Review (PDF) The Pact: A Love Story
From Jodi Picoult, one of the most powerful writers in contemporary fiction, comes a riveting, timely, heartbreaking, and terrifying novel of families in anguish -- and friendships ripped apart by inconceivable violence. Until the phone calls came at 3:00 A.M. on a November morning, the Golds and their neighbors, the Hartes, had been inseparable. It was no surprise to anyone when their teenage children, Chris and Emily, began showing signs that their relationship was moving beyond that of lifelong friends. But now seventeen-year-old Emily has been shot to death by her beloved and devoted Chris as part of an apparent suicide pact -- leaving two devastated families stranded in the dark and dense predawn, desperate for answers about an unthinkable act and the children they never really knew.
File Size: 1468 KB
Print Length: 518 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0061150142
Publisher: HarperCollins e-books (November 5, 2008)
Publication Date: October 6, 2009
Sold by: Digital Services LLC
Language: English
ASIN: B001KDQ4KQ
Text-to-Speech: Enabled
X-Ray: Enabled
Word Wise: Enabled
Lending: Not Enabled
Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled
Best Sellers Rank: #3,793 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store) #40 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Literary Fiction > Psychological #68 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Literary Fiction > Women's Fiction #75 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Literature & Fiction > Women's Fiction > Psychological
I was unable to put this book down. What an amazing book. Jodi Picoult has perfectly described the feelings of love, loss, grief and devastation in The Pact. I think I must have begun weeping several times while reading this book (on the bus, in line at the drug store...).Not only is the book gripping while you are reading it but it stays with you afterwards - I can't stop thinking about it.The Pact is the story of two teenagers who grow up next door to one another from birth, their parents are the best of friends and have always expected that their children's friendship will blossom into love which it does.The book jumps from both Chris and Emily's perspective as well as both sets of parents - it deals with a suicide pact gone wrong and the aftermath (as well as what has lead up to the central moment). If anyone has ever learned devastating news or lost a loved one then they know what it can do to a person as well as a family and I thought that The Pact was unbelievably realistic.This was one of the most moving, touching and important books I have read - it certainly leaves you thinking about it and your own life as well as the lives of those around you.Read this one but make sure to keep a box of tissues and a loved one near by (for a hug if you need one).
I probably would not have read this book if I'd really known what it was about as we had recently lost a child to suicide. However, I am glad that I read it. It was enormously healing to read about other families facing the same sort of loss. The story was also well done. I could completely understand why the main characters acted as they did and also see how tragically unnecessary it was. Great book. Nicely written, believeable characters.
The Pact is the first book of Jodi Picoult's that I have ever read, and based on what I've experienced with this, I know it won't be the last. The Pact is emotional, moving, shocking and surprising. The narrative is told in an interesting back-and-forth style, between Chris, who is accused of murdering his life long friend and love, and Emily, dead at seventeen and whose voice is a trace of past events. Moving between present day court proceedings and what actually happened the night a teenaged girl was shot, we delve into the childhoods of both characters and the family that surrounds them.The Hartes and the Golds live next to each other, eat together, gather in each others homes and go on vacation together. Somewhere along the way, and much to the parents happiness, Chris and Emily end up dating each other. Soon after, as witnessed in Emily's thoughts and journals, it becomes apparent that she herself is not happy with this; that something in her life and heart is troubled beyond even Chris's presence. The mystery surrounding the night of her death continues for the whole length of the novel, and every turn is shrouded in secrets, lies, and ultimately, the truth.I devoured this book in a few sittings. Picoult does a wonderful job in getting us to know the two families; both sets of parents are equally interesting and sympathetic, and the story would not have worked as well if they weren't. The reader never really knows what happened that fateful night between Emily and Chris until the very end, and it keeps you going to find out. This is a well-written, intriguing novel, and I can't wait to read more of her works.
Assuming that this was another "chick novel", I would not have ordinarily picked this book to read. But since a friend had recommended it to me, I dived into it with low expectations. As I read, I became increasingly engrossed with the realistically-drawn characters and well-crafted plot. The novel is great for book discussion groups as it raises lots of questions: Can the legal system ever adjudicate the real truth, or is truth so relative that it can never be legally defined? Can one give onself over to another too completely? Is suicide ever a reasonable answer to life's challenges? This book is indeed a "chick novel" in the sense that it is primarily about interpersonal relationships. But it is more than just a light, entertaining read. Those who appreciated the movie "Ordinary People" will find in this novel a similarly sophisticated treatment of the despair that can attend adolescence and the impact it can have on families and communities.
