19 Minutes By Jodi Picoult: Book Analysis

Throughout our time in school we are forced to read hundreds of books, in my case I never enjoyed too many that I had to read. When I think of that one book that I had to read that I will never forget, it that would be 19 Minutes by Jodi Picoult. She is now my favorite author, after reading this book my freshman year I read several after. What I love about her writing is that she is not afraid of talking about the hard topics, like in this book a school shooting. When I went to the library I was surprised to find her novels in the Adult fiction section instead of the Young Adult section. When I did some more research about what genre this book fit into it was labeled thriller. I would disagree in putting this novel in the adult section because …show more content…
He connects to teens that feel like they are the source of laughter and staring, just an insecure boy. Each chapter starts with a passage from his journal, this entry in particular really stood out to me. It was easy for me to connect to and I believe others can as well, "You can feel them staring...I used to stand in front of the mirror in the bathroom to see what they were staring at,…Then one day , when I looked in the mirror, I understood. I looked into my own eyes and hated myself..." (pg. 161). Teenage years are an insecure time where you are trying to find out who you are, Peter relates to those who have trouble being who they are because they do not fit in. At one point in the book in a time period before the shooting Peter and Josie have an afterschool job together. Behind closed doors they can be friends so it does not hurt Josie's 'image', but Peter asks her what it is like to be in the popular crowd. A question many that do not fit in wonder, she responds, "Like if you take one wrong step, you're going to fall" (pg. 205). Although Josie may look like the popular happy girl at the top of the world her inner feelings are much