You stand alone when all you've known is being part of a group. I also thought a lot about the law and how it often can seem like a confusing mish mash of what is legal and what is moral There are actions in our society which some consider immoral but these same actions are not always thought of as illegal by the state. Judgments are made Even after people have paid for their mistakes, they are often NOT welcomed back into society.
So I wonder View all 24 comments. Aug 30, Maria Kemplin rated it liked it Shelves: fiction. I liked the concept of this book, but was disappointed in the execution of the story line as well as the writing. My criticisms are as follows spoilers included : Poor editing left awkward, unfinished, or contradictory elements throughout the book. Ellie argues with Stephen about having a child and says that although he refused to undertake a vasectomy reversal, there are other ways they could have had a baby.
Later, the same character said that in her desire for a baby she "wore Stephen down" a I liked the concept of this book, but was disappointed in the execution of the story line as well as the writing. Later, the same character said that in her desire for a baby she "wore Stephen down" and they tried for 6 months, but she did not get pregnant because "the relationship was rotten. Characters were described superficially and changed awkwardly in the novel without the benefit of character development.
Ellie had short "man hair", was afraid of relationships, was a hotshot lawyer. Katie is a meek, pure, humble Amish girl. The author spent considerable time building Katie's meekness in temperament and then with only week before the trial, the character goes from barely understanding English and deferring to everything said to her - to using sarcasm, defying her attorney before trial, and there are monumental plot twists revealed about Katie which are poorly executed and not believable.
The ghost story line had considerable time spent on it in the beginning, then abruptly ends. It seems like the author intended to do something else with this novel a paranormal element , but then needed to wrap up and bailed on that story line. Editing could have cut out these unconnected elements and allowed more time to the development of a "voice" or set of circumstances where Katie grows, if the author wanted her to do an about face in personality.
In the beginning, the author takes the trouble to point out some character who lives in apartments attached to the barn. He is introduced and then drops from the story, if this character is central enough that he lives with the family, then keep him in the storyline or cut this character introduction.
I suppose he was intended as a diversion - someone else who could have hidden the baby since he lived attached to the barn - but he lives with the family and is never mentioned again, which is a close inspection of life within the microcosm of a particular family. The sudden revelation that teenage Katie had been taking the train on weekends to visit her bother in college, every month for years, was jarring and simply not believable.
It would have been more realistic to have sent her for one rebellious weekend visit as she neared adulthood, but not every month for years while a young minor. Englishter parents would not let a minor child go weekends away to stay with her brother in college, much less a Plain family with an excommunicated son.
Also, what college boy would welcome his sister staying for the weekend every month during his college years? Better editing could have made this more believable and authentic.
The paranormal-studies field for the baby's father - so odd. This storyline didn't go anywhere, and stood out as an unusual loose end. Again, I suspect there was a ghost story line which was pulled from the book. The letters that the brother held The author writes on one page Ellie's brother had "no idea" of the relationship with Katie and was shocked at the suggestion - turn the chapter and suddenly he has a huge stack of letters that he never delivered.
We are to believe he has no idea of the relationship between his young Amish sister who is sneaking into the city to visit him so that she can see his room mate. Then we learn the brother has a large stack of undelivered letters from the roommate he is keeping from Katie. These plot elements are embarrassingly inconsistently. I also think the undelivered letters was hackeneyed.
I was interested in the premise of the book. I think editing could have corrected the contradictory elements, worked in elements where lines were unraveling, and better developed the characters.
This could have been a much better book with more attentive editing - and more pointedly, better writing. View all 3 comments. I'm giving this book 3. But if I'm being honest, it really was quite silly. A lawyer forced to live on an Amish farm with her client? Sorry, but that's silly. Straight from the plot of a sitcom. Then there's the over-Amishing of the Amish that might stick out more for me because I live a half hour drive from where this book is set.
