Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult | Teen Ink
  1. Home
  2. Reviews
  3. Book Reviews
  4. Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult

Change of Heart by Jodi Picoult MAG

By Continuum GOLD, Little Rock, Arkansas
More by this author
Continuum GOLD, Little Rock, Arkansas
17 articles 0 photos 0 comments
View profile

Jodi Picoult's newest novel, Change of Heart, has topped both the New York Times hardcover and paperback best-seller lists for weeks, and received rave reviews. Change of Heart is being dubbed one of Picoult's best books yet, but I disagree.

While I am a die-hard fan, I feel that Change of Heart is ­extremely dragged out. Like most of her novels, it is narrated by a number of characters, each personally connecting with the reader in a way that forces you to empathize.

Eleven years earlier, Shay Bourne murdered June Nealon's husband and daughter and is sentenced to death. Fast-forward to the present, and June's other daughter is growing up with severe heart problems. The story focuses on Shay's decision to donate his heart to June's daughter ­after he's put to death. The only problem: lethal injection stops the heart.

Change of Heart follows a series of events surrounding June and Shay that ­focus on ­religion and the law. While the plot is exciting and intense, 464 pages are far too many to tell this story. Picoult includes an enormous amount of detail, but unfortunately I feel this leaves the reader uninterested.

In conclusion, this book might be better for a first-time Picoult reader. The story is ­decent but follows the same route as all her other books: you think you have it all figured out but then there's a twist at the end. I give it two and a half out of five stars.

Image Credit: Amazon.com

Buy from Amazon
Post a comment
Submit your own

Similar Articles

Previous Next
Reviews
Bleachers
By Anonymous
Reviews
She said yes
By Anonymous
Reviews
The wrong number two
By Anonymous
Reviews
The Interpreter of Maladies
By Anonymous
Reviews
Angela’s Ashes
By Anonymous
Reviews
Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson
By Anonymous

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 43 comments.

juneday GOLD said...
on Mar. 24 2013 at 11:30 am
juneday GOLD, Barrington, Rhode Island
16 articles 1 photo 27 comments
View profile
Although I find many of JP's topics thought - provoking, in general her books adhere to a strict formula that gets really boring after a while. (Troubled family, trial, lawyer finds love, etc.)  Change of Heart read like she'd barely put any effort into writing it and was much sloppier than most of her books. If she just stuck to the main topic instead of getting bogged down with mushy subplots, her books would be much better.
bintyousuf BRONZE said...
on Jul. 12 2012 at 7:13 pm
bintyousuf BRONZE, Fairfax, Virginia
2 articles 0 photos 6 comments
View profile
Thanks! I'm also a huge Jodi Picoult fan and I checked this book out from the library a while ago, but haven't gotten around to reading it yet.
CindyDIAZ said...
on May. 29 2012 at 3:23 pm
It's well known that cash can make people independent. But how to act if one has no cash? The one way only is to receive the credit loans or short term loan.
LetLoveIn... SILVER said...
on Apr. 15 2012 at 7:30 pm
LetLoveIn... SILVER, Sugar Land, Texas
6 articles 3 photos 11 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Poetry wasn't written to be analyzed; it was meant to inspire without reason, to touch without understanding." -The Notebook

View profile
Yess! i totally agree.
LetLoveIn... SILVER said...
on Apr. 15 2012 at 7:29 pm
LetLoveIn... SILVER, Sugar Land, Texas
6 articles 3 photos 11 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Poetry wasn't written to be analyzed; it was meant to inspire without reason, to touch without understanding." -The Notebook

View profile
I have to disagree. This was a very moving book. It certainly deserves more than a 2.5
minty-fresh BRONZE said...
on Feb. 9 2012 at 10:21 pm
minty-fresh BRONZE, Glendale, California
2 articles 1 photo 7 comments
View profile
I totally agree! While Jodi's books are suspenseful and fun to read, I think she makes them much longer than they actually have to be. Also, all of her books have basically the same plot--Once you've read one of her books, it's like you've read them all.
Amyelisee BRONZE said...
on Feb. 9 2012 at 8:36 pm
Amyelisee BRONZE, Lake Bluff, Illinois
3 articles 8 photos 117 comments
View profile
That actually made me want to read the book ... :0!!
AyeshaMuzaffar BRONZE said...
on Sep. 8 2011 at 3:58 am
AyeshaMuzaffar BRONZE, Lahore, Other
4 articles 0 photos 98 comments
View profile
I couldn't disagree more. The book was love. You need to work on your article but I really liked the last few lines of your article.
writter_96 GOLD said...
on Jul. 26 2011 at 3:30 pm
writter_96 GOLD, Mena, Arkansas
11 articles 0 photos 9 comments

Favorite Quote:
what doesnt kill us only makes us stronger<br /> if you don&#039;t experience pain. how do you know your alive?

