Lucybird Posted February 16, 2009 Posted February 16, 2009 Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult Synopsis Shay Bourne is New Hampshire's only death row inmate, after having been found guilty of murdering a police officer and his stepdaughter. When Shay sees the police officer's daughter (Claire), who was born after his death, on the television because she needs a heart transplant he decides he needs to donate his heart for her after he has been executed. Will Claire's mother accept the heart to save her daughter, or will she not be able to let Claire have the heart of the man who killed her sister and father? After Shay's decision strange things start to happen in the prison and people gather outside believing he is responsible for the miracles. Is Shay responsible? Could he be more than he seems? Review After being somewhat disappointed with the last couple of Jodi Picoult books I've read (Second Glance and, to some extent, Mercy) I was happy to find that Change of Heart was back on form. It wasn't what I expected from the blurb though. It was more about religion than about the actual heart donation, although that was part of it. In that way it reminded me of Keeping Faith (and also had a brief apperance if Ian Fletcher) except that while Keeping Faith is about finding faith Change of Heart is more about challenging it. There were also elements which reminded me of My Sister's Keeper. About the morality of accepting the heart. But it was the other way around, the donor, Shay, would do anything to get his heart to Claire. Whereas Claire didn't want it because of who it came from As with most of Jodi Picoult's book there is some interesting information in this one, about religion and about heart transplants. As with My Sister's Keeper I found the end a bit of a cop out pretty much all the miracles were explained away, plus how Shay was quoting the mainly unknown Gospel of Thomas. Leaving it more open ended would have been better I think so the reader could decide what they thought. And even though Claire didn't want the heart she was made to have it by her mother, having her decide for herself would, in my opinion have been better. Quote
lexiepiper Posted February 16, 2009 Posted February 16, 2009 I have this on my wishlist do you recommend it? Or did the ending ruin it? Quote
Ceinwenn Posted February 16, 2009 Posted February 16, 2009 Hello Lucybird, how are you? So you enjoyed Change of Heart, then? I have to say I agreed with your review of the book & what you thought could have made it such a better book! Quote
Lucybird Posted February 16, 2009 Author Posted February 16, 2009 I have this on my wishlist do you recommend it? Or did the ending ruin it? Yes I do, a different ending would have been better, but the rest made up for the end, and the end wasn't exactly bad, just could have been better Quote
lexiepiper Posted February 16, 2009 Posted February 16, 2009 Okay I think I'll get this soon, it's pretty cheap on amazon atm I think Quote
Lucybird Posted February 16, 2009 Author Posted February 16, 2009 Hello Lucybird, how are you? So you enjoyed Change of Heart, then? I have to say I agreed with your review of the book & what you thought could have made it such a better book! Thanks, I'm good. Glad I'm not the only one who thought it. It's on 3 for 2 at waterstones at the moment too Quote
lexiepiper Posted February 16, 2009 Posted February 16, 2009 Ohh great I'm thinking carefully which books I want in my Waterstones birthday raid. Only 2 weeks to wait! Quote
Stephanie2008 Posted February 16, 2009 Posted February 16, 2009 This is the book I am reading next Quote
BookBee8 Posted February 16, 2009 Posted February 16, 2009 I have this on my TBR pile and it doesn't appeal at all, I don't know why. I've read quite a lot of Jodi Picoult and I've enjoyed most of them so I can imagine this one to be equally good. Not sure why I keep putting it off though Quote
Lucybird Posted February 16, 2009 Author Posted February 16, 2009 I must admit the blurb doesn't really do it justice. In a way the heart donation is more of a side topic, I would say religion is the central theme Quote
BrainFreeze Posted February 17, 2009 Posted February 17, 2009 The Pact is next on my To Read list, so I think this will be the one I read after The Pact. Quote
leah86 Posted February 17, 2009 Posted February 17, 2009 I read Change of Heart a while ago now and i thouroughly enjoyed it..I agree that the blurb didn't do it justice at all. I would defnitgly say that the central theme is religion..I would recommend it Quote
leah86 Posted February 17, 2009 Posted February 17, 2009 The Pact is next on my To Read list, so I think this will be the one I read after The Pact. The Pact is excellent:D Great book:D Quote
Lucybird Posted February 18, 2009 Author Posted February 18, 2009 Yes it is, not my favourite though Quote
BrainFreeze Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 I had a Change of Heart and decided to read this one before The Pact. Ok, poor pun, but it was begging to be said! Quote
Lucybird Posted February 20, 2009 Author Posted February 20, 2009 I had a Change of Heart and decided to read this one before The Pact. Ok, poor pun, but it was begging to be said! I prefer Change of Heart to The Pact personally Quote
lexiepiper Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 Yeah, the Pact isn't one of my favourites Quote
lexiepiper Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 Aww, you might like them Ben, they're pretty good Quote
Lucybird Posted February 20, 2009 Author Posted February 20, 2009 Start with My Sister's Keeper, it's still my favourite Quote
lexiepiper Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 Start with My Sister's Keeper, it's still my favourite Mine too! Quote
leah86 Posted February 20, 2009 Posted February 20, 2009 Mine too! Me three! My Sister's Keeper is excellent Quote
lexiepiper Posted February 21, 2009 Posted February 21, 2009 I think that's sorted then Ben, we all recommend My Sister's Keeper! Quote
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