This book is definitely more "women's fiction" than a mystery, but for women's fiction, my least favorite genre of ever, it's n I'm giving this book 3. This book is definitely more "women's fiction" than a mystery, but for women's fiction, my least favorite genre of ever, it's not so bad. It was only a little bit whiny and melodramatic.
View all 4 comments. This was my first real delve into the Amish world and it was the beginning of a massive internet rabbit hole for me to dive into. As all JP's books this was research heavy and it was really insightful. This is one of those books that modified my world view and gave me a lot to think through. I really love how these books create such morale dilemma's for you to work through.
Jun 03, Vanessa S. This is my third Jodi Picoult read, and it wasn't my favorite, though I did enjoy it. The plot of the story really intrigued me because, as is mentioned throughout the story, it's not every day that you hear of a young Amish woman accused of murdering her own newborn. I loved Picoult's attention to detail throughout the story; she obviously did a great deal of research on the Amish way of life and really embraced the characters.
Her research shined through the beautifully detailed descriptions o This is my third Jodi Picoult read, and it wasn't my favorite, though I did enjoy it. Her research shined through the beautifully detailed descriptions of life on an Amish dairy farm and the unique personalities of characters like Aaron Fisher. I was not very surprised by the ending of the novel, but I did love working alongside the characters throughout the course of the book to unravel the mystery of Baby Fisher's death.
While I really do appreciate Picoult's detail and how realistic she made characters like Katie and Ellie, my biggest complaint is that the story just seemed to go on and on. I became fatigued with reading what I felt like were the same scenes over and over, and I felt like the book could have been a good deal shorter.
I understand the message behind what Adam and Katie talked about in relation to energy never dying, just transforming, but it felt like Picoult intended for the ghost storyline to play a larger part and then just decided to kind of let it fade and move on with other elements. View all 8 comments. Jun 13, Petra is looking forward to getting off the rock rated it really liked it Shelves: fiction. Of all Picoult's books this is the only one that I read, and I read ad nauseum - until the formulaic writing got me that had a really good ending.
It wasn't original, it's been done before, but in this context it wasn't guessable. The Plain Truth would make an excellent horror film a la Stephen King. For sure a favorite of Picoult books for me! I love loved this book. It was interesting and entertaining. I grew up surrounded by the Amish community and this book showcased behaviors and legalities that I was not even aware of.
I thoroughly enjoyed it. This is a Picoult book I would recommend to others to start with. My quick and simple overall: Very enjoyable and hard to put down! View 2 comments. Jun 25, Denise rated it really liked it. Jodi Pucoult has again demonstrated that she is a master storyteller.
In Plain Truth, she weaves the story of Katie, an young Amish woman and Ellie, a thirty something lawyer. Well researched, this novel takes you into an Amish community where you experience life and their beliefs.
Picoult keeps the reader entertained until the last chapter. Far be it for me to ruin anything for anyone who has yet to read this, but I really hated the end.
I really, really hated it. This book had five stars in my head until I read the ending, if that gives you any indication how much I hated the ending. Now, that being said: the rest of this book was great.
The characters, for the most part, had depth and were questioning various aspects of their own morality. I have to admit that the main character, Ellie, fell a little flat. Okay, a lot flat. What Far be it for me to ruin anything for anyone who has yet to read this, but I really hated the end.
What is it with Jodi Picoult and these emotionally incompentent ambitious female attorneys who meet a kind, gentle male and then question their career plans and fear of commitment? It's getting a little old and it's only the second book of hers I've read. I'm kind of hoping it isn't a theme, because I've had several friends promise that other stories of hers are worth reading.
I'm not sure I can stand one more two-dimensional character with a brash personality. The rest of the characters were much better. From the simple and adoring farmboy-suitor, Samuel, who is the Plain match for Katie our accused all the way through the stoic and suffering father who is racked with guilt at how his family's lives have turned out, the Amish characters are engrossing.
