ISBN-13: 9780743454551
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Trade
Published: November 2005
448pp



Well, it seems like lately I have been reading books that are thought-provoking or stories with a sad premise, isn't it? As some of you may tell, my reading mood varies. At times, I can read the same genre in a row, or other times I just switch from one genre to another. And then, there are also times that I pick up a book just because I am attracted to its cover. I know I am not a consistent reader when this is concerned, but I try not to limit myself to read a book just because I feel there is a need to (unless you are talking about reading challenges here, and I am running way out of time!). But still, reading pleasure always comes first. Oh well, I think I have enough of my ramblings and it is time to get on with this review.

Delia Hopkins has been living with her father since she was four. Now at 32, she works with law enforcement agencies to help them find missing people, together with Greta, her beloved search-and-rescue bloodhound. Although she feels the satisfaction of every successful missions, it gives her a loss feeling because she knows that she would not be able to find her mother, no matter how hard she try for she had died in a car accident. But she is going to put this sad memories behind her as she is happy with her four-year-old daughter, Sophia, and she has a fiancé, Eric, who is her childhood friend (who is also Sophia's father) until one day, a cop knocks on her door and have her father arrested for kidnapping. And Delia happens to be the child he had stolen.

Shocked and feeling betrayed, Delia couldn't understand what made her father commit the act but later she learns that he did it out of love, though it seems he had done it in an inappropriate (and not to mention, illegal) way. He feels Elise, Delia's mother, is incapable of taking care of Delia since she has a drinking problem, nor do he trusts Victor, her lover with Delia. He and Elise are already divorced when he took Delia with him. Delia later meets her mother, and found out she indeed had a drinking problem. Once again, she feels betrayed that she is misled that her mother is the victim. At this time, her father has already been extradicted to Arizona where he committed the 'crime'; and Eric, being an attorney agrees to take on the case, but he is going to face a big challenge as not only he will get tossed off the case or disbarred if he tells Delia what he has learnt, but the prosecutor is a pregnant lady who believes that kidnapping is a serious offense no matter whatever the circumstances is. And then, there is Fitz, who is also childhood friend of Delia and Eric and he has liked her since then. He is a writer with the New Hampshire Gazette and he is asked to cover this story. All of these add complexity and climax to the story.

There are various POVs throughout the book, as readers will get a glimpse inside each character's world and read their inner thoughts. The hearing in court is the scene which I most look forward to, as I was very eager to find out the outcome. While reading and anticipating the tension at the same time, I have also learnt that sometimes, things are not always seem to be what you think.

Jodi Picoult has the ability of merging moral issues into her fictions and makes them seem real, and this is another reason why I enjoy reading her books, besides the emotional and thought-provoking parts. I think this story will stay in my mind for quite some time.