After being turned on to Jodi Picoult through My Sister's Keeper, I sought her out at the bookstore and stumbled upon this book.Picoult manages to capture the essence of the grief and heartache suicide bequeathes in exacting detail. I admired the deft way in which she segued from present to past, seamlessly telling the story of a multitude of characters through varying perspectives.However, I think she fell short in the execution of events leading to Emily's suicide. After the last page, I'm still left questioning how Emily was brought to believe suicide was her only option. I think Picoult should have examined this angle a bit more in-depth.
Two families were the closest of friends. Their children, Christopher Harte and Emily Gold, both age 17, had grown up together and started dating each other at age 13. On one fateful night, that all changed when Emily is found dead from a gunshot wound and Chris claims it was a suicide pact. The prosecutor claims murder and now these two supposedly ideal families will be ripped apart as they grapple with what happened and why.Jodi Picoult's powerful story will leave the reader reeling from the overwhelming emotions conveyed. Ms. Picoult demonstrates a solid grasp of her subject matter as her characters struggle with the notion of Emily's suicide versus Chris being her murderer. THE PACT: A LOVE STORY is thought provoking, albeit painful at times. Jodi Picoult deftly interweaves the past and present in this poignant family drama. Suicide is an extremely sensitive subject and this topic may disturb some readers. Ms. Picoult handles the topic exceptionally well, however, remaining sensitive to all of the issues and parties involved in THE PACT: A LOVE STORY. THE PACT: A LOVE STORY is not an easy read, but it is a book well worth reading more for the questions Ms. Picoult asks than for any real answers. As the story unfolds, readers will find themselves completely immersed into this deeply moving and heart wrenching tale. THE PACT: A LOVE STORY is a very realistic portrayal of the aftermath of a suicide, particularly one under such questionable circumstances, and as such will be both loved and hated at the same time. Kudos to Ms. Picoult for daring to venture into this territory and for being so compassionate in the process.COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES
The Pact: A Love Story The Protective One: A Billionaire Bride Pact Romance The Intelligence of Evil or the Lucidity Pact (Talking Images) The Devils' Alliance: Hitler's Pact With Stalin, 1939-1941 Suicide Pact: The Radical Expansion of Presidential Powers and the Lethal Threat to American Liberty The Rebellious One: A Billionaire Bride Pact Romance #Love: #Love is Book #1 in the Adult Book Series Celebrating Love and Friendship (#Love, #Pretty, #Beautiful, #Beauty, #Me) (#Coloring #Book Series of Adult Coloring Books) Staying in Love Participant's Guide: Falling in Love Is Easy, Staying in Love Requires a Plan Self-Love: The 21-Day Self-Love Challenge - Learn how to love yourself unconditionally, cultivate self-worth, self-compassion and self-confidence (self ... happiness) (21-Day Challenges Book 6) All My Love, Detrick: A Historical Novel Of Love And Survival During The Holocaust (All My Love Detrick Book 1) Soul Mates & Twin Flames: Discover a Timeless Love, Fulfill Your Soul's Purpose, and Experience a Higher Level of Love (Soul Mates, Twin Flames, Karmic ... Spirits, Endless Love, Spiritual Partner) Letters To My Ex-girlfriends: A Unique Love Story (Romance, love, sex, cheating, betrayal, ex-lover, poems,grief) Keep Your Love On - KYLO Study Guide (Keep Your Love on Study Series) The 5 Love Languages Men's Edition: The Secret to Love That Lasts Beecause I Love You (Made With Love) Honey, I Love and Other Love Poems (Reading Rainbow Series) I Love You, Snugglesaurus! (Made with Love) Love Your Workout Hypnosis / Guided Imagery CD - Love to Exercise! Get Motivated! How to Be an Adult in Love: Letting Love in Safely and Showing It Recklessly Law of Attraction: Unleash The Secret Power Within and Learn How To Manifest More Money, More Love, More Success, More Abundance In No TIme: (Special Bonus: ... Money, Success, Happiness & Love,)