But they seem truly Amish in this: not a single one is more likeable or unlikeable as the next. There isn't a single one who stands out. Even Katie, as a central character, really blends in with those around her. The underlying themes of disassociation with painful subjects, how to be true to yourself and your beliefs when no one believes you, accepting responsiblity for both appearances and your actions, and ultimately how a lie is okay as long as it makes everything better for those around you that might be snide, because I don't think that's what the author was trying to convey--did I mention I hated the ending?
I'm not sure it's enough to keep me going back for more, though. View all 14 comments. The Plain Truth is an intriguing and thought-provoking read. It is an excellently written and extremely enjoyable novel that's packed full of suspense. The novel is thoroughly gripping from beginning to end and will educate you and fascinate you at once. The level of research and detail that went into describing the Amish culture was amazing. The characters were realistic, well-developed and likeable, and even though they were from a vastly different culture I still found them relatable.
Five st The Plain Truth is an intriguing and thought-provoking read. Five stars! Jul 11, Maria V. This was the book that my book group picked for this month. I have never read a Jodi Picoult book, but found this one captivating. I live in "Amish" country in PA and it was interesting to see another view into the Plain culture. The reason for the 3 stars were all the inconsistencies in the book. The author did her research, but For example, there isn't a train to State College, PA - there's never been a train there, much to the chagrin of This was the book that my book group picked for this month.
For example, there isn't a train to State College, PA - there's never been a train there, much to the chagrin of many students.
So those flubs made me wonder what else she got wrong. That made it hard to believe her about parts of the Amish culture I didn't know. And the ending I knew Sarah was the one to smother the baby and wrap him up from the very beginning - Aaron was too obvious and there was no one else - but for her to not say anything when her daughter might go to jail!
And then for her to give the scissors to Ellie and confess at the very end. Not when the woman wouldn't even speak up to save her daughter - why now?? Not buying it. Far better for Ellie to figure out it was the mother at the end and that would have been consistent for the mom's passive character.
So many authors do not know how to end a book! Possibly if my book group picks another one of hers. I was concerned about the characters and what was going to happen - the flubs didn't eject me from the story completely -so I probably will!
Feb 01, Florence Lefty MacIntosh rated it really liked it Shelves: mystery , realistic-fiction , religion , , reviewed , rural-smalltown. My 1st Jodi Picoult and the perfect introduction - chosen because it offered a glimpse into the world of the Amish. View all 25 comments. Jan 29, MJ Nicholls rated it did not like it Shelves: merkins , distaff , the-art-of-loathing , novels.
It is a tale of families, I suppose. Families and how they screw us up! She is such a brave woman and I felt I had to tell her story, you know? In this book, I took a different approach. I looked at my family and thought God, what a bunch of crazies! This would make for such a funny book, and people could so relate. And judging from the feedback so far, I think they have! Could you outline the plot for us?
I know, crazy right! I just sort of wrote down some of the anecdotes my family tells, or just snippets of conversation. But this book is really, um. It has more in common with really great writers like B. Johnson or Gilbert Sorrentino. Do you have a good relationship with your readers?
Oh, totally. I was discussing this with Mike [husband] by the pool yesterday. What advice would you offer young writers? Write from the heart. Write from experience. Write down the day-to-day details of your life. Just express yourself. Keep an ear tuned to the problems in your family, and write them down. Nothing is sacred. The Pennsylvania German dialect and accented English are convincing; recommended.
With one crucial distinction: the defendant is Amish All, of course, will be tidily resolved by trial's end. Despite a provocative and topical premise, and a strong opening, Picoult fails this time, her seventh, to rise above paint-by-numbers formula. Kirkus Reviews. Discussion Questions 1. Must "like the patches that make up a quilt," Picoult deliberately brings together in a single narrative two starkly different and often clashing cultures and ideologies; she highlights the tensions between them, and also underscores their inherent similarities.
Discuss Picoult's writing style. What techniques does she use to establish the novel's tone, to develop her characters' oft-concealed motives, and to achieve this overall "quilt"-like effect?
