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Book Review of Sing You Home

Sing You Home
marika avatar reviewed on + 20 more book reviews


I loved the topic of this newest Jodi Picoult book (although I read this back in March so my use of the word newest may be in question)!

Married couple, Zoe and Max, divorce after nine years of marriage and many failed pregnancies. Shortly afterward, Zoe, a music therapist, meets and falls in love with a high school guidance counselor. A guidance counselor who also happens to be a woman. Meanwhile, Max turns to alcohol to drown his sorrows and then eventually repents and finds truth and peace in the conservative Christianity practiced by his older brother.

Zoe and Max, in their attempt to make a family had frozen many embryos. Zoe and her new partner, Vanessa, want to implant the embryos into Vanessa and finally have the family Zoe has been dreaming of. Maxs new religious views lead him to believe that being gay is a sin and that gay couples should not be allowed to have children. A court battle begins as Max and Zoe fight for custody of their unborn children.

This book started just a little slow for me. The end of Zoe and Maxs relationship and the beginning of the relationship between Zoe and Vanessa felt like background (albeit necessary background) to the meat of this novel- the court battle over the frozen embryos. With that trigger, the book really took off and kept this reader completely engaged. Unfortunately, the end left me wanting a little more more resolution with the Lucy character and some mention of Zoes mom in the final chapter.

While it was clear to me that Sing You Home was thoroughly researched and well-thought out, I did think it was transparent throughout the book that Picoult is an atheist. What I did not realize until I had finished the book was that Picoults son recently came out, so I am certain this topic hit home for her.

As always, Picoults knack for portraying two sides of a very controversial issue did not disappoint. I loved the controversy in this book! All in all, a great book!