Nineteen Minutes is an amazing book. The topic is a school shooting in a small town. The book dealt with the aftermath of the shooting, as well as delving into the past of the kids involved. All sorts of relationships were explored, in an attempt to understand “How could this HAPPEN??”
Nineteen Minutes is a fictional tale, and different from most of the real-life tragedies in that the shooter did not kill himself. So the community has someone tangible to blame.
A lot of grey area is covered in this book, and that’s what really makes it interesting. Can years of physical, mental and emotional abuse ever justify murder? You may be surprised to find yourself unsure as you read this book.
This is my first encounter with Jodi Picoult, but i think i may look for her again. She is known for writing about controversial topics. If Nineteen Minutes is any indication, she does it very well. She certainly captures the pettiness of high school. It brought back memories for me.
Highly recommended.