Book Two: House Rules- Jodi Picoult

So I have been reading since January, and just haven't had the chance to post my latest books, but I've been reading and loving my latest books. Book number two was by Jodi Picoult, she's a favourite author of mine, I've read almost all of her books, and am excited about her new one coming out March 1st, and plan to get it right away it's called "Sing You Home" and I'm sure it's going to be FANTASTIC as always.... but hey I'll let you know!

House Rules was a book I was waiting a long time to read, it was out in hard cover and at the time I hadn't realized my love for the hard cover book, so I was waiting for it to come out in paper back... it finally did and I snatched it up! I think what interested me the most was that the main character in this book has asperger's syndrome, I'd learned a lot about autism and aspergers in the education program and was very interested to see it put into a novel, and I wasn't disappointed. I found a lot about what I had learned in this book, and actually learned some other facts and insights. Picoult is very big an researching her books so things are authentic and correct and I appreciate that. Here is what the book is about, taken right from Jodi Picoults website... www.jodipicoult.com ...

Synopsis:

HOUSE RULES is about Jacob Hunt, a teenage boy with Asperger’s Syndrome. He’s hopeless at reading social cues or expressing himself well to others, and like many kids with AS, Jacob has a special focus on one subject – in his case, forensic analysis. He’s always showing up at crime scenes, thanks to the police scanner he keeps in his room, and telling the cops what they need to do…and he’s usually right. But then one day his tutor is found dead, and the police come to question him. All of the hallmark behaviors of Asperger’s – not looking someone in the eye, stimulatory tics and twitches, inappropriate affect – can look a heck of a lot like guilt to law enforcement personnel -- and suddenly, Jacob finds himself accused of murder. HOUSE RULES looks at what it means to be different in our society, how autism affects a family, and how our legal system works well for people who communicate a certain way – but lousy for those who don’t.

On her website she shares some of the reasons behind writing this book which is super interesting, it all came from a family member. She also goes into more detail about asperger's and the controversy around vaccinations. Which I'm not even getting into on here.... she just shares some facts and I found it all interesting to read.

I enjoyed this book a lot, and would recommend it. What I love about her books is that each chapter is usually written surrounding one characters perspective. So you are able to piece together the story through all these characters accounts and feelings. You really do feel for each of her characters as they struggle with their situation... you feel Emma the mother's pain and frustration for both of her children, but you also feel her loneliness and exhaustion. You feel for Theo, Jacob's brother, who sometimes feels forgotten. You also feel greatly for Jacob as you hear accounts of events in his life as he tried to fit it, and only got in trouble in the end. Her books usually centre around a court case, which is always super interesting but her books also intertwine the life's of the characters around the case that they are battling in, you get attached to her characters and feel for them. It was a fantastic book and opens your eyes to asperger's, maybe if we all read more books like this we would become even more sensitive to those who face the challenges that these syndromes bring to families throughout the world. Check it out!