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Has SO much talent, and seems to throw it all away in the last chapter for that 'final twist'. So frustrating.

For those who have read 'Handle with Care', you know what I mean.

Why do authors who have incredible talent for building characters, have a story with depth and feeling, express it beautifully, and then throw it out for that last climax which totally destroys the enjoyment?

I agree, Jodi Picoult is a good author, but don't you think that her books are a little depressing? I mean, in all her books I've read so far, a real happy ending is not an option.

I don't think her books are depressing, I find them to be a very accurate reflection of how families do cope in extreme levels of crisis. However, I think she makes them depressing when she stuffs the endings up...

not everything in real life has a happy ending...in fact most dont have endings at all.....

victorian.noire wrote:not everything in real life has a happy ending...in fact most dont have endings at all.....

I definitely don't ask for a happy ending, in fact, I just ask for a plausible one.

My Sister's Keeper is an example where the sister was better off dying, and the well child living. Life doesn't work out the other way.

Handle with Care was a book where the book itself was horribly depressing without needing to kill the main character in the end. It just made it feel like a book, instead of an experience... if that makes sense.

"My Sister's Keeper (which I loved) is the only book of hers that I've been able to get through. While I loved that one, I have found the changing points of view, frankly, a pain and jarring. And I think she's pretty manipulative, in terms of plotting, etc.

callybee wrote:
Why do authors who have incredible talent for building characters, have a story with depth and feeling, express it beautifully, and then throw it out for that last climax which totally destroys the enjoyment?

I couldn't agree more!

I went through a huge Jodi Piccoult phase for a while there, but I finally started boycotting her with the excessive tragedy.

Yes, life can be tragic, but sometimes it just seems too much. I got sick of it, and if I recall correctly, it was Handle With Care that broke the camel's back.

callybee wrote:
Why do authors who have incredible talent for building characters, have a story with depth and feeling, express it beautifully, and then throw it out for that last climax which totally destroys the enjoyment?

Authors can't help it i guess.

I actually loved the ending of Handle with Care. It just seemed to fit the story so perfectly. But did anyone else notice how Handle with Care and My Sister's Keeper were so similar, just with different twists to the plot? I actually prefer her older books better, like Salem Falls. It took me three times reading the book to realize what she meant in the end! I love all of her books, but I really wish Jordan McAffee would come back. Three times was not enough.

I agree with pretty much all the comments above sometimes i feel like she lulls you into a false sense of security by giving you a depressing story line which seems towards the end to head into a happy ending and then BAM! Its either a really sad ending that leaves you emotionally scarred for a few days after or its an ending that doesnt make sense or makes you feel like maybe some information has been left out.

For example..

I used to be a huge fan of Jodi Picoult i owned all of her books even paying over the odds to order the ones from America that hadnt been published in the UK yet, after reading Handle With Care the ending upset me so much that I put all of my Jodi Picoult books on Ebay and got rid of them.

When a new one comes out though I do buy it I recently purchased House Rules Jodi's new novel about a boy with Aspergers Syndrome who is accused of murder. This is definitly one of the novels where i felt the ending was not satisfactory, it felt like some information was missing and the story wasnt properly finished leaving me with a sense of disapointment that i would never know what happened in the end. Has anyone else read House Rules and if so do you feel the same?

I have only read "The Pact" and "My Sister's Keeper". With both books I did notice the depressing overtone throughout the book, but isn't that the whole point? Granted I have only read the two novels but it seems that the subject matter itself would not allow for anything other than what she presented. I really enjoyed the novels, but I have to admit, I don't think I could read these back to back.

I have read all of her books except for the most recent, House Rules. Handle With Care completely pissed me off! I threw it across the room and screamed actually when I finished it. The ending was TERRIBLE! Beyond that, I do love her books.

I've only read "My Sister's Keeper" and I really enjoyed it. Didn't expect the ending at all...just like real life you never know!!

I love My Sister's Keeper and it's what got me interested in Picoult to begin with. I think my other favorites of hers would have to be Nineteen Minutes and Change of Heart.

I have to say I love her books! I will give praise to almost any author who can write a tragedy that really makes you feel something in the end, whether it be anger, sadness, love, etc. I always start her books thinking there's no way I can feel for this book what I did for the last-but then I always end up developing an attachment to her characters! The most recent one I read by her was Salem Falls and I really enjoyed the ending. It was a very happy ending but also very twisted....depending on which characters you are talking about. The Pact is my favorite by her though.