Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Review of Mercy

Mercy
Mercy
Author: Jodi Picoult
Genre: Literature & Fiction
Book Type: Paperback
reviewed on + 5 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1


This was my first Jodi Picoult book I read cover to cover. I had tried to read "My Sister's Keeper" a few years ago but wasn't motivated. Despite my initial judgement of the book after finding out there was more to the plot than the back cover shared, I still felt encouraged to complete the book. I will mention, I am one of those readers that sometimes needs to cheat to the end to see if the hours and hours of reading will be worth it (boy was I proud I did that with Wally Lamb's The Hour I First Believed). Anyhow, despite my sensitivity toward some of the subject matter in Mercy, I hesistated to post the book because something about it made me want to keep it on my own shelf. Perhaps thats a shared thought with other Picoult readers.

The premiss of the book is about a man Jamie, who comes to a Massachusetts town Wheelock in search of his police chief cousin Cam, after he admits to killing his wife. In the same nature as Bohjalian, Picoult interweaves this novel with a rich context of history about the given subject matter. In this case, its a Scottish clan MacDonald. As expected a trial is faced and other events occur with main characters Cam and his wife Allie. As stated previously, I believe when going into a Picoult book, the reader must prepare themselves for a "deep read" despite the back cover proclaiming something less so.

I would recommend this older Piccoult novel and also wish to discuss it with others. In my opinion, some books are best appreciated when later analyzed. Sometimes that provides a new found peace with a difficult subject matter.