Critics have suggested that what makes Picoult such a unique and effective novelist among contemporary writers is her firm grasp of the delicacy and complexity of human relationships. How is this quality particularly apparent in Plain Truth? Furthermore, like precious few novels today, Picoult's books thoughtfully contend with the significance and mechanics of spirituality in an increasingly secular culture.
In fact, USA Today observed that what makes Keeping Faith [a previous Picoult bestseller] especially remarkable is the way it "makes you wonder about God. And that is a rare moment, indeed, in modern fiction. What aspects of this novel particularly resonated with you?
How would you describe this novel to a friend? Is it a suspense novel? A love story? A legal thriller? An exploration of modern culture and morality? A study of human psychology and character motivation? What makes Plain Truth stand out among contemporary novels? To what degree does Picoult refresh or even redefine the various fictional genres with which this novel might be associated?
Identify the narrative techniques Picoult employs to draw you into Katie Fisher's plight. Why do we care so much about her? How does her specific situation come to touch upon such timeless and universal issues as community estrangement and forbidden love?
How accurate is it to say that, as readers, we approach this novel in much the same way Ellie approaches Katie's case: as aliens to the Amish lifestyle, and as onlookers painfully unsettled by the horrendous crime with which Katie is charged? What kind of man is Aaron Fisher? As you were reading, what were your reactions to his choices? What motivates him? If we had to, how could we make a case for defending Aaron's code of life, his propensity to put the community above the individual?
What compels him to adhere so strictly to the laws and traditions of the Amish faith, even when it means severing all ties with his only son? On the face of things, Sarah Fisher appears to be a woman willing to submit wholly to her husband's word and will. Does this assessment bear out in the end? Looking back through the novel, identify the subtle clues and telling bits of dialogue which Picoult lays out to lead us toward Sarah's astonishing revelation at the end of the novel. What does motherhood finally mean to Sarah Fisher?
And earlier on, ostensibly referring to her ability to butcher chickens without remorse, Sarah pointedly tells Ellie, "I do what I have to do. You of all people should understand. Why would Ellie in particular understand this? With which characters in Plain Truth do you most closely identity?
Reread the epigraph that opens the books. Through this Katie starts to open up to Ellie and piece together what happened that terrible night, and through what she learns, Ellie starts to build her defence. There is also a love interest for Ellie, when she is reunited through the case with Coop, a psychiatrist and former boyfriend. In the second part there is the totally compelling court case driving towards the verdict - it's very hard to predict what that will be and of course I'm not going to tell you here!
As the prosecution and defence both make their cases you find yourself really caught up with the drama and almost living the trial along with Katie and Ellie. It does make for very tense reading at times! I'm not going to say any more about the actual plot, but would definitely urge any Picoult fans to read this one. I do want to comment on some of the elements which made me like the book though and bits I found interesting. I found the fact that the story was set within the Amish Plain community absolutely fascinating and I really learned a lot about that way of life.
You learn about the sense of community and what it means to be Amish. You also discover what it is like for an Amish person who does not conform, such as Katie's brother, Jacob. In the Amish way of life, no one continues any studying beyond the eighth grade. However, Jacob had a love of books and learning which inevitably led him to choose further study at university over his Amish life.
For this reason, he is 'shunned' and in his father's eyes, he is dead. Jacob's story does also form an integral part of the book. You also learn a lot about the faith, and how if anyone commits a wrong they must confess, then be shunned for a period of time, but ultimately forgiven. This also is so integral to the plot, as these beliefs cause Katie numerous problems, when facing the 'English' system of justice.
Another reason I really liked this novel was the brilliant characterisation and the different relationships which are formed. The main two, Katie and Ellie, are very well developed, and as the reader, you really start caring about what happens. Also, as it is a rather shaky relationship at the start, with lots of misunderstandings, you also feel at times frustrated.
It often seems like 'two steps forward and one step back. There are also various other characters, particularly the Amish ones, who are very interesting.
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