View profile
Yeah.. Do you think she has dealt with a lot of death? Have you read Nineteen Mintues?
writter_96 GOLD said...
on Jul. 26 2011 at 3:26 pm
writter_96 GOLD, Mena, Arkansas
11 articles 0 photos 9 comments

Favorite Quote:
what doesnt kill us only makes us stronger<br /> if you don&#039;t experience pain. how do you know your alive?

View profile
This is an amazing book. It gets readers to thinking... you can really have a change pf heart. And people do get secon chances. I reccomend it
KristinHopkins8 SILVER said...
on Jul. 26 2011 at 1:35 am
KristinHopkins8 SILVER, Aspen, Colorado
7 articles 0 photos 83 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;If a writer falls in love with you, you can never die&quot;

View profile
i've heard that this is a great book. i also think your review of the book could use a little work
Hippiealien SILVER said...
on Jun. 17 2011 at 6:20 pm
Hippiealien SILVER, Fair Oaks, California
7 articles 5 photos 43 comments

Favorite Quote:
A Idea and a number 2 pencil can take you anywhere.

View profile
this book was better then this review makes it out to be..really good,interesting and the twist will leave u just like this ----> :O
kelsee727 said...
on Apr. 27 2011 at 8:16 pm
kelsee727, The Plains, Ohio
0 articles 0 photos 16 comments
View profile
I've read House Rules, so I was going to give this book a shot, but I don't know now. Is it worth giving a shot?
Hannah1014 BRONZE said...
on Mar. 16 2011 at 12:27 pm
Hannah1014 BRONZE, Princeton, New Jersey
2 articles 0 photos 3 comments
View profile
The Pact was better though
Hannah1014 BRONZE said...
on Mar. 16 2011 at 12:26 pm
Hannah1014 BRONZE, Princeton, New Jersey
2 articles 0 photos 3 comments
View profile
I disagree it was my favorite book!!
Phoenixx GOLD said...
on Jan. 19 2011 at 7:10 pm
Phoenixx GOLD, Toronto, Other
17 articles 0 photos 184 comments
View profile
agreed, i wonder how much longer she'll continue to use the same concept, repetidly. If she continues to do so, i'm not sure how many others will continue to support her.
Mnyawn said...
on Jan. 19 2011 at 12:44 pm
Mnyawn, Lehigh Acres, Florida
0 articles 0 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
At the moment it is: &quot;You educate a man - you educate a man. You educate a woman - you educate a generation.&quot; -Brigham Young

View profile
"House Rules" was exceptional!  :)  Loved it.
aspiringauthor_ BRONZE said...
on Jan. 9 2011 at 5:18 pm
aspiringauthor_ BRONZE, Fairfield, Connecticut
1 article 0 photos 324 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.&quot; - MLK Jr.

View profile
I disagree with you. I really liked this book. I think it's just that you need to be a really patient person so that you can get to the good parts. Also, I don't think that this would be a good book for a first time Jodi Picoult reader. I don't think that because, as you said, it's long (and sometimes tedious, I agree). If that's what they read the first time, they might think all of her books are long and tedious. Most of them are long, but not all of them are tedious! :) When did this book come out? I read it a long time ago, and you said it was her newest novel...
aspiringauthor_ BRONZE said...
on Jan. 9 2011 at 5:14 pm
aspiringauthor_ BRONZE, Fairfield, Connecticut
1 article 0 photos 324 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.&quot; - MLK Jr.

View profile
Personally, I think her worst book was My Sister's Keeper. I really liked House Rules.
Phoenixx GOLD said...
on Dec. 19 2010 at 3:36 pm
Phoenixx GOLD, Toronto, Other
17 articles 0 photos 184 comments
View profile
haha, agreed. I honestly thought her best book was "My Sisters Keeper." Then again it was the first book of hers i read, which sort of made an impression. I agree with what you have to say though, shes an exceptionally good story teller.