Another hit for this talented writer....
I finished Salem Falls in two days and am mad at myself for not reading more slowly so I could savor the quality of the writing and the intriguing plot which is absent in so many modern fiction novels. However, I just couldn't put the book down and just had to see it through its many twists and turns.
As an avid reader and huge fan of Jodi Picoult, I highly recommend this novel and believe its is one of her best (along with "The Pact," "My Sister's Keeper," "Plain Truth" and "Nineteen Minutes"). Jodi Picoult is a phenomenal talent. She is not afraid to take risks in her writing, to approach current events/topics and especially controversial topics that other authors would find too challenging to take on. Her books, and this one in particular, lead the reader through an emotional and intellectual journey whereby the reader is forced to confront both or many sides of a particular issue and examine things from multiple perspectives that he/she may not have wanted to acknowledge. For example, in "Salem Falls," the reader is exposed to the difficult topics of rape and sexual assault; being falsely accused of a crime; trust; taking the law into one's own hands; witchcraft; death of a child and incest, to name a few. However, these topics are not merely discussed, they are disected and experienced from various viewpoints until everything comes together in the end. But, as with Jodi Picoults other books, the effect of her story and writing does not end simply because there are no more pages left to read. Rather, the reader is left with so much to think about and dicuss afterwards, that her books will never truly leave you. I can't recommend this book and her other works highly enough. They would all make remarkable book club selections and are wonderful to share with friends and family of all ages.
