland. The two story arcs are about euthanasia and a cheating spouse. Neither is done very well. Normally, I enjoy a
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Picoult book because she is great at character development , it is a quick read, and she usually has a great twist at the end. Not so in this case. This book was awful, and I hated the ending having to do with Cameron & his wife Allie. Very disappointing. I gave it 2 stars only because I was able to finish it. Show Less
LibraryThing member Gary10
I picked the author before the book. This one begins a bit slowly and I had difficulty following and understanding the characters. But Picoult is skilled at posing difficult moral and ethical questions. In this case, euthanasia and marital infidelity.
LibraryThing member kmoynihan
What would you do for the person you loved?
LibraryThing member lgillingham
Not as well written or riveting as some of her other books.
LibraryThing member Moniica
Synopsis: The life-sized debate about euthanasia is raised when Jamie McDonald arrives in the small town of Wheelock after killing his wife. He approaches his cousin Cameron McDonald, Chief of Police, for assistance but is arrested immediately upon his confession. Meanwhile, Cameron has his own
My Opinion: Fluently written and gives no clue as to the final outcome. Questions the value of life and love.
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life-sized problem as he has an affair with another new arrival in town: the gorgeous Mia Townsend. "Mercy" follows the lives of the McDonald family throughout Jamie's trial, encouraging partners to question how much they truly love each other.My Opinion: Fluently written and gives no clue as to the final outcome. Questions the value of life and love.
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LibraryThing member yosbooks
Typical Picoult. Explores the theme of euthanasia. How much do you really love someone? Are you prepared to kill for them? Also touches on love, marriage and infidelity.
LibraryThing member mrsdwilliams
The interwoven stories of two married couples--Cam and Allie versus Jamie and Maggie. Love and betrayal are major themes that weaves around the main story of a man who loves his wife so much that he kills her.
Jamie MacDonald's wife is dying from multiple cancers and is in a great deal of pain. She
Cam MacDonald, who happens to be Jamie's cousin, is the Chief of Police in Weelock who arrests Jamie. Cam feels trapped in his life and doesn't appreciate Allie, the wife who worships him and will do anything for him. Cam goes looking for excitement in the arms of Mia, a drifter who is befriended by Allie, and turns their quiet lives upside down.
Jamie MacDonald's wife is dying from multiple cancers and is in a great deal of pain. She
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does not want to suffer anymore, but refuses to kill herself. Instead, she asks Jamie to kill her. Jamie honors Maggie's wishes and then is overcome with grief and remorse. He confesses to her murder and is subsequently arrested and put on trial. Cam MacDonald, who happens to be Jamie's cousin, is the Chief of Police in Weelock who arrests Jamie. Cam feels trapped in his life and doesn't appreciate Allie, the wife who worships him and will do anything for him. Cam goes looking for excitement in the arms of Mia, a drifter who is befriended by Allie, and turns their quiet lives upside down.
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LibraryThing member jrepman
Mercy killing and marriage-more great characters.
LibraryThing member Wattsj
Picoult could be seen as formulaic, but she has a knack of using a fictional story to confront highly charged ethical issues and human relationships.
LibraryThing member jacketscoversread
Jodi Picoult is probably one of my favorite authors, excluding Jane Austen, of course. I love the way her books grab a hold of you and don’t let you go until the very end. But probably my favorite thing is that she tackles tough moral issues in her novels.
Throughout the novel, I got the distinct
I liked the story in Mercy and there certainly where some parts when Picoult grabbed at my heartstrings and tugged with all of her might. However, I don’t believe this is one of Picoult’s best works. The ending was abrupt, almost like she was rushing to finish the novel and that was very detrimental to how I felt after reading this novel.
But she question she posed it a tough one: Is it okay to kill a loved one out of mercy? This really hit home for me, seeing how my mom had breast cancer, which one of the characters, Maggie, did too, and the fact that my dad makes me promise that if he’s ever a “vegetable,” I’ll take care of it.
Throughout the novel, I got the distinct
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suspicion that I had already read Mercy but never finished it. Maybe that was a sign of things to come.I liked the story in Mercy and there certainly where some parts when Picoult grabbed at my heartstrings and tugged with all of her might. However, I don’t believe this is one of Picoult’s best works. The ending was abrupt, almost like she was rushing to finish the novel and that was very detrimental to how I felt after reading this novel.
