Songs of the Humpback Whale: A Novel
by Jodi Picoult
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Book Summary Information
Author: Jodi PicoultEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2001-10-02
ISBN: 0743431014
Number of pages: 352
Publisher: Pocket Books
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Book Reviews of Songs of the Humpback Whale: A Novel
Book Review: Not My Favorite by Picoult But.........
Summary: 4 Stars
I first read The Pact by Jodi Picot several years ago when I found this book while browsing at the library. Since that time I have read several other books by this author which include Keeping Faith, Perfect Match, Salem Falls and Plain Truth. While I enjoyed some of these books more than others, each book provided me with an interesting read about present day happenings. And since some of these topics are somewhat controversial, the books always left me thinking about the characters and their situations. I knew that the books I read were more recent titles by Ms. Picot and I was determined someday to read her debut book Songs of the Humpback Whale: A Novel Told in Five Voices. When my book group recently chose this book, I was so glad that finally would make the time to read this book first published in 1992.
After a fight with her husband, Jane Jones and their daughter Rebecca travel to Massachusetts to find Jane's brother Joley. During this road trip we come to know more about the relationship between Jane, her husband Oliver, her brother Joley and even her father. Not sure of how to get from San Diego to Massachusetts, Joley establishes an elaborate plan where Jane receives instructions and directions at various spots along the way. And its safe to expect that at each place both Jane and Rebecca meet interesting and in some cases quirky people who only lead them to a better understanding of their past present and future.
This book, as the subtitle indicates is told in five voices which while innovative is not executed all that well. As we read the book we hear the voices of Jane, Oliver, Joley, Rebecca and Sam the owner of the apple orchard where Joley works. Jane tells the story going forward from the day they left Oliver and San Diego while Rebecca tells these story going from the end backwards until their stories tales criss cross at the site of a very important in the lives of all three members of the Jones family. This technique of going backwards in time has naturally been used before and reminded me of the movie Pulp Fiction, the Seinfeld episode when they attended a wedding in India and the recent book Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland. But while it worked well in these venues, Songs of the Humpback Whale it didn't work that well in this book. The first 50 pages or more were confusing till you realized how the author was presenting the time frame. And then I found the last 150 pages was much too repetitive as the various characters had very little to say which shed any new light on the story.
Books and movies about road trips have been popular for sometime. Just think of On the Road by Jack Kerouac and this year just think of the impact the independent film Sideways had on the viewing public. And I do enjoy books about road trips and the revelations individuals have while taking them. Unfortunately this road trip wasn't all that exciting and in the end I don't think I cared for these characters all that much. While I felt sad for Jane at times I didn't find he particularly likable although I wondered why. And I also thought think there might have been actions she could have taken long before she needed to leave Oliver so abruptly but then there wouldn't have been this book. And for some reason I couldn't help but compare the situation of the book, especially Rebecca's story, to the theme and the young woman from the book The Horse Whisperer. In the end I wondered how much more young Rebecca could go through and what her future would be like if they returned home.
Based on other books I read by Ms. Picoult, I was somewhat disappointed with this read. I now think if I had read it before any of Ms. Picoult's other books, I might have enjoyed it more. One thing for sure is that it proved to me that since this book was written, Ms. Picoult has evolved into a gifted and talented writer and one I have come to cherish greatly. I now look forward to reading her latest book Vanishing Acts which will be published this spring. I do want to leave this review on a positive note and say that even a so so read from Ms. Picoult is still interesting and worthwhile. So if you're reading this someday you may just want to read the first published book written by Jodi Picoult.
Summary of Songs of the Humpback Whale: A Novel
Sometimes finding your own voiceis a matter of listening to the heart....
Jodi Picoult's powerful novel portrays an emotionally charged marriage that changes course in one explosive moment....For years, Jane Jones has lived in the shadow of her husband, renowned San Diego oceanographer Oliver Jones. But during an escalating argument, Jane turns on him with an alarming volatility. In anger and fear, Jane leaves with their teenage daughter, Rebecca, for a cross-country odyssey charted by letters from her brother Joley, guiding them to his Massachusetts apple farm, where surprising self-discoveries await. Now Oliver, an expert at tracking humpback whales across vast oceans, will search for his wife across a continent -- and find a new way to see the world, his family, and himself: through her eyes.
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