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The tiny town of Sterling seems tranquil enough, until a brutal school shooting, killing ten, occurs at the local high school. Josie goes to school on an apparently normal day, but ends up living a nightmare as she witnesses death and destruction around her. Not only is the day horrible, but the shooter is the least likely person she could have thought of: nerdy, former best friend Peter. Peter is quickly taken to trial to Josie's mother Judge Cormier, who is later removed from the case, and Josie should be the perfect witness; except for the fact that she can't remember anything about the shooting. Peter's parents Lewis and Lacey constantly antagonize over the past, trying to remember what they could have done to send Peter to such violence. They wonder endlessly about what they could have done differently. Jodi Picoult's novel is a truly touching story that explores the world of bullying, and the concept of truly knowing a person.
I enjoyed this book so much because it was written from so many different perspectives and allowed me to really get to know all of the characters well. Every person thought so differently and had their own opinions, and it was cool to be able to think from the shooter's point of view as well as the victims. Most books about a touchy subject like this shy away from the bad guy's thoughts, but this book delved right into the heart of the shooter. I also liked the book because so much research was put into it. Picoult always researches endlessly for her novels and the research always makes the book so much more accurate and heart-warming.
You can't go wrong with Jodi Picoult!
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