Krishna
We have already reviewed a book by this author. (Please refer to Picture Perfect review for that one.)
Yes, this is another typical Jodi book. A different story and different characters but the same emotional turmoil all along. If you really like Jodi’s books, this one will also appeal to you.
What is the story?
Zoe who is currently a forty plus woman is a musical therapist for people who need help in care homes. She lost her father when she was a young girl at (his) tender age of forty plus. She had difficulty conceiving and is now pregnant at last with IVF.
When she has gone far along – father than she has ever been in a pregnancy, she relaxes a bit but then has a miscarriage. It is devastating. (Yes, this is a chick flick as they categorize it and all the events, however well described, have to be with love, and family and aspirations and… you get the picture).
Meanwhile, Max, the husband, feels like he has been excluded from Zoe’s life completely due to her obsession with the baby. He feels like an appendage. So what does he do? Goes to a local bar. Meets a lady and has a one night stand but this is not the start of a new affair.
Anyway, he decides he cannot stand Zoe’s constant obsession with getting pregnant and decides to file for divorce. So far, despite interesting storytelling, ho hum but I suppose this author’s books are all about domestic life and problems. (‘If you are not interested in pure chick flicks, why are you reading this?’ I hear my mind ask)
He falls off the wagon often and has convenient excuses to blame everything else. He lives in his brother’s charity and messes up the small errands that his brother gives him. He turns up to his own divorce hearing completely drunk, dishevelled and barely in control of himself and his appearance.
He turns to be a full alcoholic, hiding bottles everywhere in his brother’s house and sneaking a drink whenever he can get away with it.
He gets caught when a priest is invited for an intervention but turns to religion when his snow clearing truck has an accident and rolls over.
Meanwhile Zoe is bleeding continuously and loses consciousness often, as a colleague and brief acquaintance Vanessa discovers to her horror. Vanessa is a lesbian. She feels attracted to Zoe but forms a good bond with Zoe’s flaky (voodoo style beliefs) mother on shared interests.
Vanessa and Zoe grow close to each other. Vanessa is a colleague and is openly gay. They then understand their attractions to each other.
This turns into love and then they are together. Vanessa is upset that Zoe seems reluctant to announce their living together.
Meanwhile, Max has reformed completely but has become a born again devout christian, fully convinced about the divine purpose that brought him to the right path after a life of debauchery. Meanwhile, Vanessa says that if Zoe wants to have a baby, she can have one for them, with the eggs and sperm frozen when Zoe was trying with Max. Zoe is excited but the clinic says that she needs approval from Max.
When Max hears that Zoe is living with another woman, he is devastated, sure that she will go to hell for defying God’s will. He brings another older lady to visit (without telling Zoe) and then they both try to preach to Zoe the error of her ways. The lady tells that she too was a lesbian and has now reformed, shown the right path by God. Vanessa throws both of them out.
Meanwhile, Zoe approaches Max with the form to get his approval but he instead decides to donate the embryo to his brother as his brother’s wife had a miscarriage too.
The case goes to court where the conservative lawyer takes Max’s case and an organization represents Zoe, both out of principles and in the author’s telling, the grandstanding opportunity.
The court case starts on predictable lines. Meanwhile Max has a one night stand with his brother’s wife, right when the court case is in progress. And even defends her angrily when she is under pressure.
However there are surprises with both Vanessa and Zoey not revealing important facts that could derail their litigation not just from each other but also with the attorney, Angela, who is fighting for them. That feels a bit weird when you logically – and not emotionally – think about it.
The case also takes most of the last fifty or hundred pages of the book.
Though you could see the end coming a mile away – this is a Jodi Picoult book after all – it is still nice to read.
A very typical Jodi book, which is an emotional ride all the way through.
7/10
— Krishna