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| NINETEEN MINUTES | 
 enlarge | Author: Jodi Picoult
Publisher: Atria Books
Category: Book
Buy New: $14.49
New (3) Used (10) from $1.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  455 reviews
Sales Rank: 782210
Media: Paperback
Pages: 480
ISBN: 0739487787
EAN: 9780739487785
ASIN: 1416585109
Publication Date: 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand New! Immediate Shipment!
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| Customer Reviews: Read 450 more reviews...
 Riveting - keeps you hooked November 24, 2008
This was my first time reading anything by bestselling author Jodi Picoult, and I'm glad I picked this one. Picoult tackles the hard topic of teen violence, bullying, and school shootings and comes up with a novel that is thought-provoking, intriguing and sympathetic.
Nineteen Minutes follows the story of a small New Hampshire town as they deal with the aftermath of a mass killing spree, instigated by a high school student. The shooter, Peter, lives, and so the novel follows the investigation and Peter's trial. Flashbacks shows how the lives of everyone in this town are intertwined and how events led up to Peter's decision to kill his fellow students.
While the outcome of the trial is inevitable, Picoult keeps readers hooked as she paints a sympathetic picture of Peter and Josie, the two main teenage characters. Indeed, she tends to humanize the "bad" people (such as Peter) while showing that the "good" guys (such as popular Matt, Josie's boyfriend) aren't necessarily as wonderful as society would have us believe. It's also evident that Picoult did her research for this novel, as certain elements (like Peter's computer game) could have come right from the headlines. All of this serves to create a carefully crafted, fully believable book.
The trial, and Peter's attorney Jordan McAfee, reminded me a lot of the classic movie "12 Angry Men," in which Henry Fonda convinces his fellow jurors that the defendant is not guilty despite all evidence to the contrary. I found the Jordan McAfee scenes to be a fascinating look at how the law works, and how with the right spin (McAfee even calls himself a spin doctor) you could probably make anyone look innocent, even if it's very obvious they aren't.
The only place where Picoult loses some credibility are in the flashbacks. The book is set in 2007, with flashbacks going back to when Peter and Josie are children growing up in the mid-nineties. There are some things that gave me pause - for example, Alex Cormier, Josie's mother, gets appointed as a judge and talks about shopping online for judges' robes. Alex's appointment happens sometime in the mid-nineties, and I don't think online shopping was that widespread during that time period. I guess I found it hard to believe that, for an adult in the mid-nineties, their first instinct would be to look online for a specialized product.
But other than small things like that, I found the book to be intense and riveting, the kind of novel that stays with you long after you read the last sentence. Definitely recommend.
 I wanted to give this four stars, but I couldn't get over my disappointment November 22, 2008
I've read all Jodi Picoult's novels after I read the first one, "My Sister's Keeper". The twist at the end of that book was truly well-done and unexpected, and I loved the writing and the emotional pull of the subjects. Picoult is a great writer. However, I've read many of her books after I read "My Sister's Keeper", and I can't help but be disappointed, every time. The books are all emotionally provoking, masterfully written, and interesting...until the end. With the exception of "Mercy" and "My Sister's Keeper", I've found the endings of all her books to be disappointing. Not because they're bad endings, but they're so plain and boring that they're a complete letdown from the rest of the book, which is beautiful.
I wanted to give this book four stars, because the entire book (except for the ending) is lovely. But I felt so crestfallen after finishing it, because during the entire book she had been building up the mystery about what really happened in the locker room, and everything is so emotionally charged that I expected a dramatic and deliciously shocking ending. But it was none of these. The twist isn't really a twist at all, and it felt forced and abrupt.
great read but a little drawn out at times November 20, 2008
I really liked this book. When I first got it, I thought there's no way I'm going to be able to stay interested in a book this long (455 pages) but i could never seem to put it down. I see what some other people say, she puts a lot of filler in her books but some stuff actually turned out to be important in the end. She really painted a picture of all of her main characters, describing their physical appearances as well as their personalities, although I was very surprised with one of the characters at the end. Overall I thought this was a great read. I'm normally very picky with the books I read and I have to say, this was one of my favorite books.
WOW November 4, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I may be young but let me tell you that this book was probably the best book I have ever read in my life. It is written SO well and I love the little pieces of information that show what leads up to Peter doing what he did. I cried and cried SO much when I read because this book is so emotional and so much to take in. It is outstanding and I would be more than happy to read this book again.
Good story, but terrible, terrible editing! November 3, 2008
I would recommend this book. However, I think the editor did a terrible job. The dates and ages are completely inconsistent throughout the book. On one page, Peter is told to have gotten his dog at age three, but on the next page, two year old Peter rode on the dog's back. The second to last page the wrong character's name is written; it should be Patrick but says Alex. Yes, I admit that these are minor details but they detract from the book's overall impact. Very sloppy!
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