But she question she posed it a tough one: Is it okay to kill a loved one out of mercy? This really hit home for me, seeing how my mom had breast cancer, which one of the characters, Maggie, did too, and the fact that my dad makes me promise that if he’s ever a “vegetable,” I’ll take care of it.
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LibraryThing member Jencey
I liked this book. I especially loved the discussion of Scottish heritage which I am part Scots. This book strives to ask the question would you kill someone you loved? This is a tough question to take sids on. What would you choose.
LibraryThing member jlouise77
Jodi Picoult is one of the best writer I have ever read. This book captures the internal struggle that most everyone with a terminally ill loved one must go through. I love the way she can show both sides of the coin without showing bias towards one side or the other.
LibraryThing member booksandjava
I really enjoyed the first Picoult book I read:My Sister's Keeper. I liked the second Picoult book I read: Plain Truth. I hated this book. It seemed all over the place and I couldn't identify with any of the characters. I'm not sure why I wasted my time.
LibraryThing member eembooks
I confess not really remembering this book well except that I do not like Jodi Picoult's writing.
LibraryThing member AbbyR
Probably my least favorite Picoult book. I have no idea which book came first, but this one just seemed as if she pulled character out of Outlander and fiddled with them. If I hadn't been listening to it on audio books as a commute book, I'd probably have quit reading.
LibraryThing member tkanz79
I am a fan of Jodi Picoult, but found this to be a horrible novel. I couldn't get myself to read past the 70th page!
LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
Cameron MacDonald is clan chief and police chief of a small Massachusetts town happily married to the local florist, Allie, who occasionally embarasses him by bringing him flowers. In a town where generations of MacDonald's have grown up he has a place and a role in the town that sometimes
When a cousin turns up with the body of his wife that he admits killing he has to work as both a police chief and clan chief.
Then Allie hires an assistant, Mia, and Cameron finds her very attractive, but what will he do about the attraction?
Interesting but pretty predictable
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chafes.When a cousin turns up with the body of his wife that he admits killing he has to work as both a police chief and clan chief.
Then Allie hires an assistant, Mia, and Cameron finds her very attractive, but what will he do about the attraction?
Interesting but pretty predictable
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LibraryThing member LyndaInOregon
A swing and a miss from Picoult, whose novels I usually like.
This one was just too sappy for my taste, borrowing liberally from "The Bridges of Madison County" (which I really hated) and letting that co-plot vitiate what might have been a sensitive and thoughtful look at the subject of
This one was just too sappy for my taste, borrowing liberally from "The Bridges of Madison County" (which I really hated) and letting that co-plot vitiate what might have been a sensitive and thoughtful look at the subject of
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mercy-killing. Show Less
LibraryThing member Mumineurope
The usual moral dilemma. Mia, Allie, Cam and Jamie
LibraryThing member botkin05
I don't know why I keep reading this author because her books always frustrate me. There are 2 major plot lines in the book - one of which is an affair. While the consequences of the affair held my interest, there was never a great reason for it to start in the 1st place - they saw each other, were
The beginning of the author's books always grab my attention with controversial topics but I feel like she wraps up her stories in a neat little bow at the end instead of really digging into the subject matter.
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attracted, and so it began. The authors eludes to the female possibly knowing him before all this started but never goes anywhere with that idea. The beginning of the author's books always grab my attention with controversial topics but I feel like she wraps up her stories in a neat little bow at the end instead of really digging into the subject matter.
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LibraryThing member Lisa5127
This is a fantastic story about what mercy looks like in different situations. Can it ever mean killing someone if they are sick and in pain with no hope of getting better? What does it look like in a marriage that is amazing? How about one that is falling apart? Is it the same for everyone?
This
This
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book will have you thinking about questions you never thought to think. Show Less
LibraryThing member kemilyh1988
DNF. I read about two hundred pages. This is absolute crap.
Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1995
Physical description
512 p.; 7.5 inches
DDC/MDS
| 813.54 |
ISBN
198214565X / 9781982145651
Other editions
Mercy: A Novel by Jodi Picoult (Paperback)
Similar in this library
